Don't Ask People to Give to Your Church: 3 Ways to Make Offering Moments Matter

Does the offering moment in your church service feel a little stale or like a routine you just go through each week? What if it could be transformed into one of the most powerful parts of your service? We’ll share 3 ways to make offering moments matter on this episode of the More Than a Pastor Show.

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Don't Ask People to Give to Your Church: 3 Ways to Make Offering Moments Matter

Hey, do you remember that song by Matt Redman called “Blessed Be Your Name.” It was pretty popular back in the early-mid 2000s, and it was on heavy rotation in our church’s worship services at the time.

Well, there’s this one line in the song that always gave me pause and made me think about the state of giving in our church. If you’re familiar with the song, can you guess the line I’m thinking about?

It goes like this:

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Confronting the "Pain" in the Offering

Yeah, pain in the offering…Have you ever experienced pain in your church’s offering?

Now I know, the song isn’t about that, it’s inspired by Job’s testimony that he was going to bless God no matter what happened to him - good or bad. “The Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” So now you know a little about my wry sense of humor.

Offering Moments Feel Boring, Awkward, and Transactional

But for many pastors, the offering moment does bring a unique kind of struggle. It’s the challenge of finding meaningful words to share, avoiding the perception of desperation, and grappling with the discouragement that comes with declining giving and shrinking church budgets.

Let’s be honest—something feels off about the offering moment in a lot of churches. For some, it’s become stale, lacking the intentionality and purpose given to other parts of the service.

Part of this shift can be traced back to the pandemic, when in-person worship was disrupted, passing the plate was paused, and online giving became the default.

I’m sure the shift to online giving was inevitable at some point anyway, but doesn’t it feel like something has been lost in the transition?

A meaningful moment where everyone has the opportunity to participate in an act of worship through passing the plate, listening to a special song or watching a video, and reflecting on God’s generosity to us and our response of being generous to him and others?

Maybe that moment hasn’t been lost in your church. Maybe your church kept that moment alive.

But for a lot of us, it’s become transactional: “Here’s how to give.” It feels rushed, awkward, and like we’re just trying to get to the next thing.

Making Offering Moments Matter

But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? What if the offering moment could be more? What if it could be one of the most powerful parts of the service—a chance to teach about God’s heart for generosity and inspire people to join God in a generosity journey?

Yes, explaining the “how” is important, but the offering is about way more than donations. It’s about worship. It’s about people growing in faith and seeing their giving as part of something bigger.

Online giving isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean the offering moment can’t be meaningful. So how can we rethink it and breathe new life into it?

3 Ways to Make Offering Moments Matter

The offering doesn’t have to be boring or feel like a transaction. It can be a powerful way to connect people’s giving to their faith and purpose. Instead of just saying, “Here’s how to give,” try these ideas to make offering moments meaningful and build a culture of generosity in your church:

1. Stop Asking People to Just “Give” and Start Inviting Them on a Generosity Journey

Shift the focus from making a financial ask to creating a discipleship experience. Generosity flows from a heart transformed by God, and when people see giving as a response to what God is doing in their lives, it feels personal—not like an obligation. It’s about connecting their faith with their finances in a way that’s authentic and impactful.

Because giving isn’t just about supporting causes. It’s about generosity being a natural response to what God is doing in your life. It’s personal.

When people understand that, giving feels different. It’s not an obligation—it’s an act of faith. And honestly? Figuring out how to handle money and possessions in a way that honors God is a huge milestone in your faith journey.

2. Incorporate a Weekly Generosity Prayer

The offering moment used to have an element of communal participation to it. When the offering plate was passed down the aisle, everyone participated in passing it even if they didn’t participate in giving. And this created a moment of pause and reflection on God’s provision and blessing in our lives.

You can create a meaningful participation moment by adding a Generosity Prayer to your service that’s rooted in scripture and the values of your community. This creates space to reflect on how generosity is a part of worship and reminds everyone of the bigger picture journey of generosity that God has his people on.

I have a couple of examples to share with you. The first one is from one of my favorite churches I follow online, Good Shepherd New York.

Generosity Prayer - Good Shepherd New York

Godliness with contentment is great gain. We bring nothing into this world, and we take nothing out of it.

We who call Jesus Lord devote ourselves to resisting greed, which plunges the human heart into ruin and pierces it with many griefs.

We are determined to practice generosity with free hearts, fixing our hope on God and not the uncertainty of wealth.

We desire to be rich in good deeds, willing to share all that we have, laying up for ourselves treasure that will not decay, but will shine in the age to come.

May this be true of our community. Amen

Giving Liturgy - Purpose Church in Cumming, Georgia

Heavenly Father, there is nothing we have that You have not given us. All we have and all that I am belong to You, bought with the blood of Jesus.

To spend everything on ourselves, and to give without sacrifice, is the way of the world that You cannot abide. 

But generosity is the way of those who call Christ their Lord; who love Him with free hearts and serve Him with renewed minds. Who withstand the delusion of riches that chokes the word; Whose hearts are in your kingdom and not in the systems of the world. 

We are determined to increase in generosity until it can be said that there is no needy person among us. We are determined to be trustworthy with such a little thing as money that You may trust me with true riches. 

Above all, we are determined to be generous because You, Father, are generous. It is the delight of Your daughters and sons to share Your traits, and to show what You are like to all the world. 

Amen

Now if you’re in a church that isn’t big on liturgy, maybe you’re wondering if you really want to add a liturgical element like this to your church, I encourage you to go for it. I think people are hungry for it these days.

If nothing else, try it for yourself and pray one of these prayers every day for 30 days and see what happens in your own life. If it’s meaningful for you, then give it a try in your church.

3. Share Stories That Inspire

Every week, highlight stories from your congregation or community about how generosity has made an impact.

Whether it’s through giving, receiving, or serving, these real-life examples make generosity feel tangible and transformative. They show how faith and generosity go hand in hand. Share stories from children, youth, families, older adults, singles, etc.

People love a good story and they love being able to see themselves in the story.

So always be sure to connect each story to your church’s vision and God’s big-picture vision that we grow in generosity as a reflection of God’s redeeming work in our lives.

When people see giving as an act of faith instead of an obligation, it hits differently. It’s not just about donating to a cause - it’s about stepping into a bigger story, a movement of what God is doing through them and in their church.

Let's re-imagine the offering moment and make it something that truly resonates.

Application & Action

So let me ask you, how does this episode sit with you? What do you think about the 3 ideas I shares to make offering moments more meaningful?

1. Stop Asking People to Just “Give” and Start Inviting Them on a Generosity Journey.
2. Incorporate a Weekly Generosity Prayer
3. Share stories that inspire

Do one of these sound like something you want to give a try in your worship service? If so, please let me know! You can email me at [email protected].

And why not share this episode with another pastor who would benefit from hearing this message? We’d really appreciate it. Thank you!