Why People Hesitate to Give to Church: 2 Issues Leaders Can Address
Church leaders often wonder why more people do not participate in giving.
The answer is rarely as simple as people being selfish, disengaged, or unwilling to trust God. For many, generosity is tied to complicated experiences, unanswered questions, financial pressure, and concerns about the church itself.
That does not mean churches should avoid teaching on giving. It means we need to approach the conversation with biblical clarity, humility, and care.
Most believers want their financial decisions to reflect their faith. But people may struggle to connect generosity with discipleship, may feel unsure about what Scripture teaches, or may have been hurt by manipulative messages about money in the past.
Two common issues often sit beneath reluctance to give.
1. People Have Not Received Clear, Healthy Teaching About Generosity
The Bible has much to say about money, possessions, generosity, work, contentment, trust, and stewardship. Yet many Christians have received very little thoughtful teaching on these subjects.
Some have only heard about giving when the church had an urgent financial need. Others have heard messages that focused heavily on guilt, pressure, or promised financial outcomes. Still others have never been shown how generosity fits into whole-life discipleship.
When teaching is unclear or infrequent, people are left to form their financial beliefs from the messages around them.
Our culture tells us that security comes from having more. It encourages comparison, consumption, and the belief that the next purchase, promotion, or financial milestone will finally make us content.
Jesus offers a different way.
“No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24
Jesus is not saying money itself is evil. He is warning us that money can compete for our trust and devotion. It can promise security, identity, control, and fulfillment in ways that belong to God alone.
That is why biblical teaching about money matters.
People need help seeing that generosity is not about funding a church’s wish list. It is about becoming the kind of people who trust God, hold resources with open hands, and use what they have for His purposes.
The Spiritual Pull of Mammon
Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money” in Matthew 6:24. Mammon is of Chaldean origin, and Jesus used this word to personify a god, the god of riches. Mammon is a spirit that uses money, wealth, and riches to deceive people. He promises that through these, one can find happiness, fulfillment, security, and a host of other things that only God alone can provide. Mammon is a chief competitor of God for the hearts of people.
When you preach correctly from God's word on the topic of giving, some people will become angry. It's not because you've done something wrong; it's that you've insulted their God (mammon). It's a natural reaction. Jesus said it, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, you will be devoted to one and despise the other." Those who trust in mammon will hate and despise God. That seems harsh, but it's true, and Jesus confirmed it when he said, "Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me." (Matthew 12:30 NLT)
That influence is powerful because it rarely begins with an obvious rejection of God. More often, it quietly persuades us to place our hope in what we own, earn, save, or can control.
For some people, a message about generosity can feel threatening because it challenges the security they have built around money. That does not mean every question or hesitation is rebellion. People may carry real financial stress, past hurt, or legitimate concerns about church integrity. But it does mean leaders should not avoid teaching on money simply because the conversation feels difficult.
Jesus spoke about money because He knew it reveals the heart.
For more information about the Spirit of Mammon, we encourage you to listen to our podcast episode: Revealing the Symptoms of Mammon’s Influence.
Teach Generosity as Discipleship
Healthy teaching on giving should be regular, biblical, and connected to the heart.
It should help people understand:
God owns everything, and we are stewards of what He has entrusted to us.
Generosity is an act of worship, not a membership fee.
Giving is personal and should flow from prayerful conviction, not comparison or pressure.
Stewardship includes more than giving. It also includes work, spending, saving, debt, contentment, and wise planning.
Money can reveal what we trust, fear, and value.
The influence of mammon invites us to trust in material security, while biblical stewardship calls us to trust God as our provider.
When leaders teach these truths consistently, people have time to wrestle with them, ask questions, and take their next faithful step. One message each year is rarely enough. People receive financial messages from the culture every day. The church should offer an ongoing, hopeful, biblical alternative.
2. People May Not Trust the Church
Sometimes hesitation about giving is understandable.
Public stories of financial misconduct, misuse of donations, and leaders living in ways that do not appear to match their teaching have caused many people to approach church giving carefully. Some people have experienced manipulation firsthand. Others have simply never been given a clear picture of how the church handles its resources.
Leaders should not dismiss those concerns.
Trust is built over time through integrity, transparency, and consistent communication. When a church teaches generosity while handling money with care, answering questions honestly, and showing people how resources support ministry, credibility grows.
People are more likely to engage when they see that the church is not asking them to give blindly.
Build Trust Through Integrity and Transparency
Churches can strengthen trust by:
Teaching about money before a financial crisis or campaign creates urgency.
Explaining how gifts support ministry, care, staff, facilities, outreach, and discipleship.
Sharing real stories of impact without exaggeration.
Providing appropriate financial oversight and communicating that it exists.
Avoiding manipulative language, emotional pressure, or promises God has not made.
Making it clear that giving is a personal response to God, not a test of belonging.
Creating space for honest questions about finances and stewardship.
Leaders do not need to share every financial detail in every setting, but people should be able to see a pattern of responsible leadership and clear communication.
Make the Conversation Helpful, Not Heavy
Talking about giving should help people, not make them feel cornered or pressured to give. That means acknowledging that people are in different financial seasons. Some may be recovering from debt, dealing with job loss, caring for family members, or learning basic financial habits for the first time. Others may have more capacity and need encouragement to consider what greater generosity could look like.
The next step will not be identical for everyone, which is why it’s so important to meet people where they are.
A church can invite people to grow without dictating a specific amount or using guilt as motivation. We can teach biblical principles, offer practical support, and trust the Holy Spirit to work in people’s hearts.
Generosity Grows Where Trust and Truth Meet
Churches should not avoid the subject of giving because it is uncomfortable, but we also should not treat hesitation as something to overcome with better messaging alone. People need biblical truth. They also need leaders whose actions demonstrate integrity.
When churches teach generosity as discipleship, communicate transparently, and approach people with genuine care, they create an environment where trust can grow.
And where trust grows, people are more able to see generosity not as pressure, but as an invitation to worship God with all He has entrusted to them.
Christian Stewardship Network
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