Love Offering
A love offering is a special, spontaneous collection taken for an individual — typically a guest speaker, missionary, or person facing hardship — as an expression of appreciation or care.
What Does “Love Offering” Mean?
A love offering is a special collection taken to bless a specific individual. The most common use is for guest speakers, visiting missionaries, or evangelists who minister at a church. Rather than (or in addition to) a set honorarium, the church takes up a collection and presents the total to the guest as a gift. Love offerings are also taken for church members facing hardship, pastors going through difficult seasons, or ministry workers who need extra support.
The beauty of a love offering is its personal, relational nature. It is not a budget line item or a contractual payment — it is the congregation collectively saying, "We value you and want to bless you." This makes it both a generous act and a powerful moment of community. Many pastors can recall love offerings that came at exactly the right time, meeting needs they had not even shared publicly.
There are some important practical and legal considerations with love offerings. In the United States, if a love offering is collected by the church and then given to an individual, the church maintains control over the funds and the donation is tax-deductible for the giver. However, if the church simply designates a specific recipient and passes the money through, it may not qualify as a tax-deductible contribution. The IRS requires that the church exercise discretion over how funds are used. For guest speakers, many churches offer both a set honorarium (a budgeted amount) and a love offering (a congregational gift). Clear communication about the purpose and recipient helps members give generously.
Biblical Basis
Philippians 4:15-18 — The Philippian church sent financial gifts to Paul multiple times, which he described as a fragrant offering, acceptable and pleasing to God. Galatians 6:6 — "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches." 1 Timothy 5:17-18 — "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."
How Different Denominations Use This Term
Love offerings are most common in Pentecostal, charismatic, and independent evangelical churches, where visiting speakers and traveling evangelists are a regular part of church life. Baptist churches frequently take love offerings for guest missionaries. Many mainline Protestant churches use the term less frequently, preferring to pay set honorariums to guests. Some traditions raise concerns about love offerings when they appear coercive — for example, when a speaker solicits their own love offering during a service.
Practical Application
When taking a love offering for a guest speaker, announce it clearly and give people multiple ways to give — cash in the plate, online with a designated fund option, or text-to-give. For pastoral love offerings (like a Pastor Appreciation Month gift), you can set up a temporary online fund and communicate through email and bulletin announcements. Keep records of all love offerings for accounting purposes. Consider establishing a guideline for minimum honorariums so that love offerings supplement rather than replace fair compensation for speakers.
Related Terms
Offering
Giving & FinancesAn offering is a voluntary financial gift given to the church beyond the tithe, often directed toward a specific purpose such as missions, building projects, or benevolence.
Benevolence Fund
Giving & FinancesA benevolence fund is money set aside by a church to provide financial assistance to members or community members facing hardship, such as help with rent, utilities, or medical bills.
Missions Offering
Giving & FinancesA missions offering is a donation specifically designated to support missionary work, church planting, and global or local outreach efforts beyond the church's regular operating budget.
Related MosesTab Features
Tools that help your church put this into practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about love offering
It depends on how the love offering is handled. If the church collects the funds and maintains discretion over their use, the donations are generally tax-deductible. If a specific recipient is designated by the donor and the church merely passes the money through, it may not qualify. Consult a tax professional for specific situations.