Church leaders talk about financial matters all the time, and it is not uncommon for these conversations to be focused primarily on the progress toward your giving goals. For an effective financial stewardship strategy that starts at the top, expand your financial discussions to include the topics that affect your givers.

Until the introduction of online giving, givers weren’t really thanked for their donations to their church. It was their obligation and their worship, so they didn’t expect a thank you. 

While every giver is different, they are alike in this way: Each one starts with a first gift and concludes with their last. This can be when they stop supporting your church (lapsed) or bequeath a final gift posthumously (legacy).

Jesus's story of the widow's mite in Luke 21 shows us we can't classify generosity or faithfulness by the amount people give. However, historical giving patterns can serve as a remarkably accurate ministry health check. Giving data can provide cues to your givers' well-being and the challenges in their lives and, thus, how you can best serve them. In fact, this is the most ethical use of your giver's historical data.