We had the great privilege of sitting down with Jay Fowler, Executive Director of the Midwest Region of PastorServe. He shared his heart for pastors, why he believes it's so important for leadership to model generosity, practical ways to teach about giving and generosity in the church, and advice to encourage new and old Christians alike to be more generous.
We asked Jay a series of questions that get at the heart of what it's like to pastor a church through these issues. Jay's answers were thoughtful, and we think, might ring true for other pastors out there:
I think the hardest thing for pastors—and what was hardest for me when I was leading a congregation—is that money and giving is so taboo in the church. You hear things all the time to the tune of “All they want is our money…that’s the only reason they want us in church.” That’s intimidating for pastors. You feel like you can’t talk about money or you’ll be playing into that negative stereotype. Yet, the Bible speaks clearly about money and giving and so we must as well.
Watch the full interview to learn how Jay wrestles with the tension between cultural narratives and Biblical mandates, and, his suggestions for leading your church's conversation about generosity and giving.
Want to dig in deeper? Read about Jay's journey in generosity here—and ask yourself some of the questions he poses towards the end!
It's truer of some more than others, but Jay is seriously passionate about serving and encouraging fellow pastors. If you'd like to get in touch with him, shoot him an email at jay.fowler@pastorserve.net.
