Generational Realities of Stewardship

As you are communicating during Stewardship season with congregants of all ages, this may be helpful information for you. Some of the information was gleaned from Karl Travis's presentation at Stewardship Kaleidoscope, other information is from personal experience.

Generational Realities in Financial Discipleship

GIs/Civics   1901-1924

• Seniors are much more likely than any other group to describe themselves as religious; feel absolutely committed to the Christian faith.
• Likeliest to give, to tithe, to pledge
• Trained to give from childhood
• Give undesignated funds
• Express appreciation for past support and loyalty to the congregation’s life and traditions and for the legacy the GIs have given to the congregation.
• While GIs often find themselves asked for money, they are seldom asked for input, ideas, or problem-solving. Find opportunity to seek their input.
• Be willing to get to the bottom line. It is helpful to emphasize the big picture of the congregation in concrete terms, particularly numbers.
• See giving as a responsibility

Areas of focus:

• estate planning

Silent/Adaptive  1925-1942

• Likely pledgers, tithers
• Trained to give from childhood
• Undesignated givers
• Understand giving as public necessity
• Prefer face-to-face, relational meetings; be prepared to talk and listen.
• Use personalized, intimate stories to make your appeal.
• Stress the aspect of a fair share and proportionate giving
• Be bold in asking for a contribution

Areas of focus:

• estate planning
• Fear management (will our congregation survive)

Baby Boomers/Idealists 1943-1960

• Low rates of saving and giving
• Unlikely to pledge or tithe
• Charitable giving comes from “disposible income”
• Tend toward skepticism of church’s trustworthiness
• Giving is an option.
• Boomers get hooked on vision, environmental concerns, children, and justice issues. 
• Most Boomers still take a 24/7 approach to life, and often live to work
• Boomers want home to be a refuge from everyone and everything--including the congregation.
• Be prepared to speak at length because Boomers usually want to talk.
• Speak of congregational programs in terms of upgrading and enhancing quality, with a view toward making them the best.
• Highlight parts of a budget concerned with the environment, children, and social justice concerns.
• Stress the spiritual benefits of being a member of a faith community that gives fuller meaning to life and work.

Areas of focus:

• Earning trust
• Providing control and choice in giving
• Education about generous giving as spiritual practice
• The congregation should model giving--tithing their budget to mission

Gen X/ Nomads 1961-1982

• Taught little to nothing about stewardship in PC(USA) churches
• Many come from unchurched backgrounds, even those who were “members”
• Giving understood as personal possibility, if understood as a spiritual discipline
• Especially for this generation, volunteering time and having a chance to put talents and skills to work are authentic expressions of their stewardship.
• Be brief to the point of bluntness. Stick to the main core and central themes and avoid details or nuances.
• Children’s issues and needs, particularly children’s safety, go over bog. Gen Xers really want a congregation to be a safe place--physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
• The ways kids get real-world, hands-on experience through service projects speaks to this generation.
• The congregational Web site is important to this generation.
• Electronic funds transfer as a method of taking a member’s contribution appeals.
• They like to be invited to the table and listened to--given a sense of ownership. They need ownership if they are to give.

Areas of focus:

• Education
• Explanation of how a congregation spends and invests money in mission and ministry
• Interpretation of stewardship as spiritual discipline
• Modeling a tithe of congregational budget is significant
• Teach theological thinking about WANTS and NEEDS. Stewardship is a disciple’s antidote to economic materialism

Gen Y/Millennials/Civics 1983-present

• Need specific stewardship education, though they are familiar with a cultural use of the word, especially around environmental issues.
• Invite them to the table and listen to them. They want a sense of ownership.
• Electronic giving is necessary. They do not use checks.

Areas of focus:

• experience generous giving
• support fledgling practice
• mentoring is effective support
• Connect generous giving to God’s transformation of the world