When I sat down with Copper Nelms to record an episode of the ChurchCandy Podcast, I knew he had helped rebuild a culture of generosity at his church. What I did not expect was the story he told me about doing it without a capital campaign, without high-pressure fundraising, and without ever telling people to “give more.”
Copper is the co-founder of Four Church Agency and a former church leader. His team saw over 60 percent growth in giving in a single year, followed by a 45 percent increase per household the next year. Those are numbers most pastors dream about. And he did it all by focusing on people instead of programs.
If you are a pastor, church planter, or ministry leader who wants to build a healthy giving culture, this is the kind of blueprint you can actually follow. Below I will walk you through what I learned from our conversation, including the systems he built, the mindset that drove them, and specific steps any church can take.
Confronting Controversial Practices
We kicked off our conversation talking about the debates that pop up in church world all the time. Music styles. Lighting. Traditions versus technology. Copper was quick to point out that preferences should never drive the mission.
“It’s easy to focus on the wrong things,” he told me. “We argue about fog machines and guitars, but the real question is whether we’re helping people encounter Jesus.”
That mindset was shaped by online criticism. When Copper’s church went viral on social media, the comments were not all friendly. People questioned why they had lights, why the pastor wore sneakers, and all kinds of surface-level things. Instead of getting defensive, Copper used the attention to invite people into a deeper conversation about faith. He doubled down on clarity and vision.
I have seen this same approach work for other pastors I have spoken with. Pastor Josh Koskinen, who launched Story Hill Church with 710 people on their first Sunday, told me that staying focused on the mission and not getting distracted by critics was one of the biggest lessons he learned early on.
Building a Generous Culture
The heart of Copper’s approach was discipleship, not dollars. Rather than launching a capital campaign, he and his team focused on building relationships and teaching people why generosity matters.
“We never asked people to give more,” he told me. “We asked them to take a step. Any step. In their spiritual journey.”
Here are a few principles that stood out from our conversation:
- Celebrate before you solicit. Copper’s church made generosity a joyful part of their culture. They celebrated baptisms, shared stories of lives changed, and thanked people publicly for serving and giving. “Joy is contagious,” Copper said. “When people see the impact of their generosity, they want to be part of it.”
- Make giving personal. Instead of sending out generic appeals, leaders met with families one on one. They listened. They answered questions about how funds were being used. They prayed with people. That transparency built trust.
- Teach the heart, not the dollar amount. Sermons and small group discussions focused on why giving is a spiritual discipline. Copper believes generosity flows from gratitude and trust in God’s provision.
That personal approach to generosity is something I hear from a lot of pastors who are seeing real growth. Pastor Bryan Larson told me that when he relaunched New Life Church with 300 people on day one, one of the biggest factors was the personal connections they had already built in the community.
The Four-Circle Meeting System
One system that helped Copper scale his relational approach was something he calls the four-circle meeting. Each conversation covers four simple areas:
- Connect – Start with a genuine interest in the person’s life and family.
- Celebrate – Share stories of how their giving and involvement are making a real difference in other people’s lives.
- Educate – Explain what the church is doing and why. Answer questions about budgets, ministries, and vision.
- Invite – Offer a clear next step, whether that is joining a serving team, attending a small group, or starting a regular giving rhythm.
This structure kept every meeting pastoral rather than transactional. “I wasn’t there to get a pledge,” Copper explained. “I was there to shepherd people and invite them into something bigger than themselves.”
That relational approach to church life reminded me of how Pastor Brandon Holmes in Waco grew his church using “Coffee With a Pastor” ads to start real conversations before ever inviting people to a Sunday service.
Practical Steps for Encouraging Generosity
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Copper to share concrete actions any pastor can take to start building a generous culture. Here is what he recommended:
- Audit your weekend experience. Is your church making a strong first impression? Do people feel welcomed and informed about their next steps?
- Tell stories often. Share testimonies of how generosity is changing lives inside and outside the church. Stories inspire more than statistics ever will.
- Meet with your biggest supporters. Thank them personally and ask for feedback. Many pastors avoid these conversations because they feel awkward, but Copper insists that personal engagement creates champions.
- Simplify your giving options. Make it easy to give by offering online, mobile, and in-person options. Provide a clear, secure process.
- Lead by example. Copper noted that people follow their leaders. If pastors and staff are not generous themselves, it is hard to expect the congregation to be.
Sherman Dumas is another pastor who told me that leading by example and building trust through personal outreach was a game changer. He drew 300 guests on his launch day using focused Facebook outreach and a strong follow-up process. The principles are the same whether you are growing attendance or growing generosity.
Lessons for Pastors
Copper’s story is encouraging because it shows you do not need a slick fundraising campaign to see real growth. What you do need is clarity, consistency, and care. Here is what I took away from our conversation:
- Know why you exist. Be clear about your church’s mission and communicate it often. Vision attracts resources.
- Stop copying other churches. What works in one city may not work in yours. Learn principles, but apply them to your own people and context.
- Build and empower a team. You cannot cultivate generosity on your own. Train leaders and volunteers to own their part of the process.
- Grow within your lane. Focus on the people God has called you to reach and the unique needs of your community.
Pastor Robert White at Freedom Church gave me almost the exact same advice when I asked him how they went from 160 to over 1300 members in two years. Know who you are, build a team, and stay in your lane. It works whether you are growing attendance or growing giving.
Final Word
If you are a pastor wondering how to increase generosity without turning your church into a fundraising machine, Copper’s story shows it is possible. By focusing on people over programs and creating systems that support discipleship, his church saw giving grow by more than 60 percent while families took real spiritual steps.
You can start small. Schedule a few four-circle meetings. Share a story of impact next Sunday. Look for ways to celebrate generosity in your church. These small shifts add up over time.
If you want help building the kind of systems that Copper and I discussed, my team at ChurchCandy would love to talk. Schedule a quick call and let us see how we can help your church thrive.
Have you tried any of these ideas? Let me know in the comments.
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