If you aren’t offering online giving, you are missing out

by Ret David North

Giving and donating is a hallmark of Christian tradition. The collection plate is how churches have made the money we need to do what we do best! Your congregation will always have financial needs to address, and recent technology and economic conditions have uncovered a need to rethink the ways our congregants can give.

Church giving has been decreasing. On average, members give less than 3% of their income to the church, and up to half of churchgoers may give nothing at all. But why?

Not everyone carries cash anymore. Most millennials don’t even have a checkbook. While many of your core contributors will still rely on the collection plate entering their hands, it is important to empower your community to contribute in ways that are convenient and supportive of their financial ability.

And whether they realize it or not, most of your congregation make online or digital transactions using a credit or debit card on a daily basis: 81% of American adults use the internet; 66% of U.S. consumers pay bills online and even more are provided with a portal for banking and managing their finances online; 68% of people donated to a nonprofit online in 2018. Establishing methods of online giving is less of a stretch and more of a convenience for at least half of your congregants.

In addition, church members are attending church less frequently, and not everyone has the opportunity to attend in-person anymore. It is safe to say that every one of your members don’t attend every single service, for one reason or another. Some are unable to attend in person at all. If the only opportunity for people to give to your church is unavailable to them, some church members may feel unheard and even less inclined to give when they do have the opportunity.

2015 statistics show 70% of non-profit organizations offering online giving opportunities compared to only 42% of churches with more than 200 members and less than 29% of churches with fewer than 200 members. The donations achieved by these organizations greatly reflects these statistics, even further when online giving opportunities are connected not only in email and website communications but over your church’s social media platforms.

To find out more about taking online donations and event payments, visit our resource here: https://caffeinatedchurch.org/online-donations

Unconvinced? Visit our forum to discuss online giving strategies and methods with other administrators! https://caffeinatedchurch.org/forum.