Surprised? Americans are giving a smaller percentage of their incomes to churches.
If that bit of news from Religious News Service surprises you, you have not
been watching the receipts at local churches. In the vast majority of churches,
gifts have not kept pace with members income.
Surprised? Americans are giving a smaller percentage of their incomes to churches.
If that bit of news from Religious News Service surprises you, you have not
been watching the receipts at local churches. In the vast majority of churches,
gifts have not kept pace with members income.
According to a study conducted by John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, entitled “The
State of Church Giving Through 1999,” church members donated 2.58 percent
of their income to their churches in 1999. That amount is down 17 percent from
1968 when giving was 3.1 percent.
Admittedly, the larger 3.1 percent is little to brag about, but when one realizes
all members of the 29 denominations studied were averaged, the figure looks
a tad better. Some folks are giving very well to bring up the average with those
who give the most common annual gift – less than 10 dollars.
Perhaps the shocker of the article is that in the depth of the Great Depression,
the giving percentage of church members was higher than in1999. Prosperity does
not breed good stewardship.
There are two concerns of modern church life upon which this study should throw
concern.
First, churches must be failing to help church members deal with one of the
most problematic areas of their lives – dealing with materialism.
Even a cursory look at American life today indicates the biggest challenge
families face is dealing adequately with materialism. People have ignored the
teachings of the first two chapters of Genesis and are letting the created rule
the co-creators. Multitudes have let their possessions get out of hand; they
are ruled by things rather than ruling over things.
Interestingly, some churches intentionally downplay teaching and preaching
about “money.” The leaders of these congregations have read studies
that say non-churched folks do not want to hear sermons about “money,”
so they intentionally avoid the subject. Some churches, to keep from offending
people attending their gatherings, omit the offering during worship. This robs
the congregants of the Bibles plan that giving is part of worship, as
well as what the Bible says about handling ones resources, large or small.
As a result, these churches provide little or no help in this crucial area of
personal and family life. To emphasize the need, surveys indicate the handling
of money causes more marital and family stress than any other area of life.
The Bible teaches far more about personal stewardship than just tithing, but
it certainly includes tithing, and any church that fails to hold up this standard
fails its members and attenders.
Second, the results of inadequate teaching and preaching about stewardship
that includes giving the tithe to the church are seen in churches struggling
financially. This editor does not believe that God instituted tithing for the
sole purpose of supporting his kingdoms work, although that is certainly
a purpose.
Tithing provides a way to express believers love for God and gratitude
for salvation. Tithing is also a discipline that helps believers bring their
resources under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
When church members are not taught the discipline of love that results in tithing,
their churches do not enjoy the financial strength God intends for his bodies
of believers.
Hopefully, Louisiana Baptist churches will unashamedly preach and teach tithing
as a cornerstone of Gods financial plan for his children and his churches.
If a church prides itself in saying, “We never talk about money,”
this editor would not want to be a part of that church. A church with that stance
neglects to preach and teach about one of the most challenging areas of life
in which I – and surely multitudes of others – need help.
The biblical practice of tithing does not automatically or even necessarily
infuse good stewardship in all of ones life. But it does train Christians
in honoring the Lord with their money, and that is the beginning of good stewardship
and wise financial management.