Although written for ministers, this book is exactly what I was looking for to make my stewardship ministry more effective. After completing a successful stewardship program in 2008, I was looking for ideas to make this years program even better. So, I ordered several books on stewardship, hoping to find inspiration.Not Your Parents Offering Plate is one of those rare books I could not put down. The chapter Reasons People Give is extremely insightful. The chapter The Top Ten Things I Would Do Now is full of suggestions for our next stewardship program.Recently, while updating my Pastor on some stewardship concerns, I mentioned that we should stop presenting line item budgets to the congregation, but switch to a missional budget format. This is one of the suggestions in the book. After explaining what I was talking about, my Pastor smiled and agreed. From here, I moved to other suggestions I had discovered in this book. Our meeting lasted much longer than scheduled.I made two sales at this meeting. First, I gained my Pastors support for all the changes to our stewardship program I will propose to the Church Council. Second, he asked for the name of this book so he could order a copy.

As our church began to look at revitalizing our Stewardship Ministry we purchased "Not Your Parents' Offering Plate" as a tool to guide us in an area we as a congregation had little strength. As we have reviewed the book together we have been inspired with numerous practical ideas that have inspired us to look at Stewardship in a whole new way. We are anxious to see the fruits of our endeavors and would recommend this book to all.