Year-end giving is where two powerful realities meet: the capacity of Generation Jones and the momentum of next-gen faith. While attendance patterns have shifted in recent decades, spiritual openness among Gen Z and Millennials is rising, and that should reshape how ministries frame December. At the same time, Gen Jones—born between 1954 and 1965—remains a high-capacity, highly responsive cohort that often carries a large share of total giving. A wise plan disciples both ends of the spectrum: it honors the generosity, experience, and legacy instincts of older givers while creating simple, compelling on-ramps for younger adults who are eager to participate but typically give at smaller amounts.
Generation Jones sits between Boomers and Gen X and is roughly ages 60–71 today. Many churches see their highest average gifts among people aged 60–69, with Gen Jones frequently representing the largest slice of core and top givers. Shaped by a post-WWII ethic of service—think JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you…”—they carry a deep desire to help others and to see their resources achieve visible good. They also tend to be highly receptive to clear, transparent asks. If churches don’t cast a Kingdom vision for their generosity, other nonprofits certainly will, especially in December when a third of nonprofit revenue often arrives and churches commonly receive 16–18% of their annual giving.
On the other end of the spectrum, a quieter renewal is taking root among Gen Z and Millennials. We see more personal commitment to Jesus and a rise in next-gen participation, even if institutional habits look different than before. In many contexts, younger adults are filling rooms for student and young-adult ministry, but their average gift size remains lower than older cohorts. It can take several Millennials—or many Gen Z givers—to replace the giving of a single older donor, which is not a criticism but a discipleship signal. The task is to give these younger adults credible causes, relational follow-through, and simple, mobile-first ways to start small and stay consistent.
Data helps translate those signals into action. If you track giving by age or generation, pay attention to where total dollars are concentrated and where participation is growing. Watch median gift by cohort and note whether new givers are starting at sustainable levels. Monitor top-giver concentration to understand risk and build a plan that widens participation while still honoring the faithful few who carry significant loads. As December approaches, set cohort-specific goals using three-year averages; then align your messaging, channels, and follow-ups to the realities the data reveals.
The messaging frame for December should be life change, not pressure. People in every generation want to see how their gift moves the mission forward this month. Replace generic budget language with visible outcomes: baptisms celebrated and followed up with groups, care pantry shelves stocked for a defined period, students matched with mentors, or a campus ministry equipped for a new semester. When you show specific outcomes tied to specific dollars, you dignify givers as partners rather than targets, and you align the ask with discipleship rather than obligation.
Friction is the silent killer of year-end momentum, so remove it everywhere. Assume a phone is the giving device and make every step mobile-first. Offer Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, text-to-give, and clean QR codes that land people on a short, prefilled form. Place those QR codes in the lobby, on screens during stories and testimonies, in email signatures, and on social posts. If a giver can’t move from conviction to completion in ten seconds, you’ll lose more generosity than any appeal can recover.
Segmented communication matters as much as frictionless paths. Younger adults tend to respond to cause clarity, authentic stories, and sustainable monthly on-ramps they can start today. Ask them to begin with something like $25 per month and follow up with a short “welcome to the team” sequence that thanks them, shows impact within 30 days, and introduces a real ministry leader by day 60. Generation Jones typically responds to legacy, impact, and transparency, and many can benefit from tax-smart tools like Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs if they are 70½ or older. A simple, respectful email that explains how a QCD works, paired with a one-page FAQ and a real contact who will help, can turn good intentions into faithful generosity.
To give your plan structure, think in terms of a simple December rhythm:
- Start with a vision moment and one strong story that launches cause-based funds such as Next Gen Discipleship, Local Care, or Global Mission.
- Follow with a focused Matching Week driven by a board or major donor match, and communicate that opportunity with daily clarity and a gentle final push.
- In the next phase, send a targeted Generation Jones email outlining legacy impact and QCD options, and then make a short call list to past QCD users or high-capacity households who appreciate a personal touch.
- Close the month with two final stories, crystal-clear “give by 12/31” direction, and a plan to send timely receipts. On December 31, schedule a brief morning reminder and an evening thank-you livestream.
- In the first week of January, publish a concise gratitude report that names outcomes and celebrates God’s provision through His people.
Along the way, keep your community engaged with light-touch prompts. Ask at the outset which generation tends to drive year-end participation in your church, and in the middle of the month identify the biggest barrier people face—impact clarity, tech friction, segmentation, or timing. Invite staff and leaders to share one 60-second impact story they could capture on a phone this week. These small interactions fuel better content, sharpen your asks, and remind people that generosity funds ministry they can see and join.
Finally, remember that year-end giving is a discipleship journey, not a fundraising stunt. A plan that dignifies Gen Jones through transparency and tax-wise options also honors the decades of faithfulness that brought your church to this point. A plan that welcomes Gen Z and Millennials into small, sustainable, relational giving sets the table for the next decade of mission. Lead with life change, lower every barrier, and speak to each segment’s motivations with respect. Do those things consistently, and December will feel less like pressure and more like partnership in the work God is already doing among every generation in your church.