Is your church really a charity?
The Church Versus Popular Views of Charity (June 1, 2023)
Sure it is. After all, we get a charitable tax receipt each year, don’t we?
In my view, there are two very different definitions of what makes an organization a charity. There are the definitions formalized by precepts of old English common law which codified the four pillars of charity: relief of poverty, advancement of education, advancement of religion, and other purposes beneficial to the community. Canadian law requires organizations to meet the requirements of at least one of these four in order to be registered as a charity for tax purposes.
Then there is the perception of the majority of people, which is heavily weighted towards the helping of people in need. For example, the Merriam-Webster internet site1 gives the following definition of charity.
a : generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering also, aid given to those in need
b : an institution engaged in relief of the poor
c : public provision for the relief of the needy
Dictionary.com2 provides:
1. generous actions or donations to aid people who are poor, ill, or needy: to devote one's life to charity.
2. something given to a person or persons in need; alms:
3. a charitable act or work
4. a charitable fund, foundation, or institution
5. benevolent feeling, especially toward those in need or in disfavor
6. leniency in judging others
Churches meet the legal definition easily. However, it is likely the general perceptions of what makes an organization a charity that sways many people’s view of a church. Have you ever imagined being asked whether you give money to charity? I know, it doesn’t happen much as it is a ‘third-rail’ subject. But just imagine proudly stating that you give a lot to your church, only to be asked whether you give to any real charities. Ouch! Or, equally troubling, being asked what percentage of your church’s revenues go towards the common concept of charity.
We can rightly explain the great importance of saving souls, comforting the grief-stricken, raising our kids to believe, etc. But would you like to explain to a membership prospect or neophyte that money is best spent on Sunday services and church programs, mostly attended by church members. I think many religion seekers would more readily walk into a church that meets their definition of a charity. Otherwise, they may see the church as primarily a Christian social club.
Many churches fulfill this public expectation in marvelous ways. Others don’t. In my view, there are three ways church’s do classical charity work. They encourage members to individually help other charities, they as a church body help out some other organization providing charitable services, or they operate their own charitable programs. Whereas each may serve the purpose of channelling money to where it is needed, I think home-grown and operated charitable programs have a huge advantage to the health of a church. This is because they provide opportunities such as placing church members at the front lines of helping the needy, channelling help to areas of need that concern your church the most, and providing members with learning experiences and enrichment that derive from designing and operating successful programs. There should be a resulting greater sense of Christian accomplishment and meeting Biblical commands to help the poor, as well as a greater appreciation by members for their own church.
An American Gallup poll6 surveyed respondents on reasons why they attend a specific church. One category was “Lots of community outreach and volunteer opportunities.” 59% of respondents said it was a major factor and 27% said it was a lesser factor, totalling to 86%. This reason rated higher than dynamic religious leaders, social activities, and good spiritual music.
Further, congregant giving to a church is often dependent on their views as to the purpose of their church. If their church is not fulfilling all of the needs they perceive, there is an onus on them to redirect some of their total giving to charities outside of the church. I have heard pastors teach that such givings should come after the tithe is given to the church. However, that sentiment does not seem to be widely held, even by pastors. For example, a 2017 survey by the American National Association of Evangelicals concluded that “The majority of evangelical leaders (76 percent) say that it is acceptable for Christians who tithe 10 percent to give part of that 10 percent to ministries outside the local church.”3 To me, this says people are in their rights to fund churches for the Biblical commandments they follow, and to fund other organizations for the Biblical commandments their church fails to follow (e.g., helping the poor). In other words, if a church wishes the whole tithe, they need to do the whole job.
And don’t forget that charities are competitive animals. They are all clambering to attract good volunteers. Time available to people for volunteer activities is limited. According to a Statistics Canada Social Survey4 in 2018, 41% of respondents volunteered time to a charity during the year, with a median number of hours of 47 per year. This ranged from 39 hours for 15 to 24 year-olds, to 95 hours for 75 year-olds and older. For people accustomed to church service, these figures will seem pretty small. So, it isn’t surprising to see that devoutly religious people have a median rate of volunteer service of 61% and total service hours of 85 per year. That equates to 7 hours per month or 1.6 per week.
So, is your church a real player in this competition? Is it getting the volunteer hours it needs from this scarce resource? Or are other charities reaping all of the best volunteers, including those in the church’s congregation?
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1. Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charity
2. Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/charity
3. National Associations of Evangelicals, Tithe Need Not Only Go to Local Church, https://www.nae.org/tithe-need-not-go-local-church/
4. Statistics Canada, Volunteer rate and average annual volunteer hours, by definition of volunteering and age group, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=4510003901
5. Statistics Canada, Volunteer rate and average annual volunteer hours, by definition of volunteering and religious attendance, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=4510004501
6. Gallup, In Depth: Topics A to Z - Religion, https://news.gallup.com/poll/1690/Religion.aspx