7 Reasons Your Church Members Don’t Give Like They Could (or Should)

I don’t know a church that doesn’t want their church members to give more. Here are some reasons members sometimes don’t get there, however:

1. No one has taught them to budget wisely in general. Some young singles and couples are so heavily in debt that the thought of increasing their giving genuinely seems impossible. 
2. No one has really taught them about Christian giving. They’ve heard surface-level preaching and teaching – even challenges to give – but nobody has taught them intentionally and deeply about sacrificial giving. 
3. They don’t recognize the need to give more. They’ve heard messages to give faithfully, but they’ve not heard many messages that encourage faithful givers to increase their giving. 
4. They already think they’re giving sacrificially. The problem is not that they’re not giving; it’s that they don’t know what “sacrificial” means. They don’t give until it actually costs them something. 
5. They haven’t heard many giving testimonies. I know it’s risky to have people tell stories, but there’s value in letting faithful givers talk of the joy of giving. Help them be cautious not to leave the impression that giving always brings financial blessing. 
6. They’re divided in their thoughts about giving. In some cases, one spouse is prepared to increasing giving—but the other is fearful of taking that step. Their differing views have led to stagnation. 
7. They don’t trust the direction and future of the church. They’d be willing to give more if they believed fully in the church’s direction, but they don’t. They’re waiting to see where the church goes before they invest more. 

What other reasons would you add to this list?