The following chart indicates the relationship between levels of NCD health and the percentage of ministering, small group and worship service attending church members who give 10% or more of their gross income in tithes and offerings for church support, missions, etc. As with all correlative data, it is important not to suppose a cause effect relationship here between health and giving. All we can say is that there is very strong evidence that if you are concerned about church finances, you would be wise to seriously address church health. Equally, if you seriously want to address issues of church health, you must open to address the topic of giving.
While the percentage is much higher in the higher levels of church health, it is important to note that this will actually be an exponential increase in giving due to the considerably higher levels of growth that such churches experience (more people giving more). These giving dynamics are even further boosted when we recognise that the very definition of a healthier church is that it uses all of its time, treasure and talent (blessings from God) more faithfully and effectively. It would seem that it is true that if we seek first the Kingdom of God, all else will be added (and pressed down, shaken together and then found to be running over).
All of the above should be seriously considered when counting the financial and other costs of engaging in the NCD process. It is clear that very little progress in health will more than pay for the cost of the survey process. It is therefore clear that the NCD Survey process is far better defined as an investment with high return than simply a cost.
NOTE: This is NOT a global or Salvation Army specific sample but is taken from Australia where the Salvation Army's involvement in NCD has been far above its relative size as a movement. As additional data becomes available, we will move toward providing a Salvation Army specific global picture of this relationship between church health and planting.