Dr Kevin Blackwell

What is in it for me?

For the past several decades, consumerism has had a growing influence on the way Christians give to their church. In fact, I would argue that consumerism has become one of the dominant discipleship systems of Western culture.

Last night I presented the proposed 2027 budget to the Mobile Baptist Network Stewardship Team. As we discussed our anticipated income, I made a statement that surprised even me: “We are living in a time when we must continue to find ways to diversify our income.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized they reflected something much bigger than a budget conversation. Until about 5 years ago, I had never heard that statement in Christian organizational circles; now I hear it just about every time I attend a workshop or training. I am extremely grateful for the increased generosity of our churches to the MBN, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that associations will have to find additional dollars by other means outside of church receipts. It is not just an associational issue; it is also true of our churches as well. In associational ministry, 3% giving of unrestricted receipts from churches is no longer the norm, and unfortunately, people tithing 10% of their incomes to their local church is also no longer the norm.

Christian organizational leaders are now having to ensure that they offer a high-quality return on investment. This is not all bad; in fact, it often leads to a higher quality of ministry effectiveness. However, it also leads to increased pressure and demand on already stressed and overworked systems and staff. It also demands that these organizations tell their stories better, showing measurable life-changing and church-strengthening work.

We are living in a culture where loyalty has been replaced by perceived value. There was a time when churches faithfully supported their local association simply because they believed in cooperative ministry. Likewise, many church members faithfully tithed because they understood giving as an act of worship and obedience.

That culture is changing at a rapid pace.

Today people increasingly ask, “What difference does my gift make?” They want to see measurable impact. They want to know that their investment is changing lives. In some ways, they have adopted the mindset of consumers.

Consider companies like Apple. They don’t simply sell products; they continually demonstrate increasing value for the customer. Every new product release answers the question, “What will make this version of the product more valuable than the last? and, “How can we ensure that people will continue investing their dollars?” Our culture has been trained to think this way, and that mindset has found its way into the church.

As a result, many families now give more generously to nonprofit organizations than to their local church—not necessarily because they love the church less, but because they can more easily see the immediate impact of those ministries.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Christian organizations like Baptist Associations and Churches.

The church must never become a business competing for customers or reduce generosity to a return-on-investment calculation. Giving is, and always will be, an act of worship, trust, and obedience to God. It is simple biblical obedience.

At the same time, churches and ministry organizations should faithfully tell the story of what God is doing through the resources He has entrusted to them. Sharing those stories is not marketing—it is celebrating God’s faithfulness and encouraging His people to invest in His mission. It is simply telling God’s stories, just as he did in Scripture. He is mighty, and he is still working through his people.

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the churches and associations today is not simply declining giving but declining discipleship. Consumerism teaches us to ask, “What do I get out of this?” The gospel teaches us to ask, “Lord, what would You have me give?”

Understanding this growing trend and thinking deeply about the difference between those two questions may determine the future of Christian generosity. Should churches and associations tell of God’s work more effectively through their ministries? Absolutely. Should people give based on discipleship and obedience rather than an ROI? Absolutely. True Christian generosity is based on love for God and an understanding that all we have belongs to him. We must do our part to give back to him what he has given to us. I pray we will return to the simple mindset of, “God, you have been good to me, and now I am giving back to you. Use this gift as you see fit.”