While most churches have benefited in recent years from strong and faithful expository preaching through books of the Bible, it is also true that many have suffered from a lack of biblical discipleship on stewardship.
A recent report from Giving USA shows, “Charitable giving rose to $617.20 billion in 2025, surpassing the $600 billion mark for the first time.” A report from Ministry Watch states, “The survey of over 1,000 evangelical Protestants found the average respondent’s generosity level remained virtually unchanged from 2024 to 2025. Compared to 2020, however, the latest numbers show a 31% drop in giving to churches and charities as a percentage of household income.”
While the ministry of local churches relies on the tithes and offerings of their members, some pastors and elders are reluctant to address giving from the pulpit. Preaching on giving may feel self-serving since their income is tied directly to the offering plate. Others find it uncomfortable to talk about money or to ask people to give. Some have been intimidated by the stereotype that churches are asking for money all the time.
Those excuses pale in comparison to the fact that giving financially to support the work of one’s local church is a discipleship issue and a heart issue. Jesus spoke a great deal about money and even taught that our giving is a clear reflection of what is in our heart. He said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
How can a pastor disciple his congregation toward biblical and missional generosity? Here are seven suggestions:
1. Give giving special attention: Whether in a sermon series or a Bible study series, giving deserves attention. One prominent leader from another era was cited as saying that if his church was experiencing a high number of divorces then he would teach a series of sermons on marriage and divorce. One way to disciple church members on biblical generosity is to teach a series of sermons on the subject.
2. Pass the offering plate: Many churches stopped passing the offering plate during the Covid pandemic and never returned to the practice. While many of those churches are doing well financially because of the prevalence of online giving, one unintended consequence was the weekly opportunity to talk about giving as an act of worship. Another was training the next generation of givers as children watch their parents put their tithes and offerings in the plate as it passed by each week. Passing the plate is not a financial stewardship silver bullet — but it is one more opportunity in a service to talk about giving as a part of discipleship.
3. Lead by example: You can’t lead others where you are not going yourself. John Maxwell reminds us, “People may teach what they know, but they reproduce what they are.” If we hope to develop generous disciples of Christ then we must practice biblical generosity, and tithing is a great place to start. Do you tithe? Doing so will not only bless your life, your church and the kingdom of God, it will also help you preach and teach more effectively on giving.
4. Talk about impact: Make sure your church members know how their giving is making a difference. Whether it’s highlighting your children’s ministry, or the students you just sent to camp, or the church you are helping to plant in another state, people give to vision and want to know that what they put in the plate, or what they give online, is being used to help their church fulfill its mission.
5. Provide transparency: While most believers demonstrate a generally high level of trust, leaders soon discover that trust is easily lost and difficult to regain. One way to encourage generosity is to provide financial transparency to the congregation. Let it be known that any member can ask for a copy of the church budget anytime they wish.
6. Consider outside assistance: I recently met with an organization that provides stewardship coaching for local church pastors. It has discovered that, with a few simple intentional efforts, a church may experience a 15 percent increase in giving. If you are stuck on how to address the issue of stewardship in your church, then consider talking to someone who has expertise in this area.
7. Find ways to say thank you: Whether you send handwritten notes, address the congregation from the pulpit, or call individual members on the phone, it is always appropriate to say, “Thank you” to those who are supporting the work of the church. The Apostle Paul did this in the book of Philippians, and we can as well.
There is no shortage of money among God’s people. But it is our responsibility as ministry leaders to help believers understand that giving is an integral part of the Christian life.
May the Lord bless you as you lead your congregation to understand the joy, and the gospel impact, of giving generously to God’s work through your church.
Dr. Todd Gray 