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ChurchMoney: Rebuilding the Way We Fund Our Mission
There is a secret formula to help convince parishioners to give financially to your church. It’s pretty Just ask them. And when you do, make sure it’s not about the money. In ChurchMoney , Rev. Michael White and Tom Corcoran—award-winning authors of the bestselling book Rebuilt —will help you learn the basic skills you need to discover that true success in raising funds comes from the incredibly freeing approach that connects giving to discipleship. The two share stories of success and failure during their twenty years leading the Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland. They tell you what they learned to meet the real financial challenges of their mission. And they offer the practical wisdom and inspiration you need to tackle the thorny matter of raising money in your Catholic parish. So if giving isn’t about the money, what is it about? Giving is White and Corcoran contend that giving actually glorifies God and attracts others to the Church. Over and over again in scripture, they point out, you’ll find the same, simple Giving gladly serves as a key ingredient to the Church’s growth from its very beginning. White and Corcoran share the lessons, facts, habits, and great ideas they’ve implemented from some of the most successful and vibrant churches in the United States. ChurchMoney offers a proven plan for raising money in parishes. It’s readily adaptable, firmly rooted in the reality of leading a Catholic parish, based on the Bible, and finessed with the best advice of communication professionals. You will read stories of embarrassing failure and exhilarating success in tripling a budget and running three extraordinarily successful capital campaigns over a ten-year period including a recent campaign leading to the construction of $16 million sanctuary built debt-free. White and Corcoran have increased staff fourfold and significantly raised salaries and increased staff benefits while expanding mission outreach both locally and internationally.
- GenresChristian
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2019
21 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 28, 2020
I requested this book to review because it directly relates to my work. I was hoping the authors would change my mind about their parish. I believe there is a lot of good work being done at this parish in Baltimore; I’m just afraid they’re losing the things that are uniquely Catholic as they look to Protestant Mega Churches for their advice and wisdom.
The book is filled with a lot of inferences I wouldn’t make about Scripture; focusing practically every passage in the New Testament to be about money and giving. I think the Lord used giving as an example to teach higher truths because everyone (rich and poor alike) can relate to it. Every has to do something with money everyday. Given that this book is all about money (it’s in the title) that makes sense.
There are some nuggets of truth. There’s no doubt the Lord is working at this parish. I’m only afraid that people are being formed in a way that makes the Church less universal. One of the beautiful things about the Mass is that it’s the Mass everywhere. No matter if the building isn’t quite so lovely or the music isn’t quite so on key or the homily isn’t quite so inspiring. We can be disciples everywhere. Our Churches are a place where we can gather together and worship the Lord, but only when they form us in the image of God, not the image of our pastor.
I have a fantastic pastor. I’ve been blessed for all of my time in Charlotte to only have one priest (he was the associate) who I felt was unfit for ministry. I’ve been guided by holy men … who have all moved on to new parishes while I’ve stayed behind. I’ve been sad at their leaving, but my parishes have persevered because they were not created in the image of my pastor, but the Savior. Time will tell if this is replicated across the country … a focus on discipleship sure needs to be … I’m jut not sure this is the path we should all take.
This was not my favorite book about the church … one I finished last week, Made for Mission, is a much better example of what parishes can grow into. If you’re going to choose just one to read, choose that one. If you must choose another, I’d recommend steering clear of this series and its authors. ⭐️⭐️
P.S. Another thing, not using Father to refer to priests drives me nuts. It’s possible I wrote it in every time it was missing from Tom’s journal entries.
The book is filled with a lot of inferences I wouldn’t make about Scripture; focusing practically every passage in the New Testament to be about money and giving. I think the Lord used giving as an example to teach higher truths because everyone (rich and poor alike) can relate to it. Every has to do something with money everyday. Given that this book is all about money (it’s in the title) that makes sense.
There are some nuggets of truth. There’s no doubt the Lord is working at this parish. I’m only afraid that people are being formed in a way that makes the Church less universal. One of the beautiful things about the Mass is that it’s the Mass everywhere. No matter if the building isn’t quite so lovely or the music isn’t quite so on key or the homily isn’t quite so inspiring. We can be disciples everywhere. Our Churches are a place where we can gather together and worship the Lord, but only when they form us in the image of God, not the image of our pastor.
I have a fantastic pastor. I’ve been blessed for all of my time in Charlotte to only have one priest (he was the associate) who I felt was unfit for ministry. I’ve been guided by holy men … who have all moved on to new parishes while I’ve stayed behind. I’ve been sad at their leaving, but my parishes have persevered because they were not created in the image of my pastor, but the Savior. Time will tell if this is replicated across the country … a focus on discipleship sure needs to be … I’m jut not sure this is the path we should all take.
