From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


COMMUNICATION A KEY FACTOR IN RELIGIOUS GIVING,


From PCUSA_NEWS@ecunet.org
Date 05 May 1996 07:32:35

30-Jan-95

95019   COMMUNICATION A KEY FACTOR IN RELIGIOUS GIVING,  
                         RESEARCHERS SAY 
 
                     by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Communication between church leaders and 
congregation members is an important factor in how much money 
people give to their church, according to a recent study of 11,000 
Christians in the United States. 
 
     The most comprehensive study ever of religious giving, 
conducted by the private Search Institute, found that members who 
believe they have good communication with congregational and 
denominational leaders give more to their church. 
 
     The study looked at factors in religious giving in five 
denominations: Asssemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, 
Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 
 
     The institute found that Assemblies of God members are the 
highest givers, with average individual contributions of $628 per 
year.  They are followed by Presbyterians, $611; Baptists, $550; 
Lutherans, $415; and Catholics, $160. 
 
     Theological beliefs are also strongly linked to religious 
giving, the researchers found.  Orthodox and evangelical beliefs 
are "clearly associated with higher giving levels," the institute 
concluded.  And Protestant members who believe the primary duty of 
Christians is to help others commit their lives to Jesus Christ 
also give more. 
 
     Especially influential, the institute claimed, is 
denominational emphasis on tithing: giving 10 percent of one's 
income to the church.  According to the institute's report, 
Assemblies of God churches are almost unanimous in teaching that 
tithing is obligatory. 
 
     The two-year study was led by Michael Donahue of the 
Minneapolis-based Search Institute; Dean Hoge of The Catholic 
University of America's Life Cycle Institute in Washington, D.C.; 
Charles Zech of Villanova University in Philadelphia; and Patrick 
McNamara of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. 
 
                     # # # 
 
 

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