AUTHENTICITY AT THE FOREFRONT
FINANCES AND FAITH
AUTHENTICITY AT THE FOREFRONT
According to recent research by Barna , people want — above all — for their pastors to be real . “ Many people are willing and able to disentangle their local pastors from broader narratives of irrelevance or corruption ,” states the report — THE FUTURE OF PASTORING WILL BE PAVED WITH HONESTY , part of the Resilient Pastor series produced in partnership with World Vision , Brotherhood Mutual and Gloo . “ But they are also looking for a new type of pastor : spiritual leaders who are at least as focused on connecting over the day-to-day realities of life as they are on the Sunday morning sermon .” When Barna asked people what they hope to see portrayed by Christian leaders from the pulpit , the most popular answer by far is honesty . “[ This outranked ] qualities like knowledge , compassion , confidence and relevance ,” the authors point out . “ This holds true across all generations , regardless of whether people self-identify as a Christian .” Additionally , the research finds that people think it ’ s more important for a pastor to be honest about their doubts than certain about their beliefs . This also holds true across age demographics , regardless of belief . “ It ’ s fair to assume that most people are aware pastors don ’ t have all the answers and don ’ t even necessarily want them to ,” the report explains . “ They ’ d rather have someone who can relate to them as they process their own questions and uncertainties .”
FINANCES AND FAITH
A 2024 report on congregational finances by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research staff unveils key insights into the financial health of religious organizations after the COVID-19 pandemic . FINANCES AND FAITH : A LOOK AT FINANCIAL HEALTH AMONG CONGREGATIONS IN THE POST-PANDEMIC REALITY — a report based on nationally representative survey data from 2020 and 2023 — highlights both challenges and opportunities facing faith communities across the nation . It asks a handful of crucial questions :
• How much money does a typical congregation bring in and how has this changed over time ?
• How many congregations use online giving ?
• How has congregational income per person changed ?
• What descriptive factors contribute to per capita income ?
• How do online giving and online worship impact per capita ?
• How do congregations subjectively assess how they are doing financially ?
• How has financial health within a particular congregation changed in the past few years ?
• Are all congregations who experienced a decline in financial health doing poorly ?
• How are clergy leaders doing financially ?
• How did the COVID-19 pandemic directly affect a congregation ’ s finances ?
• What should congregation leaders be thinking about regarding finances ?
• What can congregational leaders do regarding finances and giving ?
• Where can congregational leaders find more resources ?
“ While the pandemic painted a distinctive portrait of giving in congregational life , it has not dramatically altered the fiscal health of faith communities at this point ,” according to the report . “ It is not entirely clear whether the changes introduced such as online giving , increased giving , and virtual attendance will continue over the long run or generate the revenue needed to match or overtake inflation . “ One thing that is certain for congregations and non-profits generally ,” it continues : “ This is a time of challenge and transition which requires creative thinking about the ways an organization ’ s mission can be funded and sustained into the future .”
20 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | FEBRUARY 2025