Dean R. Hoge, Patrick H. McNamara and Charles Zech, Plain Talk About Churches and Money (Money, Faith, and Lifestyle Series). Alban Institute, 1998.
Referenced in: Giving and Financial Stewardship
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is part of Alban Institute’s Money, Faith, and Lifestyle Series. Other books in the series include:
- Creating Congregations of Generous People
- Generous Saints
- More than Money: Portraits of Transformative Stewardship
- Ministry and Money
This is a more accessible, abridged version of a larger book by Dean Hoge and others, Money Matters: Personal Giving in American Churches, which at its date of publication was the most extensive look at what motivates people to give (or not to give) to churches. The authors build upon that research to help church leaders understand the causes of resistance and how to unlock the most generous inclinations of their members. Second only to Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don’t Give Away More Money, this reveals the real “insides” of church members relative to giving, highlighting what works and what does not, and why.
From the Publisher
First in the series, Plain Talk tackles resistance, fears, and difficulties concerning money issues. Based on extensive research for their earlier book (Money Matters, WJL, 1996), this volume offers insight and help on the key fiscal topics confronting church leaders and congregations today, including:
- Why is the church so uneasy with the topic of money?
- Is there a difference between stewardship and fundraising?
- Is there a “best” stewardship approach or program?
- How can we motivate giving?
- Should we invest church funds?
- Why is it so hard to make the connection between mission and budget, to develop a sense that what we do with money is ministry, not just bill paying?
Church leaders at all levels, seminarians, and adult educators will find this an important tool for understanding and engaging congregations in discussion.
Editorial Reviews
“Exploding myths, revealing facts, and exploring motives for giving, Plain Talk about Churches and Money cuts through mountains of promotional literature to offer practical insight and real help for churches everywhere. From traditional tithing to megachurch technology, from free will offerings to large endowments, the authors lay bare the strategies that work and those that don’t, and they explain why. Their earthy interviews with lay and clergy provide the raw stuff for a lifetime of stewardship campaigns, including the testimony of those who have been burned and those who have been transformed. This readable book should be worn out by everyone who wants to understand fund raising and to celebrate stewardship.” – Carl S. Dudley
“Plain Talk is just that, frank conversation about the varied ways mainline churches deal with monetary stewardship. Stewardship is a big subject. Churches and money are just one part of that vastness. This is beneficial reading for pastors and lay leaders. Using data from another project, the authors make instructive and challenging comments on congregational life. What we do with money is one of the large issues facing the church, and the challenge will only grow. This book will help you understand different kinds of and calls to money management in the church now and tomorrow. Read it!” – William Chris Hobgood
About the Authors
Dean Hoge is professor of sociology at the Catholic University of America. He is a Presbyterian layperson with a B.D. degree from Harvard Divinity School. He is co-author of Patterns of Parish Leadership (1989) and Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers (1994).
Patrick McNamara is professor of sociology at the University of New Mexico. He is past president of the Association for the Sociology of Religion. His books include Conscience First, Tradition Second: A Study of Young Catholics (1992) and Religion American Style (1997). Another book, More Than Money: Portraits of Transformative Stewardship (1999), profiles outstanding stewardship churches, both mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic.
Charles Zech is professor of economics at Villanova University. He specializes in the area of economic aspects of religious organizations, and is the author or co-author of three books, including The Mainline Church’s Funding Crisis (1995), and more than fifty articles.
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