Churches are jumping on the online giving trend in record numbers. Most find it a safe and efficient way to help their members with consistent stewardship. Has your church started offering it yet?
Here are 10 reasons your church might want to consider online giving.
- Your members will appreciate the church making it easier for them to give. And many of the people in your congregation already are accustomed to the process of using credit or debit cards online.
- Many of the younger people in your congregation don’t carry cash or checkbooks.
- It’s not just young pastors doing this. According to a Lifeway Research study, 62 percent of churches that use online giving have pastors over age 50.
- People spend money online; why not encourage them to give money online?
- The Federal Reserve said the number of checks written between 2006 and 2009 declined by more than 7 percent. In the same period, electronic payments increased more than 9 percent. Electronic payments counted for more than 75 percent of all financial transactions in 2010.
- It’s easy to remind people on your website, in your newsletter or in the bulletin that online giving is an option.
- If you are uncomfortable suggesting people use credit cards for giving, you still have options. They can use debit cards, automated bank drafts, mobile giving, online bill pay, etc.
- Online giving can help members keep their giving consistent during the “slump” times like holiday seasons and summers. When they sign up for automatic payments, they can be obedient in their giving if they have to miss church for some reason. And it also allows homebound members the opportunity to give even when they can’t attend.
- Many of your members are already giving online to other charitable organizations.
- While only about 4 percent of Americans practice tithing, online giving can help church members be more consistent in their giving through automatic withdrawals from their bank accounts or credit cards.
