Church Giving Q&A: How to Encourage Consistent Giving in Your Congregation

Sunday morning has come and gone. The message was powerful, the music uplifting, and the congregation left inspired. Yet when the offering is tallied, the numbers don’t always match the spirit in the room. 

For many pastors and faith leaders, that tension feels all too familiar. You’re doing everything you can to nurture your community’s faith — but encouraging consistent church giving can still feel like an uphill climb.

That’s exactly why Givelify brought faith leaders together for a Live Q&A on church giving — an open and honest conversation about how to build lasting generosity and create sustainable giving habits within congregations.

In this recap, you’ll discover practical insights and real-world strategies from Givelify’s Giving Success Coaches on how to encourage consistent giving in your congregation.

In case you missed it: Watch the full discussion below to hear directly from the coaches who’ve helped hundreds of organizations grow their consistent giving.

By the numbers: Givelify’s Live Q&A on church giving 

When we reached out to our giving community to ask faith leaders about the challenges they face, the response was incredible.

• 250+ faith leaders and church administrators registered 
• 100+ questions submitted
• 1 powerful session filled with practical insights and strategies 

During the session, we explored five key questions around how to grow giving: 

1. How can I motivate members to give? 
2. How can I help donors set up recurring giving?
3. How do I encourage consistent giving?   
4. How can I track giving patterns?   
5. How can I make giving easier for donors? 

It was an engaging and thought-provoking conversation that offered both inspiration and practical takeaways — all centered on one shared goal: helping faith communities grow sustainable giving.

Inside the discussion: How to build consistent church giving habits 

The Q&A discussion centered on how to build consistent church giving habits that strengthen generosity over time.

Givelify’s Giving Success Coaches kicked off the conversation by guiding us through the Consistent Giving Journey — a six-part framework designed to help faith organizations grow generosity in meaningful, sustainable ways.

The focus turned to one pivotal step in that journey — the giving. And several key themes quickly emerged.

Consistency in church giving: Teaching the “why” 

“How can I motivate members to give?”

It’s a question Givelify hears often — and for good reason. It’s central to helping places of worship grow consistent giving. 

It’s easy to get hung up on the numbers. But consistency starts with you — your teaching on generosity, your vision casting, and your reminders about the deeper “why” behind giving. 

That “why” can be a powerful motivator. When people are regularly taught the importance of generosity, they’re far more likely to give consistently. 

• When churches teach on giving monthly, 73% see a correlation to financial growth.
• When teaching on giving weekly, 90% see financial growth. 

One effective way faith leaders can encourage consistent giving is to reimagine how they tell stories.  

Instead of simply saying what the church did, focus on how the impact helps real people. 

Personalizing the impact makes it meaningful. When people see how their giving changes lives, they’re inspired to give again.

Hear more about how faith leaders can teach the “why” behind giving to encourage consistent giving. 

Recurring giving vs. consistent giving — what’s the difference? 

When it comes to encouraging generosity, many church leaders ask:

“Is recurring giving the key to consistency?”

It’s an important question — and the answer is both yes and no. 

Think of it like a fitness journey. Recurring giving is like signing up for the gym. Consistent giving is showing up week after week.

“Recurring giving is a tool, but consistent giving is a habit.” 

– Amaris Brady-Willis, Giving Success Coach 

The challenge is that many churches focus on setting up recurring giving — but not on whether people are following through. 

To help donors become the consistent givers you’ve inspired them to be, focus on helping them build sustainable church giving habits.

But how? 

That leads us to the top question we saw come up again and again. 

Watch the Q&A segment where our Giving Success Coaches unpack this powerful distinction between recurring and consistent giving and how you can apply it in your ministry. 

The top question: How can I encourage consistent giving in my congregation?

During the Q&A session, one question rose to the top: 

“How can I encourage consistent giving in my congregation?“

Tools like recurring giving can certainly help, but sustaining generosity can still be a challenge. 

“Motivations and intentions are a great place to start, but they aren’t what gets you to the finish line.”  

– Lauryn Fitch, Giving Success Coach 

The good news? Your congregants already want to give consistently. In our Giving in Faith report, we asked faith donors how often they prefer to give — and nearly all of them said at least once a month. 

But while the desire is there, only a fraction of donors actually follow through. 

Why is that? 

To better understand what turns good intentions into lasting habits, Givelify partnered with Texas A&M University to explore the disconnect between desire and action. 

Here’s what we discovered. 

While faith inspires generosity, many people benefit from tools that help them stay consistent and follow through on their intentions. 

The research identified five science-backed factors that build consistent church giving habits: 

• Recognition: Acknowledgment and positive feedback make people feel seen and appreciated, which increases motivation to continue. 
• Streaks & nudges: Regular cues and reminders keep a behavior top of mind and encourage consistency. 
• Progress tracking: Seeing progress over time reinforces effort and helps maintain momentum. 
• Goal setting: Having clear goals gives people a target to work toward, providing direction and motivation. 
• Reflection & gratitude: Pausing to reflect on why a behavior matters strengthens emotional connection and reinforces purpose.

Together, these practices create a system that helps positive behaviors — like consistent church giving — stick.

Catch the full Q&A discussion on how faith leaders can encourage consistent giving by applying these five science-backed principles.

Stronger together: Building a culture of consistent church giving

The live Q&A proved that strength and support abound when faith leaders come together. Building a community that’s committed to sustaining generosity takes care. But honest conversations, proven strategies, and the right tools make it possible.  

We’re grateful to every faith leader who joined the discussion and contributed to this powerful exchange of ideas. If you couldn’t attend, you can still be part of this inspiring conversation. 

Watch the full recording to hear the expert insights and practical tips that can help your congregation grow lasting generosity. And stay tuned for our next Q&A session.