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February 2, 2009
The paradox of church giving in a struggling economy
Church giving holds steady in the midst of an uncertain economic future. Whether you believe giving to the church comes with a promise of success or simply believe it's an important discipline of a Christian, church giving has proven to be almost recession proof.
Some faced with foreclosure are willing to sacrifice their own homes before they are willing to entertain the notion of cutting back on their tithe. This line of reasoning is one reason why church giving remains relatively unaffected as the economic situations seems to worsen with each passing of each minute. Sylvia Ronsvalle with Empty Tomb says:
"The results prove that church-member giving doesn't necessarily decline during a recession."
MSNBC also covered the subject recently in Dire economy tests churches. The article points out that churches are making tough decisions in an attempt to balance meeting the spiritual and physical needs of its membership and the larger community in which it exists with the resources available.
The exciting part of this tension is that it spurs a level of creativity and innovation that usually comes with big dreams and limited resources. (See Contributions Down? Time to innovate. and Decline in church giving could force innovation.) The other exciting element is that those churches who continue to thrive while the rest of the world stumbles seem to be those who are committed to ministry and meeting needs.
Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon reports a 31% increase in giving in 2008. While Riverview Church in East Lansing Holt, Michegan designed a special offering to contribute to a fund that 25 other church were contribuiting to in an effort to replenish their local food bank. The special offering raised more than $20,000 or half of the entire goal for all the churches involved. And this was a church where the average age is 27. (So much for those myths that twenty-somethings don't have money to give.)
"People catch a spirit of generosity," said [Pastor Noel] Heikkinen..."They get excited about being generous, and it spills out into other areas of their lives."
Here is the paradox: If you want to see giving continue and perhaps even grow in your church, do more ministry than you've ever done. And do it in a measurable way. The result will be more money than you could have ever imagined.
Posted by bstroup at February 2, 2009 11:00 AM
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