More than half of Protestant pastors in the United States say economic conditions are negatively affecting their congregations, as church donations continue to lag behind inflation, according to a new Lifeway Research survey.
The survey was conducted by telephone among 1,004 Protestant pastors between Sept. 8 and 30, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
The annual study found that 54% of pastors believe the economy is hurting their churches, compared with 36% who reported no impact and 8% who described its effects as positive. The share reporting financial difficulties increased from 49% in 2025 but remained below the 66% recorded in 2024.
Church contributions have shown little growth over the past year, rising an average of just 1.24% from 2025, with a median increase of 0%. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index indicated that inflation reached 3.7% in September 2026.
Among surveyed pastors, 36% reported higher giving than the previous year, while 37% said donations remained unchanged and 22% experienced declines.
The findings also revealed significant differences across racial groups and denominations. Among African American pastors, 82% said economic conditions were harming their churches, while 47% reported decreases in giving. Mainline Protestant pastors were more likely than evangelicals to report negative economic effects, at 66% and 47%, respectively.
Methodist pastors were among the most likely to report financial challenges, at 68%, followed by Presbyterian and Reformed pastors at 66%. The figures were lower among Pentecostal pastors (51%), Baptists (46%) and nondenominational pastors (38%).
Despite broader financial concerns, some congregations reported stronger contributions. About 51% of pastors leading churches with at least 250 attendees said giving had increased, compared with 52% of pastors at nondenominational churches.
Budget performance presented a mixed picture, with 50% of pastors reporting that donations were meeting their churches’ financial projections. Another 25% said contributions were below budget, while 23% reported giving above expectations.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, suggested that additional donations during the Christmas season could help financially strained churches close budget gaps before the end of the year.
