Twenty-nine-year-old South Carolina pastor Blake Pitts of Grace Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina did pretty much everything wrong. He launched a capital giving campaign during one of the worst recessions in decades in his small church in a small town. But Blake has seen huge growth in his church and says it’s because God does not work according to the world’s economy, according to this interview.
Blake’s 2008 giving levels were at $180,000. So far this year members have given $220,000 and are on target to top $240,000 which is $60,000 more than last year. That huge increase in general giving is especially remarkable when you consider the church also launched a capital campaign to expand the church building. Members have contributed an additional $180,000 for that project. Grace Baptist Church is located in Seneca, South Carolina, a small town made up of mostly blue collar people. The church itself started the year with about 180 members and has grown to about 225 members. “We’re really blowing last year’s numbers out of the water,” Blake said in a recent interview. “That’s totally a God thing.”
According to Blake, here are some of the reasons the church experienced such huge growth in giving and attendance despite being in very bad economy:
1. Taught About the Tithe: Blake had never taught on giving before at this church so he started preaching that the tithe is what was expected. He wanted to make sure his congregation knew the basics about what the Bible teaches regarding giving.
2. Challenged People to Go Over and Above: Blake told his congregation that if they wanted to be involved in over-and-above-giving they need to tithe first. Blake adds that when you begin to give you start to see blessings in your life that can’t be explained from the pulpit.
3. Set Goals: Blake says setting goals is key. Some goals were small. For example, one Sunday he told the church they needed $2,000 for a new drum set. He asked 20 people to give $100 and immediately hands went up. They ended up with more than enough to achieve this goal.
4. Growth Within People: Blake says giving is an outward expression of what’s going on in your heart. When people grow spiritually they begin to give more. And he believes the members of Grace Baptist were growing spiritually.
5. Passion of the Leadership: Without passionate leadership in the church, increase in giving won’t happen. If the senior pastor is not giving generously then how can we expect the congregation follow? They need to hear their pastor say “I’m a tither.”