Creating Congregations of Generous People, Durall, Michael (Bethesda: Alban, 1999)

*The Canon for Development particularly recommends this book for both clergy and lay leadership.

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Asking parishioners for money is very different from creating congregations of generous people. In this provocative book, stewardship consultant Michael Durall argues convincingly that annual pledge drives inadvertently perpetuate low-level and same-level giving in congregations. Written with the voice of experience, this book will help clergy and lay leaders initiate and sustain effective stewardship programs. Durall believes that asking for money eventually becomes routine, even tedious-but creating a congregation of generous people becomes ever more meaningful with passing time.

Financing American Religion, Chaves, Mark and Sharon L. Miller, eds.(Walnut Creek: AltaMira, 1999)

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Money always has been a subject of deep concern for religious leaders. In recent decades, however, this perennial concern has taken on a new urgency as a crisis situation is perceived. "Financing American Religion" brings together short, readable essays representing the best, most up-to-date research and thinking on the intersections of money and religion. Sociologists, historians, economists, and theologians ask who gives, how much, and why. They investigate how money moves and how it affects religious organizational behavior. And throughout they explore how attitudes toward money have altered over time. Religious leaders and scholars of American religion will welcome this much-needed volume.

Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don’t Give Away More Money, Smith, Christian and Michael O. Emerson (Oxford, New York: Oxford University, 2008)

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Passing the Plate shows that few American Christians donate generously to religious and charitable causes -- a parsimony that seriously undermines the work of churches and ministries. Far from the 10 percent of one's income that tithing requires, American Christians' financial giving typically amounts, by some measures, to less than one percent of annual earnings. And a startling one out of five self-identified Christians gives nothing at all. This eye-opening book explores the reasons behind such ungenerous giving, the potential world-changing benefits of greater financial giving, and what can be done to improve matters. If American Christians gave more generously, say the authors, any number of worthy projects -- from the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS to the promotion of inter-religious understanding to the upgrading of world missions -- could be funded at astounding levels. Analyzing a wide range of social surveys and government and denominational statistical datasets and drawing on in-depth interviews with Christian pastors and church members in seven different states, the book identifies a crucial set of factors that appear to depress religious financial support -- among them the powerful allure of a mass-consumerist culture and its impact on Americans' priorities, parishioners' suspicions of waste and abuse by nonprofit administrators, clergy's hesitations to boldly ask for money, and the lack of structure and routine in the way most American Christians give away money. In their conclusion, the authors suggest practical steps that clergy and lay leaders might take to counteract these tendencies and better educate their congregations about the transformative effects of generous giving. By illuminating the social and psychological forces that shape charitable giving, Passing the Plate is sure to spark a much-needed debate on a critical issue that is of much interest to church-goers, religious leaders, philanthropists, and social scientists.

Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as Ministry, Jeavons, Thomas H. and Rebekah Burch Basinger (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000)

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Here for the first time is a truly spiritual way of looking at fundraising as an opportunity to nurture current and prospective donors and facilitate their growth in faith. Growing Givers' Hearts explores how development staff, executives, and board members from across the theological spectrum can make faith-building opportunities for donors their first priority; act on their confidence in God's abundance; draw from their theological tradition in their approach to fundraising; involve a vital cross-section of staff in planning; and cultivate spiritually mature leadership. With this innovative approach, Growing Givers' Hearts empowers readers to work in spiritually grounded, deeply creative, and professionally satisfying ways. Fundraisers in any Christian organization will find extraordinary insights in this important guide.

More than Money: Portraits of Transformative Stewardship, McNamara, Patrick H. (Bethesda: Alban Institute, 1999)

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Is stewardship past its prime as a motivating vision for ministry? A social scientist, McNamara tells the stories of 11 mainline congregations where stewardship is the animating force that has transformed them into vital centers for mission. Church leaders who question whether stewardship education is worthwhile will be encouraged and inspired by these accounts of promising practices.

The Crisis in the Churches: Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe, Wuthnow, Robert (New York: Oxford University, 1997)

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At a time when already overworked clergy are being called upon by budget cutting politicians to do more for the poor, the sick, and the elderly, American churches are suffering persistent financial shortfalls. In fact, contrary to popular media images of millionaire televangelists, America's churches are cutting back programs and staff, clergy salaries are stagnating, and many parishes are having trouble raising enough money to keep the church lit and heated on Sunday. Why are America's churches in financial distress? Robert Wuthnow, a leading commentator on religious life in America, asserts that the steady drop in donations, volunteering, and personal involvement is a direct result of a spiritual crisis--a crisis caused in large part by the clergy's failure to address the vital relationships between faith and money, work, stewardship, giving, and economic justice. In The Crisis in the Churches, Wuthnow offers a searching study of this financial crisis and of the spiritual vacuum that has silently grown worse during the past decade. To do this, he lets the churches speak for themselves, quoting extensively from interviews with clergy and laity in sixty Protestant and Catholic congregations throughout the U.S., and drawing from the texts of over 200 sermons, from church financial records, and a national survey. What emerges is that parishioners often feel the church does not care about what they do from Monday to Friday, offers no guidance in their most pressing day to day concerns, yet always seems to be asking for more money. Clergy, for their part, say they hesitate to talk about finances because they know "the money question" makes people uncomfortable. But failure to raise the subject often makes it necessary to cut the very programs and services that middle class parishioners desire and would support. Wuthnow argues that in order to survive, churches must find ways to minister to the economic concerns of their own middle class parishioners. Indeed, of every $1,000 received by churches, $900 comes from people who work in middle class occupations. Clearly, anything that motivates middle class members to become more involved will strengthen a church's financial well being and capacity to serve its people. Although the situation is critical, Wuthnow finds much cause for hope. He points to ideas and programs that some churches have enacted to challenge their members to think differently about work and money and giving. Parishioners sometimes respond positively when clergy speak boldly and concretely about matters of faith and finance, and some churches have formed small groups whose members meet regularly to discuss issues of spirituality, work, personal finances, and stewardship. A serious and sympathetic examination of the crisis behind the stained glass, this thought-provoking volume will be highly valuable both practically and as moral support to clergy, parishioners, and anyone else concerned about restoring vitality and significance to American churches.

Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church: A Guide for Every Member, Callahan, Kennon L. (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 1992)

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This complete guide to giving and stewardship sheds new light on solid financial resources, one of the 12 keys to building an effective church. Here is a practical plan for the growth and development of giving and stewardship in your congregation, complete with action worksheets that advance the progress of the plan over four years.

Do Justice: Linking Christian Faith and Modern Economic Life, Blank, Rebecca M.(Cleveland: United Church Press, 1992)

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For individuals as well as lay study groups, this resource presents a much-needed blend of theology and economics for all Christians interested in responding practically, compassionately, and justly to difficult economic realities.

The Holy Use of Money: Personal Finance in Light of Christian Faith, Revised, Haughey, John C.(Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2006)