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Giving trends
Most pastors say their offering plates were at least as full as expected this year, but few saw giving top their budget.
Half (50%) say giving this year has been about what they budgeted. Only once since 2008 have as many pastors seen their giving line up closely with their budget. In 2019, 51% said church giving was about what was budgeted.
Around 3 in 10 (29%) say they didn’t make their budget this year based on giving levels. This is similar to the previous five years when the percentage of pastors who reported giving below what was budgeted ranged from 27% to 33%.
Fewer churches than normal, however, are reporting positive budget news. Today, just 16% of congregations say their giving was higher than budget. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, 21% of pastors reported giving that was above budget. Only once since 2009 have fewer pastors reported giving that topped budget, 11% in 2010.
Compared to last year, 38% of pastors say giving has been the same, 29% say it’s increased, 24% report a drop since 2023 and 9% aren’t sure.
“While almost 3 in 10 churches saw growth in offerings, it was a tough year to beat budget,” said McConnell. “Churches were clearly expecting to do a little better financially in 2024 than they have.”
When asked to identify the approximate percentage their offering changed from 2023, the average pastor says giving is up 0.15%. Specifically, 43% say their offering has remained the same, 4% say it dropped by 25% or more, 12% saw a decline of 10% to 24%, 5% say their giving fell by 9% or less, 12% say their giving grew by 9% or less, 10% say it climbed by 10% to 24% and 4% saw a 25% or more increase in giving. One in 10 (10%) aren’t sure.
Political influence
Several factors influence how pastors report the economic impact and giving levels at their churches, but one of the most predictive demographics is political party and presidential voting plans.
Republican pastors (79%) and those planning to vote for former President Donald Trump (83%) are most likely to say the economy is negatively impacting their church. Democratic pastors are most likely to say the economy is having a positive impact (21%) or no impact (34%). Those voting for Vice President Kamala Harris (35%) and those undecided (28%) are more likely than Trump voters (15%) to say the economy is having no impact.
Trump-voting and Republican pastors are more likely to report below-budget giving in 2024. Republicans (36%) are most likely to say giving has been lower than budgeted. Pastors voting for Trump (39%) and those undecided (31%) are more likely than those backing Harris (19%) to say giving has been below budget.
Democrats (58%) are more likely than Republicans (46%) to say their church offerings have been about what they budgeted. Harris voters (61%) are most likely to say giving has been about what was budgeted.
Politics is also influencing pastors’ perceptions of the offerings from this year and last. Democrats (41%) are more likely than independents (30%) and Republicans (25%) to say their church’s offerings have been above 2023 levels. Pastors planning to vote for Harris (39%) are more likely than those who are undecided (28%) and those supporting Trump (23%) to say giving has been above giving in 2023. Pastors voting for Trump (31%) and undecided pastors (27%) are more likely than those backing Harris (12%) to say this year’s giving is below last year’s.
On average, pastors supporting Harris report a 4.27% growth in giving this year, while Trump-backing pastors say they’ve seen a 2.38% decline. Similarly, Democratic pastors say giving is up 5.08% in their churches this year, and Republican pastors note a 1.73% drop from 2023.
“Overall, pastors’ perceptions of the economy’s impact on their churches are statistically related to the pastor’s own politics. Since both politics and economics are external factors to a local church, it is not surprising that the influences become combined for some,” said McConnell. “More surprising is that pastors report actual offerings which fit these differences in political leanings.”
For more information, view the complete report.