This was not my favorite book about the church … one I finished last week, Made for Mission, is a much better example of what parishes can grow into. If you’re going to choose just one to read, choose that one. If you must choose another, I’d recommend steering clear of this series and its authors. ⭐️⭐️
P.S. Another thing, not using Father to refer to priests drives me nuts. It’s possible I wrote it in every time it was missing from Tom’s journal entries.
September 3, 2019
Church Money is a book about spiritual growth from parish leaders who know from hard-earned experience how transformational talking about money can be when done well. The context for their efforts is a Catholic parish, which is all the more notable as that is a very low giving denomination historically with bad patterns they name as manipulation: guilt, multiple offerings on a Sunday, and myriad competing fundraisers.
In this new book, the Rev. Michael White and Tom Corcoran who shared the story of a parish turnaround in Rebuilt, hone in on one aspect of stewardship in talking at length about money. They share scriptural teaching and move to personal experience in their own giving and parish giving to an annual campaign and how to shepherd large, transformational gifts in a capital campaign. Along the way, they offer some unusual approaches that go against common fundraising wisdom.
Most importantly, they remain grounded in how God is the one who does the real work, "God is real and really engaged in our efforts. He works in people's hearts, moving them in the direction of generosity. The work we undertake through our stewardship efforts is his work."
If you serve in church leadership and shy away from talking plainly about money, you need this book. If you are engaged in talking finances as part of spiritual transformation for the giver, you will resonate with the authors' approach as I did, yet I learned much from their wisdom.
Note: I received an advance copy of Church Money from the publisher because I highly rated Rebuilt. My glowing review is, however, based not on the advance book offer, but on my honest assessment of the worth this new book holds for church leaders.
In this new book, the Rev. Michael White and Tom Corcoran who shared the story of a parish turnaround in Rebuilt, hone in on one aspect of stewardship in talking at length about money. They share scriptural teaching and move to personal experience in their own giving and parish giving to an annual campaign and how to shepherd large, transformational gifts in a capital campaign. Along the way, they offer some unusual approaches that go against common fundraising wisdom.
Most importantly, they remain grounded in how God is the one who does the real work, "God is real and really engaged in our efforts. He works in people's hearts, moving them in the direction of generosity. The work we undertake through our stewardship efforts is his work."
If you serve in church leadership and shy away from talking plainly about money, you need this book. If you are engaged in talking finances as part of spiritual transformation for the giver, you will resonate with the authors' approach as I did, yet I learned much from their wisdom.
Note: I received an advance copy of Church Money from the publisher because I highly rated Rebuilt. My glowing review is, however, based not on the advance book offer, but on my honest assessment of the worth this new book holds for church leaders.
January 11, 2020
The practical tips can be helpful for many in parish leadership. Honestly, the first chapter was really offputting, but the bringing in of scripture and Trent in the second provided the basis that I think should have been before chapter 1.
The authors mentality in regards to what Church is, however, could be supplemented by more current resources (ie from Vatican 2 or even current popes.)
The weakest part of their theology seems to be a failure to understand what offering and sacrifice have to do with Mass, or as rebuilt puts it "the Sunday worship experience." I am sad to think we have jettisoned any sense of Catholic language, especially in our churches in favor of 'successful' mega-church models, which from current research show have little actual retention in the long term. I think a wonderful rediscovery of what it means to use Catholic language (ie sacrifice is NOT arbitrary, but an offering made in love; sanctuary has never meant the full church, let's use words like nave) could help round out practical understandings from this book to help rebuild American Catholicism.
Some of his comments about "beautiful but empty" I find a naively simplistic (ideological?) assessment.
The authors mentality in regards to what Church is, however, could be supplemented by more current resources (ie from Vatican 2 or even current popes.)
The weakest part of their theology seems to be a failure to understand what offering and sacrifice have to do with Mass, or as rebuilt puts it "the Sunday worship experience." I am sad to think we have jettisoned any sense of Catholic language, especially in our churches in favor of 'successful' mega-church models, which from current research show have little actual retention in the long term. I think a wonderful rediscovery of what it means to use Catholic language (ie sacrifice is NOT arbitrary, but an offering made in love; sanctuary has never meant the full church, let's use words like nave) could help round out practical understandings from this book to help rebuild American Catholicism.
Some of his comments about "beautiful but empty" I find a naively simplistic (ideological?) assessment.
September 1, 2020
If you’re designing a Stewardship Program and/or a Capital Campaign for your Parish, I highly recommend this book.
It’s a fairly quick read, but don’t let that fool you! The book is LOADED with “golden nuggets” that you can use to help Church Growth, but in a financially responsible way!
It’s a fairly quick read, but don’t let that fool you! The book is LOADED with “golden nuggets” that you can use to help Church Growth, but in a financially responsible way!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews