A majority of U.S. Protestant pastors report that ongoing economic pressures are negatively impacting their congregations, with church giving largely failing to keep pace with inflation, according to a new survey from Lifeway Research.
The annual survey found that 54% of Protestant pastors say current economic conditions are harming their churches. Slightly more than a third (36%) report no impact, while just 8% see a positive effect. The finding marks an uptick from 2025, when 49% reported negative impacts, though it remains below the 66% recorded in 2024.
“Pastors hear the needs and problems of people in their congregations every week, so it is not surprising that they feel their pain from economic factors,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
The financial strain comes as congregational giving remains mostly stagnant. Average church giving rose just 1.24% from 2025, with a median change of 0%. By comparison, the Consumer Price Index showed inflation up 3.7% as of September 2026.
Overall, 36% of pastors say giving is higher than last year, 37% report offerings at the same level, and 22% say giving has declined.
The report highlights sharp disparities across demographics, denominations, and church sizes. African American pastors report the most severe strain, with 82% stating the economy is harming their churches and 47% reporting a drop in giving compared to last year. Mainline Protestant pastors are also more likely than evangelicals to report negative effects (66% versus 47%).
Denominational differences are similarly pronounced. Methodist pastors (68%) and Presbyterian/Reformed pastors (66%) are more likely to report negative economic effects than Pentecostal pastors (51%), Baptist pastors (46%) and nondenominational pastors (38%).
More than half of pastors at churches with 250 or more attendees (51%) and nondenominational churches (52%) report increases in giving this year.
Even as giving growth trails inflation, half of all pastors (50%) say their current offering levels match what was budgeted for the year, while 25% report giving below budget and 23% say it exceeded expectations.
McConnell noted that end-of-year giving may help struggling congregations meet their budgets, as churchgoers frequently make additional contributions during the Christmas season.
The telephone survey of 1,004 Protestant pastors was conducted Sept. 8-30, 2026, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
