Category: Church Life

“This is just a hugely distasteful example of the American money obsession gospel which us non-Americans find nauseating.”

I stared at my inbox and read the response twice. Then three times. Somewhere, in some other country, some nameless person with an @hotmail.com email address was very upset with me.

Earlier that morning I had emailed out a blog post about the importance of speed and simplicity when it comes to online giving. The few responses I’d received back had been largely positive. But then came this one.

I’ve been sharing content on the Internet long enough to know that negative feedback comes with the territory. I try not to take it personally. But, for some reason, this response really got to me.

I think part of the reason was its source. This email purportedly came from a fellow brother or sister in Christ. This is exactly the kind of person that Mogiv is working to empower and equip, and yet he/she found those efforts to be “hugely distasteful.”

Another reason for pause came from the accusation itself. We’re all familiar with the oft-cited excesses of prominent American pastors in recent decades. Indeed, it is those very excesses that Mogiv (and perhaps you as well) are working to reverse. We exist not only to help churches increase their monthly giving, but also to help re-frame the conversations churches have around generosity. Based on that feedback, not only had we fallen short in our efforts, we had become a living embodiment of that which we most despise! (more…)

I’ve been spending a lot of time on Southwest Airlines flights this year. And it’s all my wife’s fault. She travels for work at least once a month, and – since my work for Mogiv can be done from anywhere with Wi-Fi and cell reception – I’ve made a habit of tagging along. Especially when she’s traveling to a city with an abundance of mountains, beaches, coffee shops, or some combination thereof.

Whether you’ve flown on Southwest Airlines or not, I bet you’re well familiar with their brightly colored planes and quirky antics. Their winning corporate culture, and uncommon approach to air travel have won them numerous awards over the years and have inspired more than a few business school case studies.

But corporate execs and rival airlines aren’t the only ones who could borrow a page or two from Southwest’s playbook. Those of us working in fundraising and church stewardship could learn a few things from them as well!

Turns out, some of the things Southwest is getting right are as essential for online giving as they are for air travel. Seem like a stretch? Let me show you what I mean. Here are three parallels that I jotted down on a recent Southwest Flight. (more…)

We don’t generally make it a habit to feature content produced by our competitors here on The Mogiv Minute. But, every now and then, one of them will produce something so vital and so valuable that we feel compelled to set aside our professional rivalries and share it with you.

Such is the case with Vanco’s recently completed “Churchgoer Giving Study.” This survey of over 1,000 U.S. churchgoers reveals some tough to ignore findings about when, where, and how churchgoers in America would like to give.

Don’t want to sign up for another email list? We get it. Below are 5 key takeaways from the study.

• 60% of American Churchgoers prefer electronic giving.

Think online giving is only a “young man’s game?” Think again! 60% of all churchgoers say that they would rather be giving online. Yes, the preference for digital giving spikes to 79% with givers 24 – 34, but it also hovers near 50% for givers over the age 45. Long story short: no matter the median age of your congregation, you’ve got some online givers out there! (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…)