For members to respond positively to an appeal for a financial commitment, they must be thoroughly prepared. Prepare Your People The best way to prepare the congregation for an appeal is to emphasize stewardship throughout the year. Remind people that God gives first and gives everything. Remind people that a financial response is a natural expression of their faith. Remind regularly and frequently. The congregation must understand that giving is a privilege and not a duty, and that all contributions make a difference. Ask for a Commitment When your congregation is spiritually prepared to respond, the next step is to ask for a financial commitment. In order for your members to follow through with their desire to return a portion of their possessions to God, they must be presented with the opportunity to make a commitment. Ask Annually To get a significant number of people to commit, ask every member at least annually. An annual response program challenges everyone to reflect on how they should respond to God's call.

Get Organized To get a significant number of people to commit, be very organized and deliberate in how you ask for a commitment. A response program is an organized and deliberate method of asking for a commitment. When we use the word "response" in this book, it means each person's financial response to God's blessings in their life. The response program gives each person the opportunity to respond. What About Time and Abilities? Stewardship also includes commitments of members' time and abilities. We recommend that a time and abilities commitment program be conducted separately and at a different time than the financial commitment program. This increases the response for both programs.