Cultivating Givers, Not Just Gifts: Building a Generous Church Culture

By Ryan Matthews, Vice President of Global Customers at Donorbox

Money issues can make or break a congregation's trust in its church leadership faster than almost anything else. It's understandable how these problems can take root. The topic of money can be a touchy one that some church leaders might want to avoid. However, it's critical to embrace any potential discomfort head-on as we all attempt to build a strong community of believers. 

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul emphasized that giving should flow from personal conviction by saying, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV).

According to Paul, giving should be a joyful act of love rather than an obligation. As church leaders, our responsibility is not to shame or cajole our congregation to give. Instead, we should work to cultivate a generous church culture where giving becomes a natural expression of our love for one another. 

I’ve worked as an ordained minister for many years, and I've participated in these conversations at high levels within different churches. I've come to believe that to cultivate a culture of giving within a congregation, leaders need to overcommunicate about how church funds are allocated. However, deciding how and what to communicate isn't always simple. That's why I like to use a three-pillar approach to talking about giving in a congregational setting, which includes elements of storytelling, gratitude, and relational engagement.

Build a Foundation of Transparency

As I mentioned, cultivating a generous church culture rests on a firm foundation of transparency. Congregation members must have confidence that their gifts will be spent wisely and in ways that are consistent with their church's mission. The only way to demonstrate this is for leaders to talk openly about how they're choosing to allocate funds. Open communication is essential for two reasons. First, it lets the congregation know where funds are going. Second, it provides a rallying point for future giving initiatives. 

While communication is important, it should also be done strategically. I like using a layered approach where leaders talk about money differently depending on the audience. On Sunday, for example, a leader might use very tight messaging to speak to the entire congregation about how church resources support a specific topic. Midweek services could become vision-casting sessions where leadership dives into deeper goals with regular church members. Leaders can meet privately with major donors to discuss the church's multi-year vision, allowing them to decide whether they want to become a partner in that work. 

This kind of open dialogue builds trust, but trust is further strengthened when congregations see that no single person controls all financial decisions. The Book of Acts describes a church leadership structure that includes groups of apostles and elders who share accountability and decision-making responsibilities. Churches that want to demonstrate good stewardship emulate the Acts model with an executive board that approves major spending decisions, so the responsibility for church finances doesn't rest with a single person. This approach often provides church members with relief, knowing that checks and balances prevent their contributions from being misused.

Use Storytelling to Show Impact

While transparency builds the foundation of trust, storytelling brings that trust to life by showing congregants the real impact of their generosity. My congregation recently experienced this dynamic firsthand as a tragedy unfolded in our own backyard.

We're located in central Texas, right near the areas that experienced the catastrophic Central Texas Floods in early July. The moment we grasped the impact of the floods, our congregation leapt into action by donating their time, talent, and treasure to help their neighbors. 

As we were responding, our leaders shared stories of these efforts through photos and videos. We also shared from the pulpit the specific dollar amount of relief we provided, the quantity of food we distributed, the amount of toiletries and clothing provided, and the number of volunteer hours contributed.  

Our church felt honored to serve our community in these ways and express genuine care for our neighbors. The stories we told about our relief efforts served to solidify our church identity. They helped define who we are and what we do. 

Your church doesn't need a catastrophe to accomplish the same mission. You're probably already making a significant impact in your community. So look for stories about how your church rallied around someone who was in need or contributed to a local project and share them with your congregation. 

It's unfortunately true that many churches treat donations of time differently from donations of money. Don't forget to honor the people who selflessly show up in person and willingly give their time in service of a mission. Those stories can often speak volumes about the strength of your church community. 

Show Gratitude Above All Else

Our recent experience with the floods in Texas has me thinking a lot about the relationship between gratitude and generosity. There's that great old phrase, "giving is a heart condition," that sums it up so well. Our generosity shouldn't come from a sense of obligation. Instead, it should be a natural manifestation of deep gratitude and joy for our blessings. It was our privilege to help our neighbors during their time of struggle because it could have been us in that situation. Thankfully, it wasn't. God loves a cheerful giver. 

However, cultivating that same joy in a congregation can be a tricky path for pastors to walk. Money can be such an intimate topic for many people, and talking about it openly can create defensiveness or even hostility. That's why church leaders should be clear that members of their congregation shouldn't give if they're not comfortable with it. Rather than applying pressure around tithes and offerings, we should give them the opportunity to participate in a blessing that God's willing to partner with them on.

I experienced this blessing in my own life. We have a saying in our family that we can do more with 90% than we can with 100%. When we tithe, we function better financially than when we don't. We've seen it time and time again. But it's okay if not everyone has a similar experience. 

When people do give, church leaders need to express genuine gratitude for that gift. Whether it's the new chairs in the sanctuary or a new refrigerator in the fellowship hall, the message should be, "We appreciate what you have provided, and we all benefit because of it." Lead pastors should play a big role in modeling gratitude. Something as simple as recording a 30-second video thanking first-time donors will speak to your organization's DNA and how it views giving.

Build Relationships to Inspire Giving

Gratitude lays the groundwork for generous giving, but sustaining that generosity requires meeting people where they are and connecting over what they care about. In most churches, tithes go to support the entire organization. By contrast, offerings can be directed by the giver to support specific church ministries. Offerings create an opportunity for church leaders to learn about their congregation and discover what they're passionate about. 

This approach is much more personal than an appeal from the pulpit. Here, we're talking to people, discovering what they care about, and connecting them with opportunities to make a difference with their time, talent, or money. You'll likely find that somebody in your congregation has a big heart for missions and would love to learn how they can support those initiatives. Parents may gravitate towards the children's ministry, while seniors have different interests. Discovering these nuances requires church leaders to build relationships with individual church members and provide opportunities to serve. 

Gratitude flows from the heart, but it's also modeled from the top down. Pastors and church leaders must be out in front, displaying their appreciation to everyone. Once you understand what motivates different members, church leaders should continue to communicate transparently about these gifts. One way to accomplish this is by curating communication based on giving interests. 

If you send regular emails, find a way to make sure your children's ministry supporters receive regular updates about how their offerings benefit the body. This targeted approach demonstrates genuine appreciation for each person's unique interests and contributions. 

Building a Community United in Generosity

Building a generous church culture is about more than convincing people to give. It's about inspiring them to open their hearts to the joy that comes with serving their community. When church leaders prioritize transparency to build trust, use storytelling to demonstrate impact, express genuine gratitude, and meet people where they are, giving can become what Paul intended: A cheerful expression of love rather than a begrudged obligation. 

This approach I've outlined won't transform your church overnight, but it will create the conditions for generosity to flourish naturally. Your members want to be part of something bigger than themselves. When you show them how their gifts create real impact, thank them genuinely for their giving, and connect with their passions, you're doing more than fundraising. You're building a community.

God loves a cheerful giver. Our goal as church leaders is to create room for that joy to emerge. When we do, we'll be amazed at what we can accomplish together.

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About Ryan Matthews: Ryan Matthews is the vice president of global customers at Donorbox, a leading fundraising platform designed to help nonprofits engage donors. Trusted by over 100,000 nonprofits globally, the platform has enabled nonprofits to raise over $3 billion. In 2025, Donorbox was recognized as the No. 1 fundraising platform by software marketplace G2 and named the global winner of the Tech for Good award by the Global Digital Revolution Awards.