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Posted on 04/17/2026 8:22:55 AM PDT by Cronos
The Presbyterian Church (USA) recently reviewed a report examining the reasons why some members have quit giving to the liberal mainline denomination.
PC(USA), A Corporation, an entity that oversees the business of the denomination, heard a presentation last week from Research Services representative Sean Payne on the issue of why Presbyterians were halting their giving.
According to the report, a copy of which was emailed to The Christian Post by a PC(USA) spokesperson on Tuesday, researchers contacted over 17,000 donors who had last given to the denomination between Jan. 1, 2019, and September 2024.
The survey asked people two questions: “Why did you stop giving?” and “What would help you reconsider giving again?” Conducted between November and December of last year, the surveyors received 1,275 responses.
The report found that the top reason for the halt in giving was “I chose to focus on my local church,” with 43% of respondents selecting this reason. Additionally, 21% said they quit giving because “I chose to support other causes or organizations.”
Personal economic reasons were another noted factor, as 11% said “Personal or family circumstances have changed,” and 7% responded, “I can no longer afford to give.”
A fair number of respondents said they did like the changes happening in PC(USA), with 7% saying, "I disagree with decisions made by the General Assembly," while 8% said, "I am uncertain about the denomination's restructuring" plans.
Regarding the second question, the report found that things that would prompt respondents to restart their giving included “transparency and storytelling,” “improved personal capacity,” “change in denominational positions,” and “designated giving opportunities.”
The Rev. John Wilkinson, director of the PC(USA) Stewardship and Funds Development, which had requested that Research Services do the report, called the survey “a very helpful process.”
“There is goodwill, and that reminder about storytelling is driving a lot of our strategy right now, with more stories of impact,” said Wilkinson, as quoted by Presbyterian News Service. “We’re working on that with our colleagues in Presbyterian Life & Witness.”
In 2024, PC(USA) announced that it was streamlining various offices and ministries because of a considerable decline in membership and donations over the past couple of decades.
The Rev. Jihyun Oh, stated clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly, said in a statement at the time that it was "a lengthy process” that would “align the mission and ministry of two General Assembly agencies to the needs of today's church, society and our denomination."
"We are at most half the size compared to when the current structures were set up. Migration patterns are bringing global neighbors into our communities, so that the global is local and the local is global," Oh stated in 2024.
"Working with leaders within both predecessor agencies and the Administrative Services Group, as well as seeking guidance from the Unification Commission, we are moving toward sustainable ministries that better align with our vision and values, as well as mission and ministry priorities."
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Somehow giving in my PCA church has risen above what we expected.
How about stop being woke? That is why my neighbors left.
“There is goodwill, and that reminder about storytelling is driving a lot of our strategy right now, with more stories of impact,” said Wilkinson, as quoted by Presbyterian News Service. “We’re working on that with our colleagues in Presbyterian Life & Witness.”
Tell the Coming Generation
Psa 78:1 A psalm of Asaph. O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying,
Psa 78:2 for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
Psa 78:3 stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.
Psa 78:4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about His power and His mighty wonders.
“How about stop being woke?”
Different church here. Have numerous reasons why I will not hop to a different church, but I am extremely unhappy with the leadership and even the local governance.
I was always a very strict tither (post tax). I changed from giving to specific, local, generically Christian, charity for this reason — it was doing visible good and not being wasted on woke, evil, practices.
Same in my Baptist church. I think it may have something to do with adhering to God’s Word?
That's 7% who were comfortable enough to respond with that.
The other 93% didn't just decide to stop giving because of the alignment of the planets.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) and the other members of the Seven Sisters mainline churches are dead men walking. There will be some beautiful, classical architecture in the closed Episcopalian, Presbyterian, United Methodist, and United Church of Christ churches available over the next 20 to 30 years as the regional bodies of the mainline Protestant churches close the local congregations.
In such a survey, I would want to account for those who would reported that they stopped giving because the were dead.
This report implies that people contribute directly to the general assembly. I think that is somewhat unique in religious denominations. In most people contribute to their local entity who contribute the regional entity who then contribute to the national entity. I suspect in these steups there is some giving directly, but it is probably focused on high dollar givers.
LOL...no mention of progressive social and political causes over the past several decades as the root cause. The usual: “Social justice, inclusion, equity”
as seeking guidance from the Unification Commission,
Jesus came to divide. Jesus came to unite. How is that possible?
The point of unification and division is the same.
I don’t think they understand what it is...............
Peak membership for PCUSA was 4.25 million in 1965. It’s now just about one million. That’s a drop of 76.5%. Have they ever asked themselves why their numbers are declining?
From the article: ...with 7% saying, “I disagree with decisions made by the General Assembly”...
That’s 7% who were comfortable enough to respond with that.
The other 93% didn’t just decide to stop giving because of the alignment of the planets.
That is 7% of the respondents to the survey. The article says sent to 17,000, responded by 1,275 which is 13.33%. A pretty good response rate. I would like to know the mail returns number and as I noted above, decesased that were part of the 17,000.
The report found that the top reason for the halt in giving was “I chose to focus on my local church,” with 43% of respondents selecting this reason. Additionally, 21% said they quit giving because “I chose to support other causes or organizations.”
Give people opportunity. Leave some gleanings in the field, don’t harvest it for them, cook it and serve them.
The church will be chasing the dollars and trying to recruit more people to keep the cash coming in.
These liberal declining churches will soon be reinventing themselves as “NGOs” and will sign contracts with Democrat controlled states, cities and if possible the Federal government. They cannot survive as presently constituted.
Why go to a fake church when you can just go to a gay bar? At least your money goes toward drinks.
Niceness is an almost doctrinal in PCUSA churches. It would not be nice to say true reasons for not giving. The safest and best thing to do is stop giving without comment and move on. That way the temperature stays close to absolute zero.
Which is the proper temperature for the frozen chosen.
“CHURCH”;
... not a building, not a synagogue, not a basilica, not a denominational 501c3, not a corporate entity which fleeces the sheep.
“Church” is “ecclesia”...a gathering together of believers. It is NOT a PLACE we go, it is what we ARE when we gather together.
this can happen and should happen in our homes.
At home, there’s no legalism, no NGO fraud, no leftist “ministry” to smuggle migrants over the borders and no pedophiles.
we were exposed to PCUSA some years ago. it was infested by a small cadre of islamonazis who’d taken over the central control and assets of the church and had some of the worst perversion of “Christian” doctrine preached.
There were a few good Christians there trying to regain control and clean out the filth. But, they were unsuccessful....
we wouldn’t go near PCUSA ever again.
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