giving

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability’s annual State of Giving report found that giving to ministries jumped in 2021 more than any year in the past 10 years.

The stillness of Thanksgiving is followed by the frenetic motion of the pre-Christmas holiday shopping days:  Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and then the unexpected day arrives. It is called Giving Tuesdays. What a refreshing day to follow in the spirit of Thanks-giving.

More than one-third of self-identifying Christians in the United States say they are not familiar with the concept of tithing, and only one-fifth practice say they practice tithing, according to a new Barna survey.

Donations to charities rebounded in 2021 among U.S. adults, although donations to religious organizations remained at an all-time low, according to a new Gallup survey.

In a show of "radical generosity," Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, handed out $100 to each of the families that attended church over the weekend.

Passing the offering plate, once a staple of worship, has largely halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And given the rise of a cashless society — and the popularity of electronic giving — the days of passing the plate may soon be over.

As Christ-followers, our supreme leader is Jesus who has not only modeled to us how to serve others through stories such as the Feeding of the 5,000, but he has also made it clear that we are to serve in all seasons. Whether there is one person or 5,000 in need, we have been called to serve so that we can share the love of Christ.

Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey's company, Ramsey Solutions, has bought and paid $10 million in debt for 8,000 people. Ramsey said in a video, “this year has been one of the hardest years for some of you. People have struggled financially in ways they never had before. And that's why we wanted to take this opportunity to show the love of Jesus."

A free market works not because wealth is valued, but because labor is. Jesus said we can’t serve both God and money and that it’s more difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus never said accumulating wealth itself is sinful. Exploitation of the poor is sinful. Looking to wealth for salvation and meaning is sinful. Failing to steward what we’ve been given and failing to care for those in need are sinful. When these potential downfalls are mitigated or avoided, a free market inspires people to give more.

According to WalletHub’s annual study observing giving habits, the most charitable U.S. states in 2020 are Utah, Minnesota and Maryland.