Churchgoers increase giving to make up for lower attendance

Faithful churchgoers have stepped up their giving to make up for attendance declines since the pandemic, a new study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research found.

In “Finances and Faith: A Look at Financial Health Among Congregations in the Post-Pandemic Reality,” researchers highlight data from a 2023 survey of more than 5,000 congregations and a 2020 survey of more than 15,000 congregations, representing more than 50 Christian denominations and five faith traditions.

“While the pandemic painted a distinctive portrait of giving in congregational life, it has not dramatically altered the fiscal health of faith communities at this point,” researchers said. “Increased financial need (due to the trauma of the pandemic, attender decline and other factors) resulted in greater individual giving but also a smaller number of total contributors, even while attenders generally gave more than previously.”

Researchers said that although the lowest average worship service attendance was recorded in 2023, it was also the highest donations churches reported in 15 years.

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“In 2023, the typical congregation had a median of 60 in-person weekly worship attendees,” they said. “In this average-sized faith community, the median income was $165,000 and the median amount spent in the most recent fiscal year was $160,000. These figures represent increases compared to the amounts reported in 2020 ($120,000 income, $108,000 expenses) and is the highest income reported in nearly 15 years, even though 2023 saw the lowest average worship attendance since the survey began in 2000.”

When asked what their top concern is for the future, pastors frequently pointed to the challenges of inflation and how the cost of running their churches has outpaced the level of giving.

“The pandemic had both direct and indirect effects on the amount of funds coming into a congregation,” the report concluded. “It is not entirely clear whether the changes introduced such as online giving, increased giving and virtual attendance will continue over the long run or generate the revenue needed to match or overtake inflation. One thing that is certain for congregations and non-profits generally: this is a time of challenge and transition which requires creative thinking about the ways an organization’s mission can be funded and sustained into the future.”

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice