Most Christians Want To Tithe Consistently. Few Actually Do

At offering time in many churches, one is likely to hear that God loves a cheerful giver.  A new national study of faith-based believers suggests that joy exists when the offering plate comes around, but when it comes to consistent, long-term giving, there is a significant gap between what many believers’ intentions are and what they actually do. 

Researchers with the faith-based giving platform Givelify found that while 95% of Christian donors surveyed said they aspire to give consistently, only about 30% currently meet that standard. Yet despite economic uncertainty, most Christians remain generous, optimistic, and want to support their church financially.

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The data, released today, are part of Givelify’s latest research on faith-based generosity and giving behavior. Researchers say the study could help churches better understand donor motivations while potentially unlocking billions of dollars in additional support for congregations and community ministries.

Financial Challenges

“What we’re seeing here is that it’s the consistency that is not matching the aspirations of people,” said Wale Mafolasire, founder and chief executive officer of Givelify. “The intention is there, but when we look at what the data shows, only 30% of the people are actually doing what they intend to do.”

It’s also critical information for the Black church, which has historically played expanded roles in addressing food insecurity, housing instability, economic hardship, education, and community development. At the same time, shrinking membership and changing attitudes toward tithing among younger members pose ongoing financial challenges for Black churches. 

The study surveyed nearly 2,000 Christian donors and almost 900 church leaders, including pastors, associate pastors, and financial administrators. According to researchers, the sample included strong representation from Black churches and Black donors, reflecting Givelify’s extensive presence in African American congregations.

Despite economic uncertainty, inflation, and other financial pressures, researchers found reasons for optimism.

Generosity ‘Alive and Well’

Researchers estimate that even modest improvements in giving consistency could generate up to $30 billion in additional annual giving nationwide, translating to roughly $50,000 more per church each year. Despite inflation and economic uncertainty, 57% of churches reported increased year-over-year giving, and most church leaders expect endorsing to continue growing in 2026. 

Meanwhile, giving behavior is increasingly becoming digital: 81% of donors now use online or mobile platforms, making generosity more immediate, habitual and integrated into daily life.

“Generosity is alive and well,” Mafolasire said. “Pastors are optimistic about it, churchgoers are optimistic about it, looking into the future.”

When congregants tithe or set up automatic offerings, churches have greater financial stability and can plan outreach or food ministries with greater confidence. The more consistently a congregation can translate offerings into resources, the greater its capacity to serve its community.

Consistency Defined

One of the study’s most significant contributions is the specific definition of a “consistent giver.”

Rather than focusing on tithing or automatic recurring donations, researchers define consistent giving as contributing at least once per month for at least nine months of a calendar year.

“We’re introducing a new definition for consistent giving so that everybody can be on the same page,” Mafolasire said. “We’re defining that as giving one or more times a month, or most months in a year.”

The nine-month threshold emerged from donor responses rather than researchers’ assumptions, according to David King, Indiana University’s Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, who helped lead the project.

“It wasn’t something that we had preconceived and came in there with,” King said. “The clear definition sort of bubbled up from what the data was saying back to us.”

‘Life Happens’

Researchers said donors wanted room for life’s disruptions without losing their identity as faithful givers.

“Life happens,” Mafolasire said. “The identity of someone who has been doing this thing consistently—they do not want to lose that identity because life happened one or more times in a year.”

The study also revealed a disconnect between church leaders and donor behavior. While actual consistency rates averaged about 30%, pastors estimated that roughly 54% of their congregations were giving consistently.

Researchers attributed some of that gap to pastoral optimism and, in some cases, limited visibility into members’ giving patterns.

Automatic or Intentional

“Pastors tend to be very, very optimistic individuals,” Mafolasire said. “The nature of the calling asks pastors to be hopeful and optimistic no matter what’s going on.”

Another surprise involved recurring electronic giving. Many church leaders associate recurring donations with faithful stewardship and consistent support. Yet researchers found that automatic giving alone does not guarantee consistency.

“We saw that pastors equated consistent giving to automatic recurring giving,” Mafolasire said. “The data shows us that even with recurring givers, the rate of consistency is still 30%.”

Only about 17% of surveyed donors said they preferred a “set it and forget it” approach through automatic recurring gifts.

“The vast majority of the people that the survey tried to understand their perspective on said they want to be intentional about their giving,” Mafolasire said.

Giving is Good

Researchers identified four distinct donor profiles that they believe can help churches tailor stewardship efforts more effectively.

The largest segment, called “steady givers,” represented about 27% of donors. These individuals give consistently and are satisfied with their current level of giving. They also tended to have the highest incomes and educational attainment.

Another group, “awakening givers,” made up approximately 21% of respondents. These donors aspire to consistent giving but have not yet established regular habits, often citing financial constraints.

Researchers also identified “devoted givers,” who not only give consistently but actively seek additional opportunities to contribute their time, talent and financial resources.

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“We find that their level of spirituality tends to be at the highest of all four groups,” Mafolasire said.

King believes churches should focus less on pressure and more on encouragement. He said research points to the importance of helping people connect generosity with faith formation rather than obligation.

“Giving is not only good for the church and the church’s budget,” King said. “It’s good for the giver.”

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