August 2021 Resource
Title:
The Coming Revolution in Church Economics: Why tithes and Offerings Are No Longer Enough, and What You Can Do About It
Author:
Mark Deymaz and Harry Li
Publisher:
Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI
Book Review By:
Melvin Amerson
Premise of the book:
Churches must explore potential income streams beyond traditional support from tithes and offerings, as part of a sustainable financial model.
What this book does:
The authors of this resource share personal experiences of funding ministry through creative, non-traditional models and initiatives. With many congregations faced with challenges of maintaining aging facilities, sustaining ministry, and declining worship attendance, new ways of generating funds are needed. Deymaz and Li offer ways churches can leverage assets for the good of their church and community. Each chapter concludes with: Conclusion, Ideas at a Glance, and Questions for Reflection.
Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1- Understanding the Need
Chapter 2- Free Your Mind
Chapter 3- Stop Begging for Money
Chapter 4- Create Multiple Streams of Income
Chapter 5- Leverage Church Assets
Chapter 6- Become a Benevolent Owner
Chapter 7- Monetize Existing Services
Chapter 8- Start New Businesses
Afterword
What are some important insights:
Many insights are offered throughout this revolutionary church resource. This quote should be considered foundational for pastors and church leaders moving forward, “In all contexts and situations, twenty-first-century leaders should pursue both cross-cultural and socioeconomic competence in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each worldview as well as to discover best practices for helping people hear, understand, and validate the perspectives of diverse others.” (p. 195)
Possibilities as a resource for churches:
This is a must-read resource for clergy and church leaders, who are willing to innovate and create new models for financing and sustaining ministry.
The Rev. Melvin Amerson is a member of the Texas Annual Conference and serves as a Resource Specialist and Area Representative at TMF. His experience and passion lie in encouraging and developing generous, faithful leaders and congregations.
Amerson is the author of Celebrating the Offering, Fruit for Celebrating the Offering, and Stewardship in African American Churches: A New Paradigm, as well as several articles covering topics from generosity, leadership, and visioning. He served as a board member of the Ecumenical Stewardship Center until it was dissolved in 2021 and is currently serving on the Texas Annual Conference Church Leadership Team. He is a nationally recognized generosity consultant known for his engaging presentations. Beyond strengthening congregational leaders, one of his favorite ways to use his skills is to empower Wesley Foundation staff to effectively fund their college ministries.
Melvin obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi, an M.Div degree concentrating in Christian education from Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, an Executive Leadership certificate from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and a certificate in Professional Fundraising from Boston University. Recently, he completed a fundraising certificate with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.