What Church Giving Data Reveals: Participation Is Up, But Something Is Missing
What do the latest generosity trends reveal about the health of discipleship in our churches? In this episode, Leo Sabo is joined by DeWayne McNally from MortarStone to unpack insights from the latest Annual Giving Report, based on giving data from more than 600 churches and over 2.5 million givers. Together they explore encouraging trends like increasing participation among younger generations while also confronting deeper concerns, including declining median giving, poor giver retention, and the growing dependence on a small percentage of donors. More importantly, they discuss what these trends reveal about the state of stewardship discipleship and why churches must move beyond fundraising to intentionally disciple people toward faithful stewardship and biblical generosity.
Key Takeaways
Giving is finally outpacing inflation, providing encouraging news for churches.
Participation in giving is increasing, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z.
Younger generations are giving more frequently, but their average gifts remain significantly smaller than those of previous generations.
The greatest challenge facing churches today is not fundraising—it is stewardship discipleship.
Most churches lack a comprehensive discipleship strategy that helps people grow from first-time givers to generous disciples.
Fifty percent of people who gave in 2022 did not give again to the same church by 2025, revealing a significant retention challenge.
Many churches excel at welcoming first-time guests but fail to acknowledge and encourage first-time givers.
Churches need a shared theology and common language around stewardship, tithing, offerings, and generosity.
Financial stewardship should be taught consistently, not just during annual giving campaigns.
Stories of generosity should reflect every stage of the giving journey, not just large gifts from wealthy donors.
Security and contentment are discipleship issues that directly influence generosity.
Churches must intentionally disciple younger generations if they hope to sustain future ministry.
Dependence on a small percentage of high-capacity donors continues to increase and presents a long-term risk.
Stewardship conversations are ultimately about heart transformation, not simply meeting a budget.
Resources
Mortarstone Website - mortarstone.com
Get the Annual Giving Report - Access Here
Learn about the Christian Stewardship Network - https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/
Become a CSN member - https://membership.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/
Are you a pastor or church leader?
At Christian Stewardship Network, we are passionate about teaching the biblical perspective on finances so that you can teach your church with authority, confidence, and integrity. Our network is a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people in stewardship and generosity. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content directly to your inbox!
Become a member of our network to access our entire library of online courses, participate in monthly network calls, and more!
CSN is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Help us reach more churches with the message of stewardship and generosity. Support our mission through giving.
