Who gives the most?

[Dave McClung]

In another thread, there was an observation that perhaps a difference in the level of giving between two churches could be explained by the difference in the socio/economic status of the membership. The implication was that the church with the higher income probably had richer members. Today, I received an email that suggests that the opposit may be true. Here is the portion of the email that caught my attention:


According to Arthur Brooks, author of Who Really Cares, there are many myths surrounding which Americans give to charity and why they give. ... In fact, the most charitable economic group is the "working poor," with second place going to the very rich.


This observation is consistent with what I have observed.

[Brad Mercer]

Dave,

It's apparently a pretty interesting and -- for a lot of people -- counterintuitive book, reportedly be a scholar and based on a lot of hard research. I started a thread about it here:

http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=8205

Brad

[Mike Schutz]

That the "working poor" give a larger percentage of their income to charitable causes, as Brooks' research indicates, seems to hold with my experience at our compassionate ministry in PA. It is those who are only a lost paycheck away from needing our services who are the most willing to give food and clothing. And this was also the case in Quincy, MA. When there would be a union strike or a plant shutdown, the charitable organizations suffered, not just from the increased need, but also from the loss of their most consistent contributors.
Grace and peace,
Mike

[BobHunt]

The widow gave her last mite. To others, it was nothing, to her it was valued, to Jesus, it was a huge amount!

[Gerald Spear]

Interesting ,

I say that because I have observed and witnessed and been a part of the "Poor" who give the most to the needs of the church and society.

I have obseved and witnessed and been a part of the "wealthy" who give to the needs of the church and society.

In my comparison of the two groups I have seen how great God is in His faithfulness, I have seen many in the "poor" group accomplish so much for Christ, their lives have been rewarding not only in their needs being supplied but also in their "everyday and everything" walk with God, it seems like God just went out of His way to do something special for that person everyday, they realize that giving and shareing is receiving and giving all wraped up into one. "Little is much when God is in it". It seems like everyday is a" suprise package just waiting to be opened".

I have also seen how several in the "wealthy" group, are and were, so aware of God's greatness that it became a life style to be a channel through which material goods could be available for the needs of the church. God seems to know through whom He can channel His blessings and see them multiplied many time over several generations.

God does not distinguish whether "poor" or "wealthy", if you are "under the spout where the glory comes out" and your cup is upright you are going to get a blessing.

I know of small churches, 20 to 30 attendance, that have a higher per centage giving ( some times even with lower wages)than churches of 500.

It is not how much do I give, it just letting God know how much I am willing to give.

[Dave McClung]

That the "working poor" give a larger percentage of their income to charitable causes, as Brooks' research indicates, seems to hold with my experience at our compassionate ministry in PA. It is those who are only a lost paycheck away from needing our services who are the most willing to give food and clothing. And this was also the case in Quincy, MA. When there would be a union strike or a plant shutdown, the charitable organizations suffered, not just from the increased need, but also from the loss of their most consistent contributors.
Grace and peace,
Mike

Hello, Mike. It is good to see you posting here.

Dave

[Dave McClung]

It seems to me that I have heard a quote from one of the early leaders of the Church of the Nazarene. It was something like, "We should never forget that the church can get along well without rich people, but it can't survive without the poor." Is my memory correct? If so, who said it? And, most of all, is the statement true?

Dave

[Glenn Harris]

It seems to me that I have heard a quote from one of the early leaders of the Church of the Nazarene. It was something like, "We should never forget that the church can get along well without rich people, but it can't survive without the poor." Is my memory correct? If so, who said it? And, most of all, is the statement true?

Dave


Dr. Phineas F. Bresee (1838-1915) -
"We can get along without rich people, but not without preaching the gospel to the poor." "We want pastors who will go out and find the poor that nobody else cares for." "His heart was to throb in deepest sympathy and love for the poor of the earth."

[Bob Evans]

My mission raises approxmently 10 million dollars a year. Our direct mail system is sophisticated enough to tell us that its the working poor and middle class that are our biggest givers. 5 - 7 percent come from deep pocket givers
and foundations. The rest comes form regular folks.

[Billy Cox]

Could that be a reflection of the fact that there are far more working poor and middle class people than people with deep pockets?