Church Giving Down as Percent of Income

A report released by empty tomb, inc. in mid-October examined the giving trends of church members in the United States and determined that financial contributions to churches were down as a percent of income when compared with previous years. The Illinois-based Christian research organization surveyed 28 Protestant denominations representing 146,000 of the total estimated 350,000 congregations in the United States and found that for each dollar donated to a congregation, denominations spent 2 cents on overseas missions in 2003, down from 7 cents in the 1920s.

Half of the 28 denominations grew in membership from 1968 to 2003 and half decreased, the report said, and those that grew had a higher level of international missions support while those that declined had a lower average of overseas missions support.

Per member giving as a percent of income to total contributions declined from 2002 to 2003, empty tomb said, and giving as a percent of income was down overall from 1968 to 2003. Giving as a percent of income is the most useful method for tracking, they said, because it takes into account changes both in population (membership) and in the economy (income).

Total contributions decreased from 3.11% of income in 1968 to 2.59% in 2003, which is a decline of 17% in the portion of income donated to the church, the report said.

Congregational finances – the funding of internal operations of the congregation – experienced a 10% decline from the 1968 base, and benevolences – funding the larger mission of the church – declined 42% from 1968. In 2003, the portion of income to benevolences was at the lowest level during the 36-year period.

Americans gave $91 billion in cash donations to charity in 2003, but if church members had given 10% of their incomes, the total would include an additional $156 billion to be used through churches.

For more information, visit www.emptytomb.org.

[Note: Many Christians (or at least, church-goers) forget or ignore the fact that God owns everything ... our house, our car, every penny of our income. He has commanded us to return to Him a minimum of 10%; that is repaying our debt to Him. If we want to give Him anything, it must be above that 10%. Re-read that last statistic in the above article: “Americans gave $91 billion in cash donations to charity in 2003, but if church members had given 10% of their incomes, the total would include an additional $156 billion to be used through churches.” Imagine what the Kingdom could do with a total of $247 billion rather than the $91 billion received.

What about your household? Do you tithe? If yes, bless you for being obedient. If not, why not? TCP]