Maximize: How to Develop Extravagant Givers in Your Church

I have a Master's in Ministry. Seriously, I do. But I don't get paid to do stuff for God. I need to Maximize now!This book contains a description of all the weaponized scriptures, the legal contracts, the communications channels, and the cash transfer technologies I need to get Christians into the "system" (page 42) that maximizes cash flow to my church. The problem is I don't have a church. But, all I need to do is fill out the form to start a non-profit, start calling myself "pastor," and I'll have a system to get all the money I need to cast vision like the pros.(The preface itself is ironic. A church "staff member" -- person who has full time living wage job -- needs more money to take the "volunteer ministry" to the "next level." More money for a volunteer ministry? That doesn't even make sense. Perhaps the volunteer ministry could be run by a volunteer. With that kind of thinking I'll never be a pastor.)Now for the good stuff. This book is about how I, the pastor of any-church USA, can identify first-time givers, move those to regular givers, move those in turn to Tithers, and move Tithers to extravagant givers. (All to me -- I mean God -- of course. I didn't see giving to the poor mentioned anywhere in this book.)First, there are those who give, but not regularly. They are the "God tippers." (Page 45) Reminds me of a Beatles song.He was a God tipperFirst time giver, yeah!It took me no time to find out,and I found out.Chapter 4 tells us how to get those first-time givers. Included are tips on the best times to talk about money, like when people are feeling the pinch after the credit card payments come due after Christmas, and also after "back to school" time when people have returned to their routine lives after summer and they're back in the pews. (And for you preachers still doing tent revivals, here's a personal tip from me. Do your revival right after harvest time when them farmers' pockets are full of cash from selling their crops. I read that really worked in the old days.)One great time to talk about money is during baptisms (page 71). Remind your congregation that their money helped make that baptism happen! (I'm glad my baptism wasn't a commercial.) (This baptism made possible by pewers like you!)Chapter 5 tells us how easy we need to make it for that first-time gift to happen, because the "Maximize system begins when someone gives an identifiable gift for the first time." (page 77) Little do those first time givers realize that they're triggering into action a system requiring a 225 page book to describe when they drop that first gift into the plate! He we learn about optimized giving envelope sizes and a diagram that shows how to take an offering from a crowd of 3000 people in 45 seconds! (page 84)Chapter 6 describes how to show gratitude, and includes a full-page boiler-plate "personalized" email that I can send to those first-time givers who have triggered the system. Nothing ironic here at all. But if they give an usually large gift, then write something by hand (page 102). Maybe send them a copy of "Maximize" so they'll know you're following a system.Chapter 7 gets into the good stuff, those systematic givers. Here we learn the principle of diversification. Did you know that the slave with five talents in Matthew 25 diversified? The slave with five talents "spreads it out among several avenues and, as a result, doubles his return." (page 106) Also, "The servant who was given two bags of silver puts a couple of options to work for him and reaps some reward. He created two more bags of silver."Does the author really think that each "bag of silver" (NLT) is necessarily a different avenue of trade? Both those slaves made 100% which is great. And, they might have put all their silver into something they know really well and done the same trade over and over again. We just don't know. But, I have learned from reading books like this is that the scripture means whatever you want it to mean to make your point.Now here's where we really see how professional Christians think in pages 108 and 109.How do we apply the parable of the talents?"God is the master, and we, as church leaders, are his servants. The bags of silver he has given us are the resources he has provided for his kingdom through each of our individual churches...That means a minimum of 10 percent of the combined income of every regular member and attendee." Funny, I thought the parable applied to all Christ's disciples, not just the leaders. To the professional Christian, his "bag of silver" is his entitlement to at least ten percent of my "bag of silver." This is bad bible, but it's not silver, it's comedy gold.To this author, "diversification" is simply providing many methods for the transfer of cash from "the kingdom resources God has put in the bank accounts of our regular attenders and members" (page 109), to the church. The best method of course is automated bank-debit giving, for obvious reasons.In chapters 8, we learn how to get first-time givers to become regular givers. And, a great way to do that is to lock them into written, signed contracts!First, we get the usual 1 Corinthians 16:2 taken out of context and used to make it seem like the money was for the church, not for the poor (page 130). But who cares about context anyway? I'm banking on the members of my future church to never become biblically literate. It's a safe bet!Now, make those small groups into coercive legal entities. We have the "Journey Growth Group Covenant" and the even more coercive "Journey Growth Group Leader/Coordinator Covenant." The first person I'm inviting to a Journey growth group is my attorney! Mental note: never, ever have my growth groups study 2 Corinthians 9:7 where Paul writes about that cheerful giver under no compulsion.In part 4 we get to tithers. This is a doctrinal train wreck, and I've heard/read it all many times. *Sigh*Jesus' words in Matt 5:17-19 are interpreted to make it seem that the Law of Moses is still in effect for Christians. Searcy writes, "But in doing so he in no way rendered the law obsolete." (page 168)But the writer of Hebrews in 8:13 says, in the NLT, 'When God speaks of a "new" covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.' I wonder why it's only the tithing law that's still in force. Do they stone adulterers at the Journey church?Then there's the typical out-of-context twisting of Jesus' words in Matt 23:23 where Jesus tells the Pharisees that they should tithe and also practice justice, mercy, and faith. But Jesus was talking to Pharisees under the now obsolete Law of Moses. Christians are never told to tithe in the New Testament.Then there's the age-old use of Malachi 3, 8-10. Some things never change. That's a different covenant.And on page 176, "But scripture teaches us that the tithe is to go to the local church -- the one and only organization that is eternal." Ha ha. That's not in scripture at all, and there are no eternal 501(c)(3) corporations.Of course, leaders should practice what they preach.In chapter 11, we see that senior pastors are to tithe (page 186). But to who and what? Themselves? Another church? They already lord it over us like they are Levites and Priests. The priests didn't tithe under the Law of Moses.And, more contract law. There's the Journey Staff Stewardship Agreement which staff are held accountable to. (page 187). You gotta pay to play!Finally, a reward for going beyond the Law of Moses in chapter 12. A person might actually have a real pastor meet with them and say, "How can we better minister to you?”; "Is there anything about our church I can clarify for you?”; "How can I pray for you?" Awesome, just what they should be doing for everyone at one time or another.So, now I know what contracts to get people to sign and how to twist the scriptures and what envelopes to use and more! Time to start that church.

