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Maslow Meets Jesus

Abraham Maslow was a psychiatrist who understood why and what people learn based on their personal needs. The Rev. J. Hugh Magers and Ms. Terry Parsons have interpreted his system in terms of Evangelism and Stewardship. The vertical presentation of the chart is in no way intended to reflect a hierarchy of "closeness to God."

	Hierarchy of Needs (Giving Attitude)	Personal Concerns & Priorities	Time Span of Vision	% In Ave. Church
Family	Hilarious-not Maslow's! (Joyful Givers beyond Tithe)	Help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential	Eternity	Handful
Partners	Purpose Driven (Tithers)	Self-fulfillment Realizing one's own potential	Eternity	1 - 3%
Partners	Meaning Driven (Proportional Giver)	Discovering "our calling" Asking serious spiritual questions, Exploring spiritual practice, Experimenting with "holy habits"	Lifetime	9 - 12%
	Conversion
Patrons	Identity Driven (My Fair Share)	Role in decision making A vocation that pays well, savings, home, investments, ability to give, self-respect and respect for others	3 years	15 - 20%
Patrons	Community Driven (Pay Dues)	Need for belonging A sense of community, a reliable job, a home, savings: "Belonging"	1 year	15 - 30%
	Developing a sense of "belonging" is critical to moving beyond "safety issues"
Customers	Safety Driven (When I Attend)	Survival becomes predictable. Can imagine behaving in socially acceptable ways. A reliable job, savings/benefits, home, friends & family: "What's in it for me?"	3 months	15 - 25%
Customers	Survival Driven (Give Nothing)	Concern with basic necessities (Food, clothing, shelter) Job, housing, friends, family: "Everything is a personal issue."	1 - 7 days	10 - 20%

The Hierarchy of Needs

Below are Maslow's categories with "guesstimates" as to percentages of each in a typical congregation. Remember: People can be at different places in different parts (spiritual, emotional, physical) of their lives at different times in their lives.

The emotional issues one may be working through have nothing to do with the amount of money one has or is perceived to have. Those working on safety and survival issues have an emotional system stability level that allows them a planning time frame of only one hour to one day, at the most. Those who are dealing with meaning and purpose issues in their lives are capable of planning that extends well beyond the time frame of their lives.

Purpose Driven: (1-3%) These people know what their purpose is and are ready to pour out their lives in sacrificial love. The church calls them to sacrifice and rewards them with stories of lives saved and changed. Their time line perspective is eternal.

Meaning Driven: (9-12%) These folk are seeking meaning. They want processes of reflection, reading, and prayer to help them on their journey. EFM is a natural for them. The church calls them into meaning and offers opportunities for teaching and learning. They enjoy leading in worship. The church also rewards them with opportunities for reflection and growth in meaning. Their time line perspective is their life span.

The first two categories, Purpose Driven and Meaning Driven, give about 75% of the money contributed to the church. They do not like being on the vestries, and they tend to be critical of the social needs of other church members.

Identity Driven: (15-20%) These folk are working on identity and self-concept in relation to the congregation. They seek a role in decision-making and leadership aspiring to be leaders. They will serve on vestries and committees. The church calls them to conversion. The church rewards them by affirming their leadership and acting out their decisions. Their time line perspective is 3-5 years.

Community Driven: (15-30%) These folk are working on belonging and what it means to belong. Comfort and security are issues and change is to be avoided if possible. The church provides communication and care. The church calls them to grow into leadership. The church rewards them by keeping them "in the know" and by meeting immediate pastoral and life transition needs. Their time line perspective is no more than 1 year.

The preceding four categories are what we think of as the "heart" of the congregation. They are present. They pledge. They know and are known. They are doers.

Safety Driven: (15-25%) These are people working on what it means to feel safe. They do not feel that they belong, are self focused, and have many issues. The church provides them with pastoral care and with God's law, an important gift because it assists them in ordering their lives. The church calls them to belong. The church rewards them by taking them seriously and by being there "just in case." Their time line perspective is 1 - 3 months.

Survival Driven: (10-20%) These people are facing survival issues. Life is really tough, and the church provides them with immediate assistance: food, shelter, medicine, clothing, water, a place to get clean. In addition the church prays for them, prays with them, teaches them to pray, for no one can pray with out becoming hopeful. The church calls them to hope; hope is the door to survival. The church rewards them by meeting their needs and with prayer. Their time line perspective is 1 - 3 days.

Knowing what you now know about the hierarchy of needs, here are some ideas for Stewardship Education and Pledge Programs.

	Giving Attitude	Considerations for Stewardship Education and Pledge Programs
Family	Joyful Givers beyond Tithe	Provide Stories of how lives are being saved and hearts are being changed (in a God-ward direction) by the ministry of the people of God "in this place." Effective Pledge Programs A personal message from the Rector - handwritten note or a personal visit. The Parish Narrative with very good anecdotal stories: "This church saved my life." They give money to God through the Church to see lives changed. They won't give money if you don't do outreach.
Partners	Tithers Proportional Giver
	Conversion
Patrons	My Fair Share Pay Dues	Provide -A role in decision making -A relationship with the decision makers -Need to feel a "parental concern" from the leaders -Want to see budgets (want lots of information) Education that includes Inductive Bible Study -An open "system" - no secret meetings -A church that looks good in appearance and has status in the community Effective Pledge Programs Banquets, Cottage Meetings, In-Home Visits, Personal Mail (preferable handwritten)
	Developing a sense of "belonging" is critical to moving beyond "safety issues"
Customers	When I Attend Give Nothing	Provide Meet the immediate need Teach them to pray Invitation to belonging Encourage regular prayer Effective Pledge Programs (for non-pledgers) Disposable, non-treatening impersonal mail "You're not buying something … Jesus already paid the price." Send quarterly requests like a college alumni association. Computer generated, not personal. The message: Please give:__$50 __$100 etc. Separate out the pledgers and those who give regularly without pledging. When they respond and make a significant gift, change the way you treat them.

This information is a restatement from the "Diagnostic Devices" section of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship at www.tens.org and the TENS Manual for Stewardship Consultants/Mentors. For a copy of this manual contact TENS at 800.699.2669 or e-mail at tens@tens.org.