Your financial commitment should be the result of a meaningful, spiritual journey. This personal commitment guide will help you to take your first steps. Use this guide to connect with God by discovering God’s will and by offering your full potential to fulfill God’s desire. Your capital stewardship campaign contributions should be considered over and above your regular annual stewardship campaign pledges.

A PERSONAL COMMITMENT GUIDE

DISCOVER God’s purpose for our church and God’s will for you

DISCUSS what you are learning with others

DEFINE a sense of sacrifice in your life

DETERMINE your potential for giving

DECIDE on a personal giving plan

There is no formula, no quick accounting, no comparison gift model, no percentage target for a capital stewardship commitment. As always, the truest measure of stewardship is not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice. Not everyone has the resources to make a million dollar gift, but each and every person can meaningfully invest themselves in what God is doing at this church in proportion to the resources he or she has.

CONNECTING TO JOY

• If there is no formula for what one might give, then how does anyone gauge how “right” their commitment decision might be? Try the questions below to discover your own internal measures.
• In a personal way, will this commitment make a difference to me? Will this commitment affect my life, allowing me to invest myself in the mission and ministry of my church?
• Is this a decision I am willing to take time to pray about, genuinely seeking God’s guidance in how God might work through me?

• Is this a decision I will have a significant conversation about — with my family and with my larger family of faith?
• Am I thinking creatively about a comprehensive giving plan that represents what I am capable of giving? What assets and resources could I use as a gift?
• Will this giving decision involve a sense of sacrifice in my life? Do my priorities reflect my commitment to my church?
• Am I discovering a new joy in giving? There is something freeing and deeper about the life of grace that we never experience until we learn to give as freely and deeply as God gives to us. Prayerfully consider asking God the following question: “Lord, what have You blessed me to do that You now want to do through me?”

GIVING APPRECIATED ASSETS

If an investment—like stocks, real estate and other assets—has increased in value since its purchase and has been held for more than one year, then there may be significant tax advantages to transferring ownership of that asset to the church as a charitable donation. Giving the appreciated asset eliminates potential capital gains taxes for the donor while still allowing the donor to receive the contribution credit for the current market value of the asset. Because of its tax-exempt status, the church can sell the asset and receive full market value less transaction costs.

What if I sell first then give the cash?
You may have to pay capital gains taxes which will reduce the after-tax proceeds from the sale.

	SELL FIRST	GIVE ASSET
Market Value	$20,000	$20,000
Original Cost	$10,000	$10,000
Appreciated Gain	$10,000	$10,000
Tax (assuming 15%)	$1,500	$–0–
After tax value of Gift to the Church	$18,500	$20,000
Contribution Credit to Donor	$18,500	$20,000