What Everyone Gets Wrong About Church Finances: $100 Billion, Tithing, & Charity - Aaron Miller | 86

Aaron Miller is a professor at the BYU Marriott School of Business and an expert in nonprofit management, ethics, and faith-based finance. In this episode, we dive deep into LDS Church finances, including tithing, investments, and the Church’s charitable donations. Aaron brings insight into how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints manages its financial resources — and what people often misunderstand about it.

I wanted to speak to Aaron because there's growing interest — and controversy — around how the LDS Church uses tithing, its estimated $100 billion in investments, and reports about Ensign Peak Advisors and LDS charity work. Aaron offers a clear, informed perspective that blends business knowledge with spiritual context.

Some highlights from this episode include:
What the $100 billion figure actually means (and whether it’s accurate)
Where LDS tithing money goes and how it's allocated
The truth behind the Church’s $1.45 billion in reported charitable giving
What Ensign Peak is, and what it does
Common media myths and misunderstandings about Mormon Church finances
Aaron’s thoughts on transparency, stewardship, and trust

👉 If you’ve ever wondered how the LDS Church handles money, what happens to your tithing, or how charity spending is reported — this episode brings clarity to the complex world of Church finances.

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You can find more of Aaron Miller’s work at the following links:
- https://publicsquaremag.org/faith/the-100-billion-mormon-church-story-a-contextual-analysis/
- https://how-to-help.com/

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For All The Saints podcast was established in 2023 by Ben Hancock to express his passion and desire for more dialogue around faith, religious belief, and believers' perspectives on the topics of our day. Tune into For All The Saints every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

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