Churches are registering increases in tithes and offerings from Kenyans despite the worsening economic climate, an analysis of financial reports shows.
Reports recently published by Nairobi Chapel, All Saints’ Cathedral, Christ is the Answer Ministries (Citam), and Karura Community Chapel indicate a trend in which Christians are giving more to the church year-on-year. The reports cover the period between 2022 and 2024.
Nairobi Chapel, which operates 33 branches across the country, saw tithes and offerings rise from Sh551.1 million in 2022 to Sh641.3 million in 2023, an increase of a staggering Sh90.2 million, according to the report presented during its 2024 annual general meeting.
Citam, in a report released last month, stated that its collections from tithes and offerings across the country rose from Sh1.9 billion in 2022 to Sh2.2 billion in 2023, reflecting an increase of over Sh300 million.
The church has 33 assemblies, including one in the USA and another in Romania, according to its latest published financial statements. Of these, the Valley Road assembly recorded the highest tithes and offerings in both 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Valley Road generated Sh382.2 million in income from various sources, followed by the Woodley and Karen assemblies.
At All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, collections from tithes and offerings rose slightly from Sh193 million in 2023 to Sh196.1 million last year.
While in the more traditional churches, an offering is marked with farm produce, in the latter versions of the teaching the practice is tethered on financial income, with some faithful donating their entire January salaries to the church as first-fruit offerings.
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At Karura Community Chapel, which operates seven outposts across the country, tithes and offerings increased from Sh125.4 million in 2023 to Sh129.4 million in 2024. The church’s total income rose by Sh6.5 million, from Sh215.8 million in 2023 to Sh222.3 million last year.
In its 2024 annual report, the chapel published the testimony of an unnamed congregant whose story reflects the attitudes of some Kenyans towards giving. Even when she was running low on funds, the report says, she chose to give her last amount to the church.
“She shared that in June, she was suicidal as everything in her life seemed to be falling apart. By July, things had worsened, and she had hit rock bottom. Despite this, she remained consistent in prayer, holding onto hope for change. After the seventh week of prayer, as the month ended, she had very little left. She gave her last M-Pesa as an offering and went home. However, between the 1st and 5th of August, her business experienced a sudden surge in sales, allowing her to settle all her bills. Though she acknowledged that she was not yet where she wanted to be, she continued to trust God. She had learnt to surrender fully to Him, understanding that letting go means not worrying about what has been entrusted to Him, as He is always faithful,” the report reads.
An man carries offering baskets at PCEA Ruaraka Church in Kiambu County after a Sunday service.
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Economist XN Iraki told Nation that it is not surprising for church offerings to increase even during difficult economic times.
“Tough times make us hope for better times ahead through blessings. And many believe that the more you give, the higher the ‘returns’,” he said. “Preachers also tailor their messages to encourage continuous giving.”
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 7.6 per cent in 2021, then shrank to 4.8 per cent the following year. It rebounded to 5.6 per cent in 2023. However, the estimated GDP for 2024 is 4.6 per cent, suggesting slower economic growth last year.
The World Bank attributes the 2024 decline to “mid-2024 protests and reduced public spending amid ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts.”
Despite the financial strain, Kenyans have shown little sign of fatigue in their giving trends.
Even so, retired Presbyterian cleric Timothy Njoya cautions that church ministers should not exploit the spirit of generosity by leading extravagant lifestyles.
“Church offerings are used for luxuries - supporting workshops and seminars, holidays and all that - for clerics. That’s exploitation,” Rev Njoya told Nation.
He said proper use of offerings should be to support church operations such as electricity bills and staff salaries.
Responding to Prof Iraki’s comment that some people give more with the expectation of greater returns, Rev Njoya said that amounts to “bribing” God.
“That is corruption,” he said, equating it to buying blessings. “God gives irrespective of whether He is given tithe or not. We are God’s creation. We live by God’s grace.”
“It would be oppressive to pressure them (Christians) to give if what they have does not meet their own subsistence needs. You don’t give 10 per cent of something that you cannot live on,” he said.
When asked to comment on a hypothetical case where an individual’s income drops from Sh50,000 to Sh45,000 due to new taxes, Rev Njoya said their tithe should adjust accordingly - from Sh5,000 to Sh4,500.
In many churches, ministers cite various Bible scriptures to emphasise the importance of giving. Some churches even assign specific individuals to lead segments focused on offerings. And it’s not just cash that is accepted, many churches now receive tithes and offerings via M-Pesa, card swiping, and other cashless methods.
