Black Church Giving

Sandra L. Barnes

doi:10.1177/2158244013490706

Abstract

Church giving is an understudied phenomenon; queries on Black Church giving are even rarer. In response to the latter dynamic, levels of tithing, income, and mission donations are examined based on a national sample of 1,601 Black churches across seven denominations using linear and ordered logit modeling. Findings show minimal ideological and programmatic effects. However, denominational differences suggest that Black congregations affiliated with the Church of God in Christ have higher relative percentages of tithers and those associated with the Presbyterian and United Methodist faiths have the lowest rates as compared with their Baptist peers. Moreover, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Presbyterian, and United Methodist churches are more likely to have higher church incomes and mission giving than Baptists. Thus, although Baptists tend to generally have higher rates of church tithers, this pattern does not translate to higher church incomes or mission donations. As expected, church size and formally educated memberships positively influence giving patterns. Results provide important insights into the Black Church economic ethic.

Highlights

Despite a long tradition of philanthropy, research on Black Church1 giving is rare
Efforts have been undermined by the tendency to focus on White congregations; small Black Church sample counts; inconsistent maintenance of financial records by some Black congregations; and reluctance among Black churches to make such data available to outsiders (Christian Century, 1998; DuBois, 1903/2003; Hoge et al, 1996; Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990)
Denominationalism is central in explaining Black Church giving as defined here

Summary

Introduction

Individual scholarly efforts, projects funded by national endowments, and denominational studies on predominately White congregations chronicle personal tithing, church collections, mission programs, and motivations behind decisions (Alcorn, 2003; Chaves, 2004; Dahl & Ransom, 1999; Hoge, Zech, McNamara, & Donahue, 1996; Hudnut-Beumler, 2007; Keister, 2008) This level of systematic inquiry does not exist for Black churches. Churches that are part of denominations with high-income earning members tend to receive relatively lower percentages of their incomes (Iannaccone, 1994; Davidson & Pyle, 1994, suggest the converse)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion