Nearly 40 per cent of US Christian churches saw a drop in offerings from their flock last year, according to a survey on contributions compiled by the group Christianity Today International.
"For the first time in consecutive years there is a notable decline for a significant number of churches," said Matt Branaugh, one of the report authors.
Branaugh, editor of Your Church magazine - part of the CTI group - told AFP that one of the most important factors in the drop in donations was increased unemployment.
According to the survey of 1,000 churches across the United States taken for a second consecutive year, 38 per cent of churches registered a drop in donations, against 29 per cent the previous year.
The "State of the Plate" survey did not report the value of the offerings.
One third of the churches surveyed - 32 per cent against 14 per cent the previous year - cut expenses between one and 20 per cent, which included cutting back on trips, conferences, renovations and parish expenses, according to the report.
Nevertheless, 45 per cent of the churches surveyed increased their budget allocated to help people in need, Branaugh said.
Especially hard-hit were the "megachurches" surveyed - churches that have room for between 2,000 and 5,000 faithful for a typical Sunday service.
According to a 2007 Pew Research survey, nearly 80 percent of US adults identify themselves as being Christian.
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