It’s important for us, as believers, to give because God wants to use us to be able to bless others. If we love others the way He’s commanded us to, it must be our primary reason for giving. In a related blog, Heart of the Matter, we explored why it’s important for church members to be cheerful givers as our personal stewardship is connected with what God is doing in the world. The next step is to look at how to increase church giving so that church members can continue to give faithfully.
While there are several different ways to both engage and educate church members to tithe, I’d like to primarily focus on the benefits of setting up online giving in the church. I often hear that the thought of online giving seems impersonal or too contemporary, but it’s no secret that online giving is becoming more prominent in our churches today, especially because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As adeptly shared in, Gearing Up For Fall Giving, “The percentages of churches offering online church giving now are much greater than they used to be even 3 years ago.”. In order to encourage faithful stewardship and generosity, increase donations, and reach church-wide budgetary goals, online giving is key because it’s actually here to stay.
So how do you dive into this online world and unleash a spirit of generosity in your church? Glad you asked:
- Introduce your members to online giving. Tell them what it is, why your church is choosing to offer members the ability to give electronically and why it benefits the church.
- Lead by example. The churches that see a large percentage of their members give electronically are those whose pastors and staff members give electronically as well.
- Keep the idea of online giving in front of your church. Include verbiage in your bulletin about online giving. Tell your members how to give electronically, whether it’s on your church website, through your mobile app, a kiosk in the lobby or via text-to-give.
- Keep it coming. Don’t just limit your communication to one week. Keep it constant. Make it part of everything you do- emails, letters, text messages, call campaigns, social media, etc. Make sure your members are being made aware multiple times in different mediums about online giving being a way to give their tithes and offerings.
- Make it personal. When someone gives electronically for the first time, have your executive pastor write a handwritten note to that member. In an age of electronic communication, a personal note most certainly goes a long way.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again as this time it relates to the importance of giving to fuel our ministries: It’s time to put our best foot forward and fully engage (in person and online) with all God has asked of us to help build His Kingdom. In the past, church members and guests would write a check or drop cash in the plate as it passed during an offertory hymn. Times have changed and we must change, too. While cash and checks are still valid and valued forms of tithes and offerings, with technology we can also easily add swiping a credit or debit card at a kiosk in the lobby, giving online, or texting as options for people to faithfully and generously give.
The most important aspect of stewardship is that people give with a cheerful heart. Don’t forget that. Encourage it. Preach it. And remember, looking for new ways to help them give their best in a timely manner is essential to keeping our churches healthy. Trust God to lead you in this.
Pattie plays an integral role in key areas across ACS Technologies, including project management, business partnerships, operational excellence, and more. Pattie joined ACS Technologies in 1995. Before that, she worked in advertising and brand management leadership with Procter & Gamble. She also worked with Koinonia Partners, the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity. Pattie attends St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church in Florence, SC.
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This blog references the new helpful Ministry Resource on proven best practices in Gearing Up For Fall Giving which is part 4 of this 4 part Gearing Up For Fall Ministry Guide series. It is available now to you for free as an easy download to read and share. And, to make it even easier and so you don’t miss any of our Church Growth Resources, you can also receive our ministry blog posts straight to your inbox!
