Church giving has been decreasing year over year for the past few decades. There are many causes for this but according to nonprofitsource.com, tithers only make up 10-25% of your congregation. That whole 80/20 rule is definitely in play here.
What are we to do as church leaders to combat the decrease?
We first need to know the reasons why giving is declining. Many of those are outside the scope of this article but three main reasons church giving is declining are:
- There are more demands on time and MONEY from people than ever before. Not only has the cost of living increased, but with time demands people are attending church less frequently. If they’re not there, they can’t put their check or cash in the offering plate.
- People have become more skeptical towards churches and giving. Far too many churches have taken a predatory approach to people’s giving and that has created a culture of skepticism.
- Churches have not made it convenient to give. Let’s face it, people don’t carry cash or checks any more. Many millenials and the younger generation don’t even have checks for their bank account.
With giving down already and continuing to decrease, how can churches create an environment that encourages generosity?
Many churches have been hesitant to adopt electronic and online giving options as a method for people to give. There are many arguments for and against, but the studies show that churches that provide online giving options are far more likely to see an increase in generosity and won’t experience a downward trend in their giving.
Reasons Why Your Church Needs to Prioritize Online Giving Options
People Aren’t Carrying Cash.
In 2014, Bankrate.com reported that two thirds of people carry $50 or less in cash with them, and that was in 2014. With that stat being true, the total giving you can expect for your church just in the cash available is very low.
If passing the plate for physical gifts (cash or checks) is your primary means of allowing people to give, you’re going to receive significantly less than you may otherwise if you offered an online giving solution.
Online Giving is Quicker and Easier
When you’re still accepting physical payments for your gifts, there has to be a process in place to count, record and deposit those funds. You need to have a team in place to count those gifts and a process setup to keep your church above reproach.
Are people not giving because they don’t want someone on your counting team seeing their gift amounts?
With church online giving solutions, the entire transaction is between the giver and your church. Especially with SimplifyGive, our system automatically records the donor information along with the gift so that on one has to be responsible for data entry or reporting.
Increases In Giving Outweigh The Costs
Some will argue that they don’t want to setup online giving because it adds a cost to those donations. While that is true, there are transaction costs to adding an online giving system to your church, the studies have shown that giving totals also increase when online options are made available.
Plus, SimplifyGive is designed with pricing to be cost effective for your ministry. We know that churches are always very cash conscious and we want to offer a solution that is sensitive to your church budget.
Giving Can Happen Any Time
Much like the point before about giving being quicker and easier, when you offer online giving options for your church, gifts can come in at any time. Your givers won’t have to wait until the plate is passed on Sunday morning to make their tithe offering.
Are there people that miss church on Sundays? Can they give if they aren’t there?
Have you ever had to cancel church due to weather? Did you miss out on deposits for that sunday?
These are all reasons to ask when determining if you need a church online giving solution.
People are already online, might as well meet them there
Brick and morter stores all over the country are taking commerce online. They do this or they close their doors. It’s as simple as that.
According to this article, the market share of online shopping has surpassed general merchandise sales (in store) for the first time in US history.
Let’s face it, people are shopping online, they’re spending time online, and their lives generally exist with some form of online visit on a daily basis. As a church, we need to accept that fact or we’ll get lost.
By making online giving for your church an option, you’re able to participate in the convenience most of your church is already experiencing in their daily lives and in their shopping habits.
Your Church Needs to Offer Online Giving
As a pastor, I have heard and been involved in many of the arguments for and against online giving. While I can sympathize with both sides of the fence, the data really does speak for itself that churches that aren’t offering some form of online giving are doing a disservice to their givers and allowing them to reach their full potential of generosity.
If you want to know more about SimplifyGive and what we can do to get your church setup with a church online giving system, let’s setup a demo and show you more!