In the latter half of 2024 and into early 2025, my church has seen a decline in giving—and perhaps your church has experienced a similar trend. As ministers focused on stewardship, generosity, and church finance, is it possible to steer things in a more positive direction?

MortarStone recently released its 2024 Annual Report, which is based on real data from 537 churches. The report highlights contributions from 941,790 unique giving households that collectively made 43.1 million gifts, totaling $13.7 billion. A closer look at this data reveals interesting trends that can be impacted by ministry.

The role of the church finance leader is not simply about controlling spending—it’s about setting priorities that support and grow the ministry. For the senior pastor, building a strong partnership with your finance leader ensures that every dollar is connected to the mission, reinforcing both the church’s financial health and its spiritual impact.

I was in elementary school when I played my first game of Monopoly. My family had gathered for Christmas, and I watched with eager anticipation as the game board was set up. My underdeveloped economic mind assumed the goal of the game was to gain the most cash possible; therefore I moved my token swiftly around the board collecting cash in favor of collecting properties.

Imagine you begin to exhibit health concerns. You present various symptoms that give rise to concern. One response you could make would be to consult the information superhighway, which will give a broad range of possible illnesses from one end of the spectrum to the other. Another response would be to consult a physician.

"General Fund" and “Tithes” are the most common designations churches use to support day-to-day operations like staff salaries, facilities maintenance, and outreach programs. 

These things, while perhaps not as tangible or inspiring as, say, digging a well in Somalia, are crucial. They ARE the cost of doing good. 

Discover seven practical ways church leaders can strengthen church finances, build resilience, and fund ministry with wisdom before financial challenges arise.