What I like about Nelson Seacy's books is the fact that they'e not about theory but down to earth practical advice. Maximize is no exception. Here's what I learned from Maximize.1. You have to have healthy stewardship to have a healthy church. Stewardship is about discipleship. Followers of Jesus give. I have to admit that I never made the connection between the two. I always thought that healthy churches gave, but I never considered the fact that healthy stewardship was part of how the church became and stayed healthy.2. God has a specific plan for fully resourcing His church and freeing His people from financial repression. This hit me hard. I never thought of it in these terms. But it makes perfect sense and is Biblically sound. God has a plan for everything else. Why not funding His church. Therefore, I don't have to come up with a plan or use guilt inducing gimmicks. I just teach His plan. Duh!3. You can't be a mature believer without giving. I've seen it too many times, members who are spiritual pygmies. They've been coming to church for thirty years, but have no depth to their souls. Stewardship is integral with discipleship.4. You have to have multiple giving options. The offering plate won't cut it, especially in this debit card culture. And if the only time the congregation can give is on Sunday morning, you're leaving a lot of God's money in their pockets.5. You can't let people climb the leadership ladder without also climbing the generosity ladder. It's leads to problems and hurt. I've pastored this church. Several times. I know that is a direct correlation to the maturity issue I mentioned above.6. Giving isn't about money. It is about growing in Christ.7. People want to give. People know they should give. The problem is they still want to control their money.8. The tithe is a sign of a submissive heart. It is not about legalism, but grace.When we don't give, it's not a money problem, it's a heart problem.9. Pastors lead the way. This hurts. I have given and I have not given through my Christian life. I am giving now and I know it makes a difference in my walk with Christ and my ministry. I tell people that I can't explain it other than the fact that God does it, but when I give, I always have enough to meet my needs and when I don't give to God, there is never enough.Yet what bothers me most is that I have consistently failed to teach stewardship. I thought if I helped my people get their hearts right, the money would take care of itself. That was a lie from Satan. It grieves me when I realize that I have been a hindrance to their walk with Christ.I think through the years that I didn't teach stewardship not just because I was afraid of what people would think, but mostly because I would have to face my own disobedience.10. Create a culture of generosity. Church people can be the stingiest people in the world when it comes to God's money. They think that they're doing God a favor by not spending any money.

I have come across so many books on giving and outside of Randy Alcorn's Money, Possessions and Eternity this is the best I have read. The only down side is I read it in the Christmas holidays and now I have to wait a week before I can implement it.It's perfect mix of practical action and spiritual insight - Brilliant!

We implemented this programme over six months and found that church giving income rose 22% in the following six months and has been sustained at that level. It is brilliant at offering thorough systematic solutions. Any church that now talks to me about a shortfall in income I simply encourage them to read the book, contextualize for the UK environment, and implement. Randy Alcorn's Money Possessions and Eternity is more thorough theologically; this is the best for practical solutions to implement to encourage good stewardship in the church.