1. Average credit card debt per U.S. household is $8,400. Source: Cardweb.com

2. Americans spent more on legalized gambling ($2,500 for every American) than on groceries. Source: Focus on the Family article on the US abstract reports

3. Requests for emergency shelter assistance grew an average of 19% from 2001 to 2002 in 18 major cities - the steepest rise in a decade. Of these requests, 41% were families, 41% single men, 13% single women, 5% minors. Source: USA Today

4. 70% of employees are retiring BEFORE they are 65. And 33% of retirees indicated that 90% of their income came from their Social Security retirement check of $895/month. Source: Washington Post

5. 20% of Americans have items stored in the U.S.'s 40,000 storage facilities. Source: USA Today

6. Many U.S. families (and churches) are only a couple months away from a financial crisis. Source: Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) at the University of Michigan

7. Record 1.5 million bankruptcies in 2002 (more than the ENTIRE decade of the 1960's). Source: U.S. Courts

8. Average college student carries 4 credit cards (with UNPAID balances of $2,327).Source: Washington Post

9. Financial problems are among the most frequent contributing causes of marital stress and divorce. Source: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

10. 50% of new college graduates owe $10,000-$40,000 in student loans (and 1/3 were unable to make their first monthly payment 6 months after graduation). Source: Wall Street Journal

11. $10-13 trillion dollars in inheritances will be transferred to the Baby Boomer generation within the next 10-20 years. Yet, 70+% of the elderly today have NO will or trust ($0 for church/non-profits) Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy

12. 95% of Christian educational institutions (colleges, universities, seminaries and Bible colleges) offer NO personal or ministry financial curriculum. Source: Lilly Foundation Studies

13. 90% of denominations offer no available (or limited) financial teaching resources to their pastors or churches. Source: Christian Stewardship Association

14. 85% of Pastors feel unequipped and uncomfortable teaching on finances and giving. Source: Lilly Foundation Studies

15. 90% of churches have no active plan for teaching biblical financial principles. Source: Christian Stewardship Association seminar research

16. In 2000, 12% of all born again adults tithed to their local church. The percentage rose to 14% in 2001, but dropped to only 6% in 2002. This represents a 62% drop! Source: Barna.org

17. There has been a 30+ year decline in the percent of income Christians give (depending on the denomination, the average giving is 1% – 3½ %) Source: Empty Tomb Research

18. 20-35% of church attendee giving records are blank ($0 of recorded offerings given). Source: Christian Stewardship Association

19. In 1999, $3 billion was given to 600 Christian mission agencies. Compare this to $58 billion for soda products, $24 billion in jewelry store sales, $8 billion for movies theaters, $13 billion for chocolate products, $38 billion in vending machine sales, $11 billion for computer/video games, $7 billion for greeting cards, $23 billion for toys, $91 billion in lawn/garden industry, $23 billion for pets. Source: Empty Tomb Research

20. In the Bible there are 40 verses on "baptism," 275 verses on "prayer," 350 verses on "faith," 650 verses on "love" -- and 2,350 verses that relate specifically to finances and material possessions.

Compiled by Brian Kluth for use in his "MAXIMUM Generosity Seminar for Pastors&Church Leaders." Kluth is a senior pastor and founder of www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org. His Web site has received Google's No. 1 ranking on "biblical generosity" and provides a wealth of generosity materials and resources for pastors, church committees and congregations. Kluth also posts a FREE monthly generosity newsletter to pastors, church leaders and denominations and is the author of a devotional booklet, "A 40 Day Journey to a More Generous Life" that can be used for church small groups, Sunday schools, stewardship campaigns and building fund drives.