Ep. 30: What $18 Billion in Church Giving Reveals (That Most Pastors Are Missing)

<h3><b>Episode Summary</b></h3><p>What can $18 billion in real church giving data teach us about generosity?</p><p></p><p>In this episode of <i>Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple</i>, Kira and Dan sit down with DeWayne McNally from Mortarstone to unpack insights from one of the most comprehensive generosity studies ever conducted—spanning 661 churches, millions of households, and nearly $18 billion in donations.</p><p></p><p>The data reveals a surprising tension: while overall giving and participation are rising, median giving is declining. In other words, more people are giving—but fewer are growing into consistent, mature givers.</p><p></p><p>This conversation explores what’s driving that shift, including the rise of early-stage givers, increased reliance on top donors, and changing year-end giving patterns. More importantly, it challenges church leaders to rethink generosity—not as a funding strategy, but as a discipleship journey.</p><p></p><h3><b>One Key Takeaway</b></h3><p><b>You don’t have a giving problem—you have a discipleship opportunity.</b><br />Without intentional guidance, new givers won’t naturally grow into consistent, generous stewards.</p><p></p><h3><b>Resources Mentioned</b></h3><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mortarstone.com//annual-generosity-report-landing?utm_source=internal_email&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=generosity-promo" target="_blank">Mortarstone Annual Generosity Report</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mortarstone.com/events/2025-annual-giving-webinar" target="_blank">Mortarstone Annual Giving Webinar</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://churchfinancemadesimple.com" target="_blank">Church Finance Made Simple resource hub</a></li></ul>