The Amount Given to Churches Keeps Falling

Even though the total amount of money donated to religion is still huge, a survey found the average amount given by evangelicals continues to fall. If one were to choose a single variable that predicted the future success or failure of an organization, it has to be how much money it brings it. Money pays for preachers and church buildings. These are two large marketing variables. Without these, membership will fall. The old saying is, "It pays to advertise."

I follow a site in the Lutheran Missouri Synod denomination. There preachers and professors at its seminaries talk about how to stop the dramatic downward trend. The denomination still has a large amount of money stashed away. But the discussions involve what it should do to reverse its decline in membership. 

The denomination's dilemma, not much different I'm sure than similar denominations, is that its preachers are to do considerable academic work in order to be ordained. This, of course, is expensive if done on an approved campus. Then the ordained minister takes a job at a church but is not paid enough to pay back the large investment made in stdy. The solution talked about on the You Tube channel I watch is to allow future preachers to take classwork online. This way the student can keep his day job. Then, when the student becomes a low paid preacher, he can keep his day job and be a part-time preacher. The theory of this is the denomination could chase after future members by starting churches wherever new subdivisions pop up. 

So far, this scheme has not been approved by the central church body. If it were approved, would it turn the tide of decline? There are some headwinds. If several denominations are doing this at the same time, it seems like they would bump into each other. And, searching for a niche in a market that is getting smaller each year is not encouraging. Yet, the approach makes more sense than refusing to change anything. Ultimately, there will need to be enough money to support even a paired down model.

I don't know the experience of you, the reader, but in my life I've experienced countless groups or businesses who are trying to get money from people, either membership, donations or with higher prices. Invariably the thinking of some is people should pay to buy or support this greater-than-any-other thing because they are obligated to support it. Reality is every dollar has several uses, each competing with the other. Every dollar now given to churches, and forever into the future must compete.