The Mogiv Minute

So you’ve gone out and done what your “tech guy” or “web gal” or “generationally hip executive pastor” has been begging you to do for months. You’ve gotten your church setup for online giving!

That’s fantastic! High fives and backslaps all around.

As you probably already know, one of the coolest things about Mogiv is the fact that all of our giving tools can be added directly onto YOUR website. (See HERE for a cool example.) This allows your givers to engage in generosity while remaining 100% connected to your organization’s digital “home.”

It’s a better experience for them, AND it also works better for you. Studies have shown that branded, integrated giving pages are 6x more effective than their more generic counterparts.

But…simply copy/pasting Mogiv’s giving form onto a blank page on your website does NOT a maximized giving page make. The form needs “company!” And by “company”, we mean content. Scripture verses, instructions, photos, videos, links to FAQs. Some of the above. All of the above! Just don’t leave the giving form all by it’s lonesome. (See HERE for another stupendous example.) (more…)

We’ve all heard the Ben Franklin quote: “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Well, in the world of digital giving, we can add a third pillar of certitude: death, taxes, and processing fees.

Ah yes, the fees. The “fly in the ointment” of The Digital Giving Revolution. For all the explosive growth online and mobile donation channels have experienced in recent years, and for all of the new gifts (and new givers!) these tools have enabled, the cost of receiving these donations continues to be a sticking point for many people.

We have written in the past about keeping “the costs” of online giving in their proper context. Obviously, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing if we didn’t believe that the benefits of giving technology far outweighed the costs. However, we also understand how frustrating it can be to see 3% of your cash receipts leaving your organization’s bank account each month. Especially if your organization is strapped for cash, as most nonprofits are.

Because of this, it is no surprise that many churches and ministries actually encourage people away from digital giving. But that doesn’t seem to be the right approach either. You’ve taken the time to invest in providing additional giving tools for your supporters. Why make them feel guilty for taking advantage of them? (more…)

By: Generis Team

If the only time your church talks about money is when you need money, you aren’t leveraging the worship service to create a generous church. There is a place for honest dialogue about the state of the church budget, but it is not healthy for pastors to speak about finances only when the church is in need. This is why it’s important to regularly preach about generosity and stewardship as an essential aspect of discipleship and following Christ.

Sometimes the way we approach the connection between ministry and money makes people uncomfortable. We should view money not as a necessary evil to be reckoned with but as a partner for ministry. No ministry thrives without needed resources. If ministry is the vehicle for accomplishing our mission, financial resources are the fuel. (more…)

As I talk with pastors and ministry leaders about transforming the way giving is discussed in their congregations, one of the high points I hit most frequently is the importance of using stories when discussing generosity. I’ll say things like “names over numbers” and “stories instead of statistics,” and we’ll talk at length about the deep-seated human desire for narrative.

As wonderful as alliterative couplets might be, they don’t tell the whole story. (Forgive the pun.) Which is why I want to dive a bit deeper today. And I want to do so with the help of a friend who spends a considerable percentage of his days thinking and talking about giving to churches.

Erik Ely is a Generosity Strategist for Generis, and he brings over 20 years of experience to this conversation. Erik and I had a conversation recently about where, how, and why churches need to deploy stories for the sake of stewardship. (Last alliteration. Promise.) Below are the highlights of that discussion. Enjoy! (more…)

As a churchgoer, a recreational observer of Evangelical trends, and – most significantly – a redeemed (albeit imperfect) follower of Jesus, one of the most encouraging recent shifts I’ve seen in American Christendom is the emphasis more and more pastors are placing on kicking people OUT the doors of their church.

Certainly there will always be a place for evangelism and invitation campaigns, but – with the rise of The Missional Church Movement and others like it – churches are behaving less like social clubs and more like military outfits. Instead of collecting members, the focus is shifting toward training, equipping, and sending Christians out into the world to make a difference (a real difference!) in their respective neighborhoods, towns, cities, and states.

As Pastor Choco de Jesus of New Life Covenant Church said at a conference I attended recently, “Churches need to do more for their cities than occupy a street corner.” Indeed! It seems more and more churches are rising to answer this call, and – as they do – they are discovering that impact-driven ministries cannot be sustained without a generous congregation behind it.

And that’s what I want to talk about today. Generosity is my “beat,” and – as I talk and listen and learn – I am becoming ever more convinced that Outreach Campaigns must play a central role in every church’s stewardship ministry. (Yes, even the ones struggling to make ends meet each month.)

How can I say that with such confidence? Because here are just a few of the things outreach ministries, service projects, and the like can do for generosity at your church… (more…)