Not Your Parents Offering Plate

Hearing a young attorney speak of the faith-based reasons for which he had just made a substantial monetary gift to a community youth center, Clif Christopher asked the speaker if he would consider making a similar contribution to the congregation of which he was an active member. "Lord no, they wouldn't know what to do with it" was the answer.

That, in a nutshell, describes the problem churches are facing in their stewardship efforts, says Christopher. Unlike leading nonprofit agencies and institutions, we too often fail to convince potential givers that their gifts will have impact and significance. In this book, Christopher lays out the main reasons for this failure to capture the imagination of potential givers, including our frequent failure simply to ask.

Written with the needs of pastors and stewardship teams in mind,Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate provides immediate, practical guidance to all who seek to help God’s people be better stewards of their resources.

Also available: The engaging follow up book - Whose Offering Plate is It?

Hearing a young attorney speak of the faith-based reasons for which he had just made a substantial monetary gift to a community youth center, Clif Christopher asked the speaker if he would consider making a similar contribution to the congregation of which he was an active member. "Lord no, they wouldn't know what to do with it" was the answer.
That, in a nutshell, describes the problem churches are facing in their stewardship efforts, says Christopher. Unlike leading nonprofit agencies and institutions, we too often fail to convince potential givers that their gifts will have impact and significance. In this book, Christopher lays out the main reasons for this failure to capture the imagination of potential givers, including our frequent failure simply to ask.
Written with the needs of pastors and stewardship teams in mind, Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate provides immediate, practical guidance to all who seek to help God’s people be better stewards of their resources.

Dr. Clif Christopher, M. Div., CFRE is the CEO of theHorizons Stewardship Company.

Dr. Christopher is a certified church growth consultant andhas earned the coveted title CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive). In 1995 he was given the National CircuitRider Award by the United Methodist Church for outstanding leadership indeveloping vital congregations.

Clif founded the Horizons Stewardship Company in 1992following a challenging and rewarding career in pastoral ministry. In histwenty years as a pastor, he led numerous major building and capitalcampaigns. Since founding Horizons, hehas led consultations in over 400 churches, conferences, synods and diocese inall phases of building, finance, and church growth.

Over the last 10 years, Clif has secured over 500 milliondollars for his clients. He haspersonally worked in over 32 states and is a frequent speaker at stewardshipseminars around the country. He is the authorof several books including Not YourParents’ Offering Plate (Abingdon Press).

Dr. Bill Easum, noted consultant and author, says, “No oneknows more about local church stewardship than Clif Christopher.” Mega church pastor, Adam Hamilton says, “WhenI have a stewardship question, I call Clif Christopher.” Foundation director David Atkins says, “Clifis one of the most effective communicators in the field of church fundraisingtoday.”

Clif has been an ordained minister of the United MethodistChurch since 1975. He is married andshares four children with his wife. Heis a graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas and Emory University.