October is often thought of as the traditional “stewardship season” in the church. This is the time of year when many churches hold campaigns, preach a sermon series about generosity, and distribute pledge cards in the hope that most of them will eventually find their way back.
Of course, that calendar does not work for every congregation. Churches with seasonal attendance patterns—especially those welcoming snowbirds—may choose a different time of year. Others may not conduct a formal campaign at all.
But generosity cannot be placed on the calendar for a few weeks each fall and then set aside until next year.
I know I sound like a broken record when I talk with pastors and lay leaders about this, but generosity should be as much a part of a church’s discipleship planning as choosing the music, preparing the sermon, organizing small groups, or scheduling classes. We would never say, “We talked about prayer last October, so we do not need to mention it again for a while.” Generosity is also a spiritual discipline—one that must be taught, encouraged, practiced, and celebrated throughout the year.
That means regularly celebrating the impact of the church’s ministry. It means telling the stories of lives changed, people served, children nurtured, neighbors welcomed, and communities strengthened. It means highlighting the goodness and faithfulness of God and naming clearly what the generosity of God’s people has enabled the church to do.
It also means regularly helping people understand how they can give. Churches should not assume that everyone knows how to make a gift, set up recurring giving, give appreciated stock, make a qualified charitable distribution, include the church in an estate plan, or support a particular ministry. We have to teach people—not simply ask them.
From time to time, a pastor will tell me, “We are not comfortable doing a stewardship campaign this year. Maybe we will do one next year.” I understand the hesitation. Perhaps the church has experienced conflict, a leadership transition, financial uncertainty, or simply campaign fatigue. But I also believe that response misses the larger point.
A campaign is only one tool. Stewardship is the ongoing work of forming disciples who understand that everything we have comes from God and that giving is one of the ways we respond to God’s grace. A congregation may decide that this is not the right year for pledge cards or a formal campaign. That does not mean it should take a year off from talking about generosity.
Every church has something to celebrate. Every congregation can tell stories of impact. Every pastor can thank people for their faithfulness. Every leadership team can communicate openly about ministry and finances. And every church can invite people to take another step in generosity—not out of obligation or anxiety, but as an expression of gratitude and faith.
Stewardship may have a season on the church calendar, but generosity is not seasonal. It is a discipline of Christian discipleship, and it deserves our attention throughout the entire year.
The Foundation remains available to help your church strengthen its culture of generosity, share its story of impact, and provide people with practical ways to support its ministry. Whether you are planning a stewardship campaign or simply looking for ways to make generosity a more consistent part of your church’s life, we would be glad to walk alongside you.