From My Desk to Yours
The average evangelical was giving away only 3.2% of household income to either church or charity, and 19% gave not a penny to either over the previous 12 months. 1 That is not the kind of news we like to share, but it is a wakeup call for pastors and church leaders. In this issue of the Stewardship Journal, we continue reporting on the current and future state of giving in America. You can’t solve a problem you are unaware of, and we will continue our warnings with this edition of the Journal. Here is what is inside:
Mark Brooks, The Stewardship Coach, starts us off with The Future of Giving: It Ain’t Good, Part 2. Mark follows up on his post last week by looking at why giving has declined. Mark states, “Today’s news is grim because we have kicked this can down the road for far too long. You can’t save all the churches, but let’s focus on saving the one you pastor.” Pastors, you have a crucial role in this. That’s one reason we created the Journal: to help reverse the decline in giving, one church at a time, starting with your church. Being aware of why giving is declining is the start of knowing how to address the decline.
Mark’s Bonus Section, An Interview with Ron Sellers, concludes Mark’s interview with one of the writers of The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity. In this week’s interview, they discuss two key issues related to reversing the decline in giving, spiritual engagement, and revisiting how we view the tithe. I’m sure you will find the discussion about tithing interesting, and we would love to hear your thoughts!
One area that Mark and Ron talk about in their interview is the importance of being in a small group. Our final post was written by Scott McConnell, the executive director of Lifeway Research, who graciously agreed for us to re-post his recent article on how four churches engaged young adults in an article entitled Effective Young Adult Ministry Depends on Small Groups. The lead says, “No matter your church size or context, there are things your ministry can do to engage the young adult population in your community.” As we have learned in this edition, engagement is the key to reversing the decline in giving.
If you are new to the Stewardship Journal or missed a week, remember that all articles can be found at https://stewardshipjournal.com. Our goal is to be your go-to resource for all things stewardship-related.
Dr. Shawn Parker
- Infinity Concepts | Grey Matter Research, The Giving Gap: Changes In Evangelical Generosity. 2024 report.