Half of Protestant Pastors Say the Economy Is Hurting Their Churches: Survey

But overall, 52 percent said the economy was negatively impacting their church. In 2021, that number was less than 40 percent. In the recent survey, however, 40 percent said the economy was not affecting their church, and 7 percent said the economy was benefiting their church, The Roys Report found.

It’s the first time since 2012 that fewer than 10 percent of pastors said the economy was positively affecting the church. It’s also the first time since 2016 that more than half of pastors reported feeling that the economy was negatively affecting the church.

“The souring of pastor attitudes towards the economy is more about rising expenses than declining income,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Declining year-over-year giving is a factor for almost a quarter of churches, but this is a similar rate to what churches have averaged for over a decade.”

The survey also found that small-church pastors of congregations with fewer than 50 attendees were most likely to say the economy was negatively impacting the churches. Larger churches, with more than 250 attendees, said offerings this year are above last year’s levels.

“Churches with attendance of less than 50 have fewer people to cover the expenses of the church,” said McConnell. “When prices rise, there are fewer people to spread that cost among.”

The survey also found:

• African American pastors (36 percent) were more likely than white pastors (22 percent) to report offerings below the previous year’s levels.
• Sixty-two percent of pastors in the northeast said the economy was negatively impacting churches.

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Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.