ANALYSIS–The MinistryWatch Index was unchanged during the month of January, at 152.
The MinistryWatch Index is based on the revenue of 38 large Christian ministries, ministries that represent all of the 21 ministry segments tracked by MinistryWatch.
This month’s sideways move means that the MinistryWatch Index has been essentially unchanged after a significant drop in October due to the release of new financial information from four of ministries that saw declines in revenue from 2022 to 2023. Those ministries are:
Samaritan’s Purse $110,535,545 decline in revenue
Church World Service $66,448,128 decline in revenue
Children’s Hunger Fund $42,160,540 decline in revenue
Food for the Poor $37,432,943 decline in revenue
That said, most ministries that make up the MinistryWatch Index continued to grow in 2024, though 2024’s 7.23 percent growth is far less than 2023’s 24.1 percent.
The no growth and slow growth of the MinistryWatch Index over the past four months could suggest concern about the future of the economy.
A recent survey conducted by MinistryWatch of ministry executives found that fundraising has now replaced finding and recruiting staff as their top leadership concern. This concern seems well-founded. A recent survey found that giving by evangelicals is down.
Other studies, especially those by Giving USA, suggest that philanthropic giving correlates closely to the rise and fall in value of the major stock markets. (Note that this relationship is correlative and not causative.)
The stock markets saw significant growth in 2024, with all three major indices (Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq) hitting record levels. However, the Nasdaq Composite, which grew 30 percent, saw most of that growth from a relatively small number of technology stocks. During the month of January, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up about 4.5 percent during January.
To read more about how we compile the MinistryWatch Index, click here.