The Mogiv Minute

If there has ever been a generation in need of a good PR campaign, it must be The Millennials (i.e. people born from 1979 – 1994).

They’re lazy! They’re selfish! They’re narcissistic! They’re addicted to their phones!

Spend a few minutes on the Internet or on cable TV and you’re sure to come across a talking head rambling on about how concerned we should all be about humanity’s future once The Millennials take over. This hand wringing often spills over to church offices where engaging with twenty-something givers often seems an increasingly impossible task.

Perhaps this is a challenge you’re familiar with? (more…)

A couple months ago, I told you part of my “stewardship story” and shared about how digital tools (like the ones provided by Mogiv) helped transform me from a “tipper” into a faithful “tither.”

Well today I’d like to approach the subject from the side of the church instead of the giver. Because – after all – I can talk till I’m blue in the face about the benefits of online giving, but, if it’s not bearing fruit at real live churches, what good is it?

Meet Mountain Springs Church – a multi-site church in North Idaho. They got started with Mogiv in mid-2013 and have experienced a steady uptick in giving ever since. Recently, I asked Jason Steffen, Mt. Springs’ Web and IT Director, to share some thoughts about their experience with Mogiv so far.

Why did you choose Mogiv as your giving platform?

We received several personal recommendations from The Rock Church in San Diego, CA.

Are there any positive results you can report since switching to Mogiv?

Introducing the concept of online giving in a rural community proved to be a challenge. Even though people were comfortable with online bill pay, there was a “tradition hurdle” to overcome when it came to giving to their church online. Mogiv’s simple approach to the process provided just what was needed to clear that initial hurdle. (more…)

By: Ted Vaughn

(Note: This is our second post on church strategy and branding from Ted Vaughn. CLICK HERE to see the first one – about why your church needs to stop trying to reach everyone.)

Most every church has a mission, vision, and/or purpose statement. The best of these statements inspire and give high level perspective on why the church exists. They motivate and compel their members to action. Below is a great example from a local church I recently worked with:

“We exist to help move people into a deeper relationship with Jesus and we are a community of believers who love God and others, look for ways to express and deepen our faith, and proclaim hope to the world and this community.”

I love this statement. Phrases like “love God” and “proclaim hope” are very inspiring and motivating. They are also broad statements that could potentially encompass myriad ministries, staff decisions, events, programs, and resources. (more…)

Here’s a scenario for you to consider. Imagine you’re shopping at your favorite store. Since it’s your favorite, you’ve obviously been here more than once. This is a store that you know like the back of your hand. The layout, color-scheme, and branding are all extremely familiar, maybe even comforting.

You collect the items you need and head toward the front of the store, but when you arrive, instead of a checkout counter or a smiling face, you are greeted by a sign that directs you across the street to a strange and foreign kiosk where you’re asked to hand over your credit card and pay for your items.

Sounds ridiculous, right? Obviously, no business would ever put you through this. Not only is it inconvenient and disconcerting for you as a customer; the store misses out on the opportunity to add a personal touch to your shopping experience.

Why, then, is this the process that so many churches and nonprofits have settled on with their online giving? (more…)

While The Mogiv Minute remains the best site on the web for all of your Mogiv-related news and updates, it is no longer the only place! We’ve been honored in the past several months to see some of our very own content (and customers!) featured on some of the most popular church tech sites on the web.

While we keep pretty close tabs on every single like, share, mention, and retweet of Mogiv, we’re guessing that most of you likely do not do the same. (Why on earth not??) So, to save you a Google search or two, we’ve compiled our “greatest hits” for you right here. It’s your one-stop-shop for all of the latest “who’s”, “how’s”, and “why’s” behind online and mobile giving! If you have a few extra minutes, be sure to poke around on the sites below. They are chock full of resources for churches of all shapes and sizes.

4 Myths About Online Giving – ChurchM.ag

So many of the objections to online giving are not actually objections at all. They’re simple misunderstandings (or “myths”) about the nature, benefits, and costs of online giving. This article – featured last month on ChurchM.ag, a leading church tech + creative blog – addresses some of those myths and explains why pastors need to start taking online giving seriously. (more…)