Maximize: How to Develop Extravagant Givers in Your Church
Overview
Maximize is the ultimate how-to book for pastors and church leaders who long for their churches to be fully resourced and able to carry out ministry initiatives without financial strain. Shining a light on the often taboo subject of money, Maximize offers an innovative, step-by-step plan for systemizing and maximizing financial gifts while growing strong disciples. You’ll learn how to:
- Cultivate first-time givers
- Challenge people to tithe
- Develop an ongoing stewardship system
- Follow up with givers the right way
- Develop multiple giving options
- Shepherd the five types of givers in your church
- Educate people to grow in the grace of giving
Stewardship is an essential part of discipleship. This revolutionary, biblically based guide will chase the money discussion out of the darkness and bring it the attention it deserves.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Offers an idea of how a church can handle its finances
- Provides a practical resource for new church plants and young church planters
- Highlights the embrace of stewardship and its principles to build a strong, healthy local church
- Examines what is important vs. what is not so the people can be good stewards of their time and money
- Stewardship: Becoming a Fully Developing Follower of Jesus
- Shining the Light: Illuminating a Taboo Subject
- The Heart of Stewardship: Introducing the Maximize System
- Creating a Culture of Generosity: “Give, and You Will Receive”
- Initial Givers: Raising Up New Givers
- Cultivating First-Time Gifts: Practical Ways to Help People Cross the Threshold
- Easy Does It: Eliminating Unnecessary Barriers to Giving
- Revolutionary Gratitude: A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way
- Systematic Givers: Teaching People to Give When They Are Paid
- Options Are Not Optional: Providing Various Ways for People to Give
- From First-Time Givers to Regular Givers: Helping People Take the Step
- Money Matters: Financial Management and Quarterly Giving Statements
- Tithers: Challenging People to Become Proportional Givers
- The Full Tithe: Obedience-Level Giving
- The Giving Challenge: A Revolutionary Tool
- Extravagant Givers: Spurring People to Live like Jesus
- Extravagant Giving: Learning to Live like Jesus
- Getting Started: First Steps toward Becoming a Fully Resourced Church
Top Highlights
“‘I’ve never seen a mature Christian who was not also a mature steward. Giving is part of growing” (Page 31)
“A giving heart is ultimately up to the working of the Spirit.” (Page 32)
“Jesus knew that this issue of money and possessions has the power to consume and derail us more quickly than anything else.” (Page 30)
“The interesting thing about discipleship is that people can be very mature in one area and still immature in another.” (Page 33)
“fundamental connection exists between a person’s spiritual life and his attitude toward money and possessions.” (Page 30)
I will read anything I can get my big hands on if Nelson Searcy’s name is on it. He is one of the most practical writers I’ve read on any topic relating to the church, and certainly Maximize serves to solidify this observation. In Maximize, Nelson helps you to get an idea of how a church can handle its finances. This is must reading for all pastors who want to lead their churches in the area of its finances, and who wouldn’t?
—Aubrey Malphurs, senior professor of pastoral ministries and leadership, Dallas Theological Seminary
Nelson is one of the most strategically minded leaders on the planet. I love how he uses his gift to share with other church leaders the steps we can take to make sure our churches are healthy.
—Perry Noble, pastor, NewSpring Church, SC
Nelson Searcy has touched a vital nerve for new innovative churches. I have been watching new churches being planted for over 60 years. One of the things that many church planters ignore, or refuse to embrace, is the problem of money. Nelson Searcy has written a book that is needed for every new church plant and every young church planter. They must honestly embrace stewardship and follow its principles to build a strong, healthy local church. Since stewardship is correctly managing our time, talent, treasure for the glory of God, part of our treasure belongs to God for use in his kingdom. Thanks to Nelson for a great job with this book.
—Elmer Towns, cofounder, Liberty University
So many ‘good’ churches could become ‘great’ churches with more financial resources to equip them to do what God is leading them to do. This book will give you ideas that will inspire you as a leader, help build biblical values of stewardship in lives of believers, and inspire genuine generosity in the hearts of people. Read Maximize immediately—and tell every pastor you know to buy this book!
—Philip Wagner, lead pastor, Oasis Church, Los Angeles, CA
Nelson Searcy served as the director of The Purpose Driven Community at Saddleback Church before starting The Journey Church of the City in New York City in 2002. He and his 2,000-member church appear routinely on lists such as The 50 Most Influential Churches and The 25 Most Innovative Leaders. The Journey is a multi-site church with locations across New York City and Boca Raton, Florida. His newsletter for pastors and church leaders, Church Leader Insights, now reaches more than 80,000 subscribers and continues to grow by hundreds each month.
Jennifer Dykes Henson is a freelance writer based in New York City. She has served as a writer/producer and ministry consultant to organizations across the East Coast. Jennifer also worked with Charles Stanley as the manager of marketing communications for In Touch Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.