Tag: church giving

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…)

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…)

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…)

(NOTE: This article was originally published on SermonCentral.com as part of a four part series on giving to the church. Once you’ve finished reading this one, head over to Sermon Central for other great articles on church generosity!)

Working in business development for a church giving platform, I am often asked if there is a Biblical precedent for churches using digital technology to accept tithes and offerings; any scriptural evidence that “text-2-give is acceptable to the Lord? I’ll save you a concordance search: there isn’t.

In many ways, the Bible remains frustratingly vague when it comes to our most pressing questions about stewardship and generosity. This may explain why so much of our preaching about finances remains frustrating and vague.

How should we teach our people to give? How often? And how much? Do we teach that believers have to give to their home church? Or is it okay for our congregants to send money elsewhere? And what about tithing? Is that the minimum requirement for Christians or the maximum? Is it even relevant to New Covenant believers?

Over the years, many good-faith efforts have been made to answer these questions. More than a few pastors and theologians have attempted to codify the ABC’s (and $1.23s) of giving to the church. And yet, for pastors and parishioners alike, these efforts have provided little assurance. (more…)