The Giving Reality in Struggling Churches: A Wake-Up Call for Church Members

"A penny for your thought?"

In many small and struggling churches across America, especially in revitalization contexts, pastors quietly carry the burden of financial shortfalls. These pastors labor to keep the lights on, the doors open, and the Gospel going forward—all while often making personal sacrifices that most church members never see. Many of these men are bivocational or unpaid, yet they shoulder financial obligations the church simply cannot meet.

Let’s look at some numbers that tell the story.

The Big Picture: What Church Giving Should Look Like

Imagine a church with 30 people in attendance. Let’s conservatively estimate that 15 of those are adults with some form of income.

• If each adult gave just $25 per week, the church would receive $1,500 per month, or $18,000 annually. That’s a modest, realistic giving level—especially considering many people spend more than $25 a week at Starbucks or fast food.

• If they gave $50 per week, that would double to $3,000 monthly, or $36,000 annually.

• If each adult tithed on an income of $35,000 annually, even just 15 people, the church would have an annual income of $52,500 (4,375/month or 1009/week).

  
  

With that amount of money, just average giving—not extravagance—a small church could fund its ministry, pay a part-time or maybe even a full-time pastor, and have some money left to invest in outreach, missions, and facility care. That’s not fantasy. That’s just math.

The Tragic Reality: What Often Actually Happens

But what’s happening in many small, struggling churches isn’t that.

Let’s take a real example:

• In a church with 30 people, over the course of 6 months, only 12 unique individuals or families gave anything at all.

• Of those, only 4 gave more than $1,000 over six months. That’s less than $40 per week.

• Two of the largest givers were the pastor and his wife.

  
  

In other words, more than half of the people gave nothing. And of the few who gave, most gave very little. Meanwhile, the pastor continued preaching, counseling, visiting, leading, and even paying some bills from his own pocket—all while being unpaid by the church.

Now zoom in a bit:

• In one 6-month period, total giving in this church was just $9,230.

• That’s an average of $1,538.33 per month.

• That’s $355.77 per week—barely enough to cover basic utilities and maintenance, let alone pay a pastor, buy curriculum, support missions, or serve the community.

Worse yet: If you subtract what the pastor and his wife gave, the church’s actual income drops significantly.

What This Means for the Church

This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about spiritual health. The giving patterns of a church reveal its priorities, values, and sense of responsibility. Scripture is clear:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

When a church survives only because the pastor gives sacrificially—while many members contribute little or nothing—it’s not just a financial problem. It’s a spiritual one. It reveals a consumer mindset rather than a committed one.

Pastors in these situations often carry the financial burden silently, unwilling to shame their people, afraid to drive them away. But the result is that many pastors burn out—not because they don’t love the ministry—but because they’re being crushed under a weight that was never meant to be theirs alone.

Some Honest Questions for Church Members

• If your pastor weren’t giving, would your church survive?

• If every member gave like you, what would the church’s budget look like?

• Are you giving in proportion to what God has given you?

• Have you mistaken “faith” for freeloading—expecting God to provide while you withhold?

What Can Be Done?

1. Start giving regularly, even if it’s small. Giving consistently matters more than giving extravagantly. Set a weekly or monthly rhythm, and stick to it.

2. Reevaluate your priorities. If there’s money for Netflix, fast food, vacations, and hobbies—but not for God’s church—something’s out of balance.

3. Be honest with your pastor. If you’re struggling financially and can’t give much, let your pastor know. He’s not looking to guilt-trip anyone, but it encourages him just to know you care and are doing what you can.

4. Talk as a church. Pastors shouldn’t have to carry this conversation alone. Churches need to develop a culture of ownership, where members feel responsible for the health of the body—not just attendees of a free service.

A Word to Pastors

If you’re a pastor in this situation, you’re not alone. Many faithful men are quietly serving, sacrificing, and giving—not just their time and energy, but their paychecks. Take heart: God sees. And while it may feel thankless now, your reward is not forgotten.

But also—don’t be afraid to speak the truth in love. If your church needs to hear the reality, then gently, humbly, but clearly tell them. You’re not begging for money; you’re calling them to biblical stewardship.

If this sounds like your church—or your pastor—then it’s time to have a conversation. Let’s not allow our churches to die because we refused to open our wallets. Let’s not let faithful pastors burn out because we wouldn’t carry our share of the load.

God’s work deserves better.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you're a church member and your heart is stirred—start giving today. Don’t wait for a perfect financial situation. Begin with what you can, and watch what God does with it.

If you're a pastor who feels overwhelmed by the financial strain, reach out. You do not have to walk this alone.

Hometown Hope exists to support struggling churches and pastors in revitalization efforts. Whether you need practical steps, spiritual encouragement, or just someone who understands, we’re here to help.

📩 Contact us at hometownhopeministries@gmail.com

🌐 Learn more here on our website.

☎️ Call us at 423-214-2664, leave a message, and someone will get back to you

Let’s work together to build churches that not only survive—but thrive, by the grace of God and the faithful giving of His people.