5 Reasons Churches Should Offer Electronic Giving
1) Electronic giving is usually setup to happen automatically on a schedule. This helps the givers get emotionally detached from giving. Matthew 6:4 says “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing”.
2) Good stewardship of our environment and natural resources is accomplished by not using paper envelopes and checks. Electronic giving really does make a difference. It is estimated that there are over 300,000 churches in the United States. If each church has 75 people that receive 52 envelopes per year and these 75 people write 24 checks per year that equals over one billion envelopes per year and 540 million checks per year.
3) Electronic giving helps us to make giving a priority in our lives. There are many times where it would be easy to cut back on our giving to God and online giving helps people to keep their giving on track. From the church’s standpoint electronic giving more than pays for itself by increasing giving to the church.
4) Churches need and rely on steady / consistent givers. Electronic giving encourages good stewardship and steady consistent giving. Many givers setup their gift on their payroll date and give the first fruits of their labor.
5) Administration of handling the offering electronically is easier for churches and frees up more time for ministry.
I see people use electronic giving a number of ways but I’d like to post a quote from Bruce. “Thanks for the great service you provide. I used to think that I needed to place my gift in the basket every week for it to feel like I was doing something good. But then when a guy finds himself unable to attend, he falls behind very quickly, and then has to try to figure out how to catch up. But with eGive, my gift is there even when I can’t be. And I am up to date on my giving, always.”
Some of the churches that use our service receive over 60% of their giving electronically. Cultures change… Livestock and produce used to be the way people gave. Checks, online giving and the donation of stocks and other property are relatively recent developments.
I believe that honoring God with the first fruits of your labor and giving with joy from your heart is the main thing. Any way you can do that is how it should be done. The best time to do something the Lord leads you to do is right away. With the Internet available 24 x 7 giving in that manner is possible. I believe that God is honored by a digital tithe and offering as long as it is offered joyfully from the heart with love.
God’s Grace, Peace and Blessings To you!
Brad