Church leaders: four key foundations for congregation giving

Recent research into charitable giving among churchgoers revealed some valuable insights to lend clarity and purpose to your fundraising.

1 Be encouraged: Stewardship research found that 93% of those who go to church at least monthly give to their church, and 73% say they trust their church a lot: more than they trust Christian charities. Just over 1 in 6 Christians speak to someone in church leadership about their giving at least once a year. This could be higher.

2 Teach often on faith and finance: in recent research, a quarter of regular churchgoers said they would like to receive quarterly teaching on Christian approaches to finance and giving; 21% said they would like this monthly. There is an appetite. A fifth of those who give said their first prompting to give was “understanding God’s generosity to me”.

Churches, for many, are places of deep trust and community, where there is a personal connection, and a place where those who give to church are also constantly receiving from it. It is a relationship of reciprocity, which goes beyond to other missions and charities.

3 Be a place where generosity is celebrated: if someone gives generously anywhere, even to another church, it means God is working in them. As one pastor said, “It’s not their money, and it’s certainly not your money! It’s God’s – so we can celebrate when it is stewarded with generosity.” Be a channel, not a bucket.

4 Be transparent and enthusiastic: research shows that barriers to giving include mistrust from a previous negative experience. Be transparent and report back. As the Stewardship Generosity Report says, “Giving is a wonderful opportunity for joy for your congregation that can be presented as an act of faith and worship. Church leaders might encourage this perspective by framing financial contributions as part of broader spiritual practice, rather than just a financial obligation.”