Can I tell you a quick story? It’s a story about giving. More specifically, it’s about a giver. Even more specifically, it’s about me.
It was late 2010, and – for what seemed like the 50th week in a row – my pockets were empty as I watched the offering plate come down my row. If it was a good week, maybe I’d have $10.00 I could toss in. More likely, though, I just let the plate pass by while making silent promises to do better next week. But then next week came, and…well…you can probably guess how that turned out.
It’s not that I didn’t want to give. It’s just that I – like so many of my peers – was still figuring out how to manage bills, student loans, savings, and a social life. All too often, it was my giving that got shortchanged. On top of that, I never carried cash, and I hadn’t seen my checkbook since college! So my giving habits ended up being determined by “whatever I have leftover.” This was hardly the life of faithful stewardship I had imagined for myself.
But then came the turning point. One Sunday morning, the church I was attending introduced a brand new way to give. This new giving system sounded remarkably similar to the way I managed all of the other important finances in my life: ONLINE! I could now go to the church’s website and give whenever and wherever I wanted. I could even create recurring gifts that would run automatically, even if I were to, for example, sleep through my alarm. (Shhhh…don’t tell my parents.)
Overnight, an inconsistent “tipper” was transformed into a faithful “tither.” I’m still far from a perfect giver, but – thanks to online giving – I now know that my offering will be given each month before the rest of life starts clamoring for my paycheck. Online giving made it possible for me to experience a life of stewardship, and I’d love to see it do the same for the inconsistent givers in your church.
I am certain that there are people in your congregation who know firsthand the guilt and shame that I used to feel during the Sunday morning offering. Why not provide them with another way to give? Why limit the “generosity moment” to a few minutes on Sunday morning?
Whether you’re thinking about online giving for the first time or simply looking for a better solution, I’d love to talk more. Mogiv is helping hundreds of churches around the country increase their giving and connect with more of their givers this year. We’d love to do the same for you!
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