Many of us have been surprised by the way churches have given during the pandemic. In many cases, churches have experienced the best giving they’ve had in years. Additional funds are helpful for doing ministry, but great giving also carries some dangers:
- The church “rests” in its prosperity. Everything feels different when the church has money in the bank. When they receive more donations than usual, it’s easy to get comfortable where they are.
- The church rejoices in their giving but does not evaluate other areas of their work. They can brag about their giving, and they often do—but they fail to look at other areas like baptisms, new members, discipled believers, etc.
- The church prays less. They don’t need to pray as much when they have the funds to meet all their needs. Generous giving = less dependence on God.
- The church stops challenging members to give. Leaders struggle with the tension of (a) calling the church to give well while also (b) reporting and rejoicing over great giving. Too often, they do less of (a) when the church gives well.
- The church doesn’t do stewardship training. Why should they do training when their giving is so good? The problem in most churches, though, is that a few members give most of the funds—but now no one is training the other members to give.
- Members feel less urgency to give sacrificially. Some, of course, have been giving sacrificially, but many have not—and an excess of funds hardly encourages them to give more. They see no need to give beyond the norm.
- The church banks the money as reserve funds, but doesn’t consider how they might use the funds to do the Great Commission. They feel more secure with funds in their account, and they aren’t always willing to take the risk of generous giving to others.
So, is it best that churches not experience great giving? That’s not my point here. My point is simply that we recognize dangers and strive to avoid them. We thank God for the great giving, continue to challenge and equip the church to give sacrificially, and use the funds to do the Great Commission.
Churches confuse giving with church health. In the Episcopal Church in the last century it was found that churches which were on their last legs experienced an increase in giving. What church members were hoping to do was to stave off the demise of the church by increasing their giving. It does not work. The memebers may give more, but the church keeps on its downhill slide. If you are lloking for an indicator of church health, giving may not be the best one.