Generous Churches Are Led by Generous Leaders: Why Staff & Leadership Giving Matters

Church leaders play a crucial role in shaping the culture of generosity in their congregations. If your staff and ministry leaders aren’t modeling stewardship and generosity, it becomes difficult to inspire the church to embrace these values.

In this post, we’ll explore why leadership giving matters, how to encourage staff and ministry leaders in their generosity journey, and practical steps to cultivate a church-wide culture of faithful giving.

Why Leadership Giving Matters

• Modeling Generosity: Church members look to their leaders as examples of faith in action. A leadership team that actively practices stewardship demonstrates trust in God’s provision.

• Discipleship, Not Just Donations: Teaching generosity isn’t about increasing church revenue—it’s about spiritual growth. Leaders who embrace biblical stewardship set a powerful example for others to follow.

• Overcoming Giving Hesitation: Some church members struggle with messages about money due to past experiences or misunderstandings. When leaders share personal testimonies of giving, it helps break down these barriers.

​While specific data on the correlation between church leadership tithing and overall congregation giving is limited, several studies highlight the significant impact of tithing practices within churches:​

Tithing Rates Among Churchgoers: Only 5-10% of church attendees tithe regularly. ​

Generosity of Tithers: Among those who do tithe, 77% donate more than the traditional 10% of their income. ​

Potential Impact of Universal Tithing: If every Christian tithed 10%, faith organizations could receive an additional $139 billion annually.

These statistics underscore the potential influence that committed tithing, especially among church leaders, can have on the financial health and generosity of a congregation. While direct data linking leadership tithing to overall giving is scarce, it's reasonable to infer that when church leaders model consistent and generous giving, it can inspire similar behavior within the congregation.

How to Encourage Your Leaders in Generosity

1. Make Generosity Part of Leadership Conversations
   Regularly discuss generosity and stewardship in staff meetings, leadership trainings, and discipleship sessions.

2. Use Giving Data as a Pastoral Tool
   Church leaders should have access to anonymized giving trends to understand whether their leadership teams are growing in generosity.

3. Address Leadership Giving in Reviews
   Include generosity in leadership evaluations, not as a requirement, but as a discipleship checkpoint to encourage spiritual growth.

4. Lead with Grace, Not Pressure
   Encourage leaders to see giving as an act of worship, not an obligation. Help them find ways to grow in generosity that align with their faith journey.

Final Thoughts

The truth is simple: generous churches are led by generous leaders. When church staff and ministry leaders grow in their giving, they help cultivate a culture of generosity that transforms the entire church.