5 Facts About Money in Large Churches

by: Todd McMichen

Recently we partnered with a leading church research firm to conduct a national survey of hundreds of churches exceeding 1,000 people in worship attendance. Below are some interesting financial learnings I want to pass on to you:

  1. 100% of large churches are engaging capital campaigns as a funding strategy.
  2. 57% of large churches desire training and will lead their capital campaigns internally rather than hire a traditional capital campaign firm.
  3. The #1 named financial challenge was current church debt load.
  4. The #2 named financial challenge was aging donor base and not engaging younger donors.
  5. The #3 named financial challenge was no strategy in place to encourage generosity.
  6. Churches founded prior to 1900 launched the highest percentage of capital campaigns in the last year.
  7. Churches over 2,000 in worship attendance showed a higher concern for debt load and aging donor base.
  8. Churches between 1,000-1,999 in worship attendance showed the highest concern for lack of a strategy to encourage generosity.
  9. The longer the church had been in existence, the more concerned it was with an aging donor base.
  10. Churches in existence since 1980 showed the highest concern for debt load.

Facts should lead to clarity. Here is some advice:

  1. Generous churches are led by generous pastors and leaders. Pursue staff wide training as a part of your ongoing culture.
  2. Debt is consistently the most limiting fixed expense. Create a culture of generosity to prepare for your future instead of leveraging your future with a burdensome debt load.
  3. Don’t exchange a capital campaign for possessing a strategy to grow a generous culture. A commitment card is not the same as a generous life.
  4. Go digital to reach the younger generation. Strive for 50% of your receipts to be received outside of the plate or box at the door.
  5. A clear vision that creates an unstoppable culture is a powerful tool every pastor needs to possess. Generosity follows opportunity, relationship, and passion.

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Learn more about the importance of these financial learnings for your church. Connect with an Auxano Navigator and start a conversation with our team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Todd McMichen

Todd McMichen

Todd serves at the Director of Generosity by LifeWay. His generosity roots arise from leading multiple capital campaigns for local churches that together raised over $35,000,000 for their visionary projects. Since 2000, Todd has been a well-established stewardship coach, generosity leader, author, and conference speaker.

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comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for this information. I'm going to use this article to improve my work with the Lord.
 
— Abel Singbeh
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comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
— Dave
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comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
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