Religious Donors Keep Giving Amid Inflation, Preparing For An Election Year & Praying For The Lost Before It’s Too Late

More than 8 in 10 (81 percent) faith-based givers who donated money in 2023 gave funds to houses of worship, and 60 percent gave $1,000 or more, according to “Giving in Faith: Exploring Key Trends in Religious Giving,” a joint 2024 report from Givelify, a mobile and online app, and Indiana University’s Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.

Most religious donors (81 percent) gave the same amount of money (or more) to their congregations in 2023 as in 2022.

Despite higher prices for groceries, housing and other regular expenses, the amount of giving to houses of worship remained stable, with an average gift amount of $125, the same figure as in the joint 2022 report.
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Dan Darling from the Land Center at Southwestern Seminary believes God’s people should Honor those who are in public office, even when we disagree.

He points to what the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:17. Darling writes, “In his first letter, the apostle Peter urges the church to fear God and honor the king (1 Peter 2:17). This is the same king who would eventually send Peter to his death for the crime of preaching the gospel. Peter, given an opportunity, would certainly not have voted for Nero, but here he is urging Christians to give honor to the one whom God has allowed in power.

We can and should oppose wicked rulers. We should exercise our right to vote for the best possible leaders. Yet, we are compelled to honor those in authority, even those with whom we disagree. The ability to do this will mark us as different from the world. This is especially important in an election season.”
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Every day, hundreds of thousands of people die without the hope of Jesus. Your faithful prayers will make a difference. That’s why the IMB created a free 18-month calendar, called “Impacting Lostness Through Prayer”. It provides guidance, reminders and encouragement as you pray for individuals and communities who have yet to hear the gospel. Learn more about this free resource at IMB.org/prayercalendar.
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In the Baptist Press Toolbox, Kie Bowman talks about the straight-line principle of prayer.

He writes, “Most people know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. In the matter of evangelistic prayer, there is no reason to complicate the subject. In other words, we should simply pray that the lost be saved. The direct approach is the correct approach. That’s the tactic Paul practiced in his own prayer life when he testified, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). Notice that Paul simply prayed his friends and fellow Israelites would be saved. The prayer is simple and specific – save them.” Bowman says, “George Muëller, the praying evangelist of Bristol, England, famously prayed daily by name for the salvation of five individuals beginning in November 1844 until his death on March 9, 1898 – 54 years later. Three of the people were saved within the first 13 years of his daily prayer. The last two were saved after Muëller’s death. It took half a century, but God saved George Muëller’s friends. His simple prayer was that they be saved.”