“The biblical model of relying solely on tithes and offerings no longer works for many churches.”
That stunning sentence in a recent article represents a white flag of surrender that, unfortunately, many church leaders are falling for. Please understand that the author of the above sentence is deeply committed to the local church. I’ve not read one person espousing this view who was not fully committed to the survival of the local church. In fact, it is the staggering loss of churches, estimated at 15,000 this year, that motivates articles like the one I read. Their heartfelt desire for the survival of local churches is commendable, but their method of achieving that survival is a fallacy. Here is why.
The biblical model is the only model the Bible gives us about funding the work of the Church. I must confess that I have a high view of Scripture. When I read the statement that the biblical model isn’t working for churches, my first reaction wasn’t that it was the fault of the biblical model. In my view, the problem is that we are not following the biblical model. Nowhere in the Bible do we find local churches setting up daycares, coffee shops, or thrift stores to keep their doors open.
Let me stipulate that there are many things that the Bible is silent on that we in the Church embrace. For instance, one could argue that sound systems are nowhere in the Bible and thus no church should have a sound system since Jesus never preached using one. Using that logic, we would not have air conditioning either, since I’m pretty sure the first-century church had to bear whatever the elements were. I’m not adverse to using 21st-century technology to share a 1st-century story of redemption. On issues like AI and online giving, the Bible is obviously silent. However, when it comes to giving, the Bible is far from silent.
The Bible commands us to give. From Genesis 14, where Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe of the spoils of war, all the way down to the Apostle Paul admonishing the Corinthians to give to the Saints in Jerusalem, God’s Word has given clear direction about giving. And those commands come with a promise of God’s blessing. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given unto you…” The command to tithe in Malachi comes with the promise from God that He will throw open the windows of Heaven, pouring out blessings upon us.
What about Paul’s tent-making job? The Apostle Paul used his skill at making tents to help keep him on the mission field, much as today’s bi-vocational pastor does. Paul’s entrepreneurial life wasn’t about providing income for the church but his own personal income. The biblical model for a Christian is to be gainfully employed, using the benefits of that employment to the glory of God. It also commands that we give back an offering to God based on what we earn. That is the biblical model of how you finance a church.
If it works, then why are 15,000 churches in danger of closing? There are scores of reasons why churches close. A lack of finances is often cited as the primary reason, but it is just one of many factors contributing to a church’s failure. An aging membership leading to a decline in attendance is a greater contributing factor to a decline in giving. The smaller number of congregants makes paying the electric bill difficult, let alone managing the upkeep of the facilities.
The reality is that Americans are making more money but giving less. Many factors lead to a decline in giving, but the decline in giving is the symptom, not the cause. Today’s Christians have more disposable income than at any time in the history of the church. According to empty tomb, inc.’s latest study on church member giving, after-tax per capita income in inflation-adjusted dollars has increased by 171% since 1968. At the same time, Americans decreased the percentage they gave to churches from 3.02% in ’68 to 1.72% in 2022.1.
The churches in the Bible were founded first by evangelism and then held together by discipling new believers in the biblical model for living out our faith. By teaching and following the biblical model for generosity, I believe, our churches have a better chance of survival than renting out their facilities.
Why are Americans giving less to their church? That’s the question we must answer if we are to turn around the years-long decline in giving. One recent study, however, gives an insight into why. A 2024 study called The Giving Gap revealed that “there is a very strong correlation between regular engagement in spiritual activities and giving. Evangelicals who regularly read and study the Bible, pray, attend worship, and attend a small group are about twice as likely to give to charity as those who infrequently or never do these things, and are nearly three times more likely to give to church.”2. The data is clear: discipleship and giving rise together. If you want a financially strong church, don’t open a thrift store—open the Word, open small groups, and open pathways to spiritual maturity.
The bottom line is this: the more engaged you are with your members, the more likely they will stay members, and the more likely they will be to give to support your church. It’s called discipleship, and our platform is the best at helping you share your story and disciple members to become lifelong generous givers.
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
- The State of Church Giving Through 2022 Might for Right – At Scale, John L. Ronsvalle and Sylvia Ronsvalle, empty tomb, inc. Champaign, IL, May 2025, pp. 13, 14
- Infinity Concepts | Grey Matter Research, The Giving Gap: Changes In Evangelical Generosity. 2024 report.