Traditional Offering Plate Still Dominates in Protestant Churches
Most Protestant churches in the U.S. continue to pass a plate or basket during services to collect offerings. A Lifeway Research survey of 1,003 Protestant pastors found that 64% use this method primarily. Nearly three-quarters said their congregations pass a physical container, making it the most common practice across denominations.
Lutheran and Methodist pastors reported the highest use, at 77% each. Smaller churches—especially those with 50 to 99 attendees—are more likely to use this method, with 68% doing so. Among racial groups, 76% of African American pastors use this approach, compared to 63% of white pastors.
Mainline Pastors Prefer Passing the Plate
Mainline pastors are more inclined to use traditional methods, with 74% passing plates, compared to 60% of Evangelical pastors. The trend reflects broader denominational habits, as Baptist (64%), Pentecostal (61%), and Presbyterian/Reformed (65%) pastors also reported frequent use of this method.
Only 10% of pastors said offerings are collected at the end of service, with Baptists leading that category at 15%. This practice is rare among churches with fewer than 50 attendees—only 6% use end-of-service collections.
Collection Boxes Gain Popularity Among Younger Pastors
While traditional giving remains dominant, collection boxes have become the second most popular method. About 40% of churches use them, especially in the West, where 48% report adopting this practice. Evangelical pastors (45%) are more likely than mainline pastors (30%) to prefer boxes.
Non-denominational churches lead this trend, with 59% offering collection boxes. Baptist (43%), Pentecostal (41%), and Presbyterian-Reformed (40%) pastors also favor the option. Only 23% of Methodist pastors use boxes, the lowest among denominations.
Age and Church Size Influence Giving Methods
Younger pastors are more likely to support collection boxes and end-of-service giving. Among pastors under 45, 46% prefer boxes, while 20% hold offerings at exits. Larger churches also show this shift—25% of congregations with 250 or more attendees collect offerings at the door.
Minor Use of Alternative Collection Practices
Just 2% of churches report using other collection styles. These include bringing offerings to the front or leaving plates unattended. Such methods are marginal and not widely adopted.
Source:
Most Protestant Churches Still Use Plate Passing Over Digital Giving, Study Finds
Image: Pamela Reynoso
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