And Now For Something Completely Different

As I work my way through this positive psychology and hopeful theology stuff, I run across all manner of information about other areas of life, church, family, marriage and friendship.  I find that this body of work may have some interesting things to say about how to conduct stewardship campaigns in local congregations.  The key to greater giving may rest in making people happier.  Martin Seligman reports the following.

"In the laboratory, children and adults who are made happy display more empathy and are willing to donate more money to others in need.  When we are happy, we are less self-focused, we like others more, and we want to share our good fortune even with strangers.  When we are down, though, we become distrustful, turn inward, and focus defensively on our own needs.  Looking out for number one is more characteristic of sadness than of well-being." (Authentic Happiness, page 43)

Perhaps congregations ought to spend six weeks each year doing everything possible to make congregants happier.  Then at the height of the happiness curve, hand out the pledge cards and watch the numbers jump!

I am only half-facetious here.  I once had a parishioner who suggested that I preach a series on being happy.  I looked at him like he had seven heads.  I didn't see such an emphasis anywhere in the Bible, I said.  

I'm sorry, George.  You were right.  For example, "God loves a cheerful giver."  The word for "cheerful" is the Greek root of our English word, "hilarious."  We Christians believe (at least in theory) that it gives God joy when people discover the happiness that comes from giving.

After we meet basic needs for sustenance and comfort, money buys no more happiness.  "The change in purchasing power over the last half century in the wealthy nations carries the same message: real purchasing power has more than doubled in the United States, France, and Japan, but life satisfaction has not changed a whit" (Authentic Happiness, page 53).

The things that make people really happy are time spent with loved ones, helping others in need either directly or financially, pursuing meaningful work, and playing.  Those folks who pursue money as an end in itself are actually less happy overall: "at all levels of real income, people who value money more than other goals are less satisfied with their income and with their lives as a whole..." (Authentic Happiness, page 55).

So my proposal is this.  Survey the congregation for personal happiness and/or gratitude at the beginning of the campaign period.  Free surveys are available quite readily at www.authentichappiness.org.  Then challenge members to do things to make themselves truly happy: spend 30 minutes a day focused on loved ones, identify a new charity and give money to it every day, work in a homeless shelter or soup kitchen or nursing home or...spend time playing every day, get some real physical exercise every day.  Focus the sermons and worship on what makes for real happiness and invite people to share their happiness testimonies.  Re-do the surveys at the end of the period and document the changes (people will be happier).

Then ask for the money.  It may be that we have approached church stewardship from the "demand" end of the equation for far too long.  Here is a way to get at the "supply" end.