Most ministry leaders are natural problem solvers. When something isn’t working, our instinct is to work harder, read another book, listen to a podcast, or call a trusted friend for advice. Often, that persistence serves us well.
But sometimes, it doesn’t.
A few years ago, I discovered that firsthand when my kitchen sink became hopelessly clogged. I did what many of us do -I grabbed YouTube videos, crawled under the sink, took things apart, and made a mess trying to fix it myself. After days of frustration and no progress, I finally called a plumber. He asked one simple question: “Did you put pasta down the sink?”
I had. Chicken noodle soup, to be exact.
With that insight, he fixed the problem in less than 30 minutes. Standing there watching him work, I had one clear thought: I should have called him first.
That experience has stayed with me, not because of the plumbing, but because ministry works the same way. Sometimes, you just have to call in outside help.
In ministry, we regularly recognize the value of expertise. We hire gifted leaders to oversee kids, students, worship, and care because those areas require specific skills and focused leadership. We don’t expect one person to do everything well.
Yet when it comes to generosity, particularly financial discipleship, many leaders feel they should be able to figure it out on their own.
The reality is that most of us were never trained in seminary to:
So when challenges arise, we improvise. We skim a book, borrow ideas from another church, or hope things improve on their own. While some areas of ministry allow for trial and error, generosity formation is definitely not one of them.
Generosity is discipleship. And discipleship deserves intentional leadership.
How do you know when it’s time to reach out for support? Here are a few common indicators ministry leaders experience:
Each of these represent more than a financial challenge. They’re leadership moments that shape trust, vision, and discipleship across the congregation. If any of these are true for your church, it may be time to seek outside help.
For us, succession was the catalyst that led us to pursue outside help. Our church was preparing for the retirement of a deeply loved senior pastor who had led faithfully for 30 years. Under his leadership, the church had grown from one campus to four.
We knew the pattern: attendance and giving often dip significantly during pastoral transitions. Instead of waiting to react, we chose to prepare. A few years ahead of the transition, we sought strategic guidance around generosity.
We listened. We followed the process. We did the work.
And the result was stability. We didn’t experience the financial strain we feared during that season. Strong financial health allowed us to shepherd our people well, focus on pastoral care, and lead with clarity rather than anxiety.
That experience reshaped how I think about generosity leadership.
Over the last 27 years in ministry, I’ve heard every hesitation leaders have about seeking outside help:
These concerns are understandable - and deeply human.
But seeking wisdom does not reflect a lack of faith. It reflects humility. Scripture reminds us that the Body of Christ is designed with different gifts for a reason. Sometimes faith looks like recognizing when we are not equipped to solve a problem alone.
Just as God wasn’t disappointed when I hired a plumber, He isn’t disappointed when ministry leaders seek wise counsel to strengthen the spiritual and financial health of their churches.
When preparing to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead in ministry, it is important to always lead with the understanding that generosity is not a tactic – generosity is discipleship.
It’s a profound spiritual formation process.
Whether leading your church through a capital initiative, a succession plan, or long-term generosity development, the goal should always be the same: to help people grow in trust, obedience, and joy through giving.
Healthy generosity cultures don’t happen by accident. They are built intentionally, taught consistently, and led courageously.
When churches engage in this work thoughtfully, leaders often discover:
In our own experience, the increase in giving during those early years of generosity coaching far exceeded the cost of the investment - by more than four times. But more importantly, it produced confidence, clarity, and spiritual growth.
At Generis, our desire is simple: healthy churches, generous disciples, and leaders who feel equipped, not overwhelmed, when it comes to finances.
If your church feels stuck, strained, or uncertain in this area, it may not be a sign to push harder. It may be an invitation to seek wise help.
So, if you have a “clogged sink” in the area of generosity, you don’t have to fix it alone. You can simply click HERE to begin a conversation.
Joelle Hassler is a Generosity Strategist for Generis as well as a Pastor in Minnesota. Throughout her ministry career, Joelle has led teams and congregations through seasons of growth, change, and generosity. She’s seen God use strategic generosity to launch new campuses, feed the hungry, house the unhoused, and fund mission-critical ministry roles. Her heart is to help every church discover what’s possible when generosity becomes part of its discipleship DNA.