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October 30, 2008
What's really happening to churches and church giving
There is a lot of speculation that church giving will plummet and as a result we'll see mass closings of churches all across this nation due to the decrease in individual/family discretionary income which directly impacts church giving.
As of yet, this is not the case. In fact, some churches are reporting little direct impact on church giving due to our current economic crisis.
The LA Times recently picked up an the AP story Churches could be facing hard times financially, just when congregants need help, too.
Here are some interesting quotes from the article:
Among the congregations faring best are those with a strong tradition of tithing -- the biblical mandate to give at least 10 percent of one's income to the church.
Churches who teach Biblical principles related to personal finances and church giving have prepared their congregations for situations just like the one we find ourselves in now.
What is your church doing to provide practical financial solutions for families? You might consider making these classes part of your core christian education goals - maybe even a requirement for your new member classes.
Plan and prepare is the best strategy to hedge against uncertain financial times.
A recent report by the Christian research group Empty Tomb Inc. studied six recessions since 1968 and found that donations by church members declined in three and increased in three. Another study, by Giving USA Foundation, found that religion-related charitable giving fell slightly in six of 11 recession years since 1968.
Despite our "intuition" telling us that we are in the worst position in history, church giving is just about as cyclical as the economy. There are ups and downs. Yes, we are in a down. If we know that church giving is cyclical, we can address it in a comprehensive, systematic way.
What's your long-term strategy to provide for fully funded ministry budgets and sustainable ministries?
However, many churches rely on income from investments for their financial health and are already slashing their 2009 budgets.
Our current economic situation is largely driven by the stock market. Those churches who have placed a significant percentage of their operating expenses in one catagory (i.e. the stock market) ought to consider expanding their portfolio.
Maybe it's time to get some organizational financial planning advice?
A wise person once told me, "It's never as bad as it seems, and it's never as good as it seems."
I think that sums up our current economic situation - especially as to its impact upon church giving.
Posted by bstroup at October 30, 2008 11:28 AM
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