The Silent Crisis in Churches Today: Why Your Generosity might be Stalling and What You Can Do About It
The Real Problem Often Isn’t Lack of Money — Many Times It’s Lack of Clarity
If your church is seeing a plateau or decline in giving, you’re not alone. It’s easy to think the issue is financial — that people are giving less because they have less and that is sometimes true. But at Elevate Group, we’ve walked alongside hundreds of churches facing the same challenge, and here’s what we’ve found:
Many generosity problems are actually clarity problems.
Many churches don’t simply need better fundraising tactics. They need better visibility into the story their giving data is telling — and a clear strategy to respond.
Check out this video from Greg: Why Church Leaders Must Track Giving Data | Elevate Group Generosity Series
What Most Churches Miss: The Hidden Reasons Giving Slows Down
Behind every stalled giving trend is a pastoral issue hiding in plain sight. Based on years of working with churches, we’ve identified five primary reasons people stop giving:
1. Financial Crisis
A job loss, a medical emergency, or unexpected debt. People aren’t giving because they can’t — and your church may not even know they’re struggling.
2. Relational Breakdown
A family separation, divorce, or church conflict causes people to pull back relationally — and financially.
3. Moral Struggles
Guilt or shame from personal sin can cause disengagement from both church life and giving.
4. Vision Confusion or Misalignment
If your church isn’t clearly and consistently communicating where it’s headed, people may disengage — not because they don’t care, but because they don’t see how their giving fits into the bigger picture.
5. Disconnection or Frustration
People sometimes just quietly slip away. Maybe they feel unseen. Maybe they’re overwhelmed. Maybe they are upset about something they incorrectly believe to be true. Either way, their absence shows up in your giving data before you hear about it any other way.
The good news? All of these are pastoral opportunities — if you’re able to recognize the signs.
Why Elevate Discovery Day Is the Turning Point
The Elevate Discovery Day is designed to help churches uncover what’s really going on beneath the surface.
We gather key data from your systems and your team, analyze your giving patterns, and provide you with a clear, actionable report.
By the end of the process, your team will walk away with:
A comprehensive 15–30 page report outlining your generosity culture
A deep dive financial and giving analysis
A demographic overview of your givers
A 1-hour strategy session with one of our generosity consultants
This isn’t a generic, cookie-cutter spreadsheet. It’s a custom map for your ministry’s growth.
From Clarity to Kingdom Impact
We believe that clarity leads to intentionality — and intentionality leads to impact.
When church leaders understand:
Who is giving (and who isn’t)
Why people disengage
How to help people grow spiritually in the area of generosity
...you can begin leading your church into a culture of increased engagement, elevated generosity, and spiritual growth.
If you’re ready to move from uncertainty to leading with confidence, an Elevate Discovery Day can help.
👉 Learn more about the Elevate Discovery Day here.
