42% of Churches in Debt, Averaging $3.8 Million: A Survey Looks at Church Finances

• The survey covered 241 churches with total giving of $434.6 million
• 42 per cent carried debt, averaging $3.8 million per church
• Average cash reserves fell from 30 weeks to 22 weeks
• Experts recommend at least 13 weeks of reserves

A survey of US churches offers a snapshot of how congregations are managing money and debt, Christian Standard reported in July 2025 in an analysis by Kent E. Fillinger.

The study covered 241 churches, whose total giving reached $434.6 million. Most were in reasonable shape: 78 per cent met or exceeded their budgets. Average weekly giving was $69.87 per giving unit, or $39.08 per person attending in person.

Debt was a major feature. Fifty-eight per cent of churches were debt-free, but the 42 per cent that borrowed carried an average of $3.8 million each. Cash reserves fell from an average of 30 weeks in 2023 to 22 weeks, and 43 per cent of churches held 12 weeks or less.

Fillinger noted that financial experts recommend churches keep 13 weeks of cash reserves to provide a margin for difficulties. He also reported that Restoration Movement pastors were twice as likely as the national average to report embezzlement in their church, at 16 per cent against 8 per cent, underlining the need for financial controls.

The figures show that debt remains a large commitment for many congregations, and that reserves can shrink quickly. A church with millions in debt and a few weeks of cash is exposed to a drop in giving, an insurance increase or a major repair.

Jamaican churches can use similar measures to check their own health: how many weeks of expenses they hold in reserve, how much of their income goes on loan payments and buildings, and whether two people always handle and count money. Borrowing for buildings should be matched to reliable giving, with reserves kept for the unexpected.

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