Offering Values Before Legacy JHH Feb 2026 | Alexander Haas

February 11, 2026

from the Carolina office of
Jerry W. Henry | Managing Partner for Faith-Based & Human Services

Values Before Legacy

Once again, I find myself providing counsel to a congregation embarking on an endowment campaign. As we’ve worked together, we’ve talked about specific materials they need for the campaign—a case statement, forms for giving outright cash to endowment, forms and background information on deferred giving, etc. When I asked them what the true goal of this campaign is—not the financial goal, but the “why” of this campaign—the church leadership offered: “We want to leave a legacy.”

Every church talks about legacy. But what do they mean by legacy?

Churches talk about stabilizing finances, sustaining ministries and programs, preserving buildings, and leaving the church in good shape for future generations.

I would suggest that legacy doesn’t begin with money or property. Legacy begins with values.

Not aspirational values. Not values admired because another church lists them. Not values listed because they sound true to our faith or even familiar.

My experience is that when values aren’t clearly prioritized, explicitly practiced, and consistently reinforced, behavior defaults to habit, personal preference of the lead clergy, or deference to whoever complains the loudest. (See Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership)

If you want to understand a church’s true values, don’t just look at the website. Observe the calendar. Attend events or experience their worship services. Request to see the operational budget. When our firm conducts an internal readiness assessment to prepare a church for a campaign, we start by reviewing the church’s budget. We participate in programs and worship experiences to get a real sense of their values.

Remember, too, that churches don’t leave legacies—people do.

Every major gift, every bequest, every act of long-term generosity is a values decision. People invest in what they believe matters and what they trust will endure.

When a church is vague or inconsistent about its values, members are left unsure about what their legacy really supports. But when values are clear and lived, people can confidently align their own legacy.

Until values are clarified and practiced, legacy remains vague. And vague legacies rarely endure.

The good news is this: clear values don’t limit a church’s future—they actually establish it. And well-grounded churches leave behind something worth receiving.

We Are Here to Help!

Does your church have an endowment? If so, have you assessed its use? If you don’t have some form of endowed funding, why not? Are you currently seeking outright cash gifts to supplement or expand that endowment? Do you have a formal and active planned giving program seeking deferred gifts? Alexander Haas is here to help your congregation answer these and other questions. For a no-obligation 30-minute consultation, contact us.

Simply send us some basic information using this link and we will reach out to get the ball rolling.

Most US Churches Still Use a Collection Plate

Passing a plate to collect offerings is the most common way of giving in Protestant churches, according to a new study.

Approximately two-thirds of pastors (64%) reported that they still pass a physical plate among their congregations. Almost half said they prefer a collection to be held in the doorway of their church, as people exit or enter—and some churches use a combination of both methods.

By denomination, Lutheran and Methodist pastors are most likely to pass a plate, with 77% of their churches doing so, followed by Presbyterian/Reformed pastors (65%), then Baptist (64%), Pentecostal (61%), Restorationist movement (43%), and non-denominational pastors (36%).

Culture and social norms can shape how a church prefers to give. There is a racial breakdown of the data, with 76% of African American pastors passing collection plates, compared to 63% of white pastors. Age is also a factor affecting preferred tithing methods, with younger pastors favoring collection boxes over plates.

Standing orders and checks remain popular among congregants—but only 1% of churches say they have no means of physical giving at their Sunday services.

More here.

Gen Z & Millennials Surpass Older Generations in Attendance

A new study found that Millennials and Gen Z have surpassed older generations in church attendance, marking “a surprising shift.” The study, conducted as part of Barna Group and Gloo’s ongoing State of the Church initiative, revealed that Gen Z attendees go to church an average of 1.9 weekends per month, while Millennials attend about 1.8 weekends. Both figures show a steady increase since the pandemic, with church attendance among Millennials and Gen Z nearly doubling over five years—from around one weekend per month in 2020 to nearly two in 2025.

Overall, the data show that even regular churchgoers do not attend often. For example, the average attendance of self-identified Christian adults is 1.6 times per month, or about two out of every five weekends. Although older adults have been the most consistent church attendees for decades, participation rates have steadily declined over the past 25 years. Elders (born before 1946), who attended about 2.3 times per month in 2000, now go about 1.4 times, and Boomers’ attendance has dropped from 2.0 to 1.4 times per month. Meanwhile, Gen X’s attendance is 1.6 times per month, up from earlier figures.

More here.

New Data on Church Giving and Participation in 2025

According to new data, key trends in generosity and church engagement for 2025 reveal a year of growth and impact as churches deepen connections within their communities across the faith community.

Snapshot of Findings

Group participation surged by an average of 22% year over year, while volunteering increased by 19%. This engagement translated directly into financial health, with the number of gifts up by more than 5% and recurring giving volume up 11% compared to last year.
Average gift size: Up 53% in December compared to other months in the year.
Year-end surge: The average gift size in the last three days of the year increased by 240% compared to daily averages.
Mobile giving: 18.4 million mobile gifts processed in total, up an average of 9% year-over-year per customer. Data also shows that 58% of first-time givers use Apple Pay.
Recurring giving: Volume increased by 11% on average per customer compared to last year. Notably, pledges paired with recurring giving options surged 59%, showing that donors are turning their commitments into steady generosity.
In 2025, the number of churches accepting cryptocurrency donations increased by 73%, and the total value of crypto gifts rose by 128% compared to the previous year. Additionally, the average crypto gift in 2025 was $3,153, up 21% from $2,615 in 2024.
The same applies to stock donation trends. In 2025, the number of churches accepting stock donations increased by 105%, and the number of gifts processed rose 127% year over year. The average stock gift in 2025 was $11,930.

The findings are based on data from Pushpay, a payment and engagement solutions provider for mission-driven organizations, offering a statistically meaningful view of broader trends.

More here.

Proud to Be Working With New Church Client Partner

We Know Faith-Based Organizations

For more than 35 years, Alexander Haas has been a fixture in the nonprofit community. We are honored to have worked with both large and small faith-based organizations, helping sow the seeds of compassion, hope and charity. Take a look at our list of religious congregation clients, past and present.

A Fresh Approach to Fundraising
Raising the funds to meet the mission and ministry needs of churches is becoming increasingly challenging. At Alexander Haas, we understand the challenges that congregations face in raising the funds to support their mission. More importantly, we understand how to overcome those challenges. We offer a variety of stewardship services for the unique needs of faith-based organizations.