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Cultivating a Culture of Generosity: Strategies to Increase the Number of Givers in Your Church

Cultivating a Culture of Generosity: Strategies to Increase the Number of Givers in Your Church

Education, biblical teaching, and online giving options are ways to increase the number of givers in your church.

CHURCH TECH PODCAST
Tithely media icon
TV
Modern Church leader
Category
Generosity
Publish date
August 8, 2024
Author
Tithely

Education, biblical teaching, and online giving options are ways to increase the number of givers in your church.

If every Christian tithed 10%, faith organizations would have an extra $139 billion each year (Health Research Funding). According to Church Development.com, less than 5% of regular church attenders give consistently, and I’m sure it’s not because you don’t spend time teaching about biblical generosity and tithing. So, how do we inspire the 95% of regular attenders to step up and give?

A solid message series helping people understand biblical generosity, tithing, offerings, and other giving-related themes may inspire them to give once, and might even spur them on to regular giving. With more than 2,100 Bible verses on giving and examples from the Widow’s Mite to the audacious giving in the book of Acts, there’s no shortage of content to choose from.

Sound biblical teaching is one way to increase the knowledge of givers in your church, but what other options are there to increase the physical number of givers? If knowing the truth about generosity and the promised blessing of seeing yourself as a manager of what you’ve been given, and not simply a reservoir to collect it all was enough to inspire people to give, there wouldn’t be such a gap in giving in the faith community.

A simple solution is to increase the number of ways to give, but could it be that easy? Making giving easy is a surefire way to engage more givers. Some people like the physical act of putting money in an offering plate or basket as it is passed down the aisle. The digital generation prefers an app, online platform, text to give, or a QR code. We all have preferences and patterns guiding how we like to spend our money, and if you provide options that are familiar to your people, chances are you’ll be able to impact the number of givers and generate more revenue for your church or non-profit. 

Adding just one additional giving option can have a big impact. If passing the plate is your thing, then maybe it’s time to accept donations online. If you already have an easy way to accept donations online, maybe your next step is to offer a giving app or kiosk. The best way to increase the number of givers at your church is to know the ways and methods that they are already giving money to other businesses and organizations, mortgage lenders and fast food restaurants, and find solutions that mirror those patterns of spending. Let’s look at 4 of the best ways to accept donations online and one tried and true traditional method to give. 

5 Ways to Give 

1. Online Giving

In today’s digital world, it’s time to offer your church members several ways to give online. With online giving you can add a church donation form and make it simple for your members to give on your church website vs. redirecting them to a third-party giving page. Design your giving form to be mobile-optimized, ensuring your donors have a delightful experience when giving on the go. Making online giving easy is a key part of increasing the number of givers in your church.

2. Text Giving

Church text-giving and text-to-donate is hands down the fastest and most convenient way to give! Plus, it’s kinda fun. Once you have your dedicated church text-giving number, members can give to your church through a text message. Even for those who identify as less than tech-savvy, text-to-give is as simple as sending a text message, and nowadays, who doesn’t know how to text?!

3. Church Giving App

You can give in seconds with just a couple of taps with a giving app. Amazon, Starbucks, Lowes, and McDonald’s all have apps that make trading what God’s blessed you with for what they offer super easy and efficient. Giving an app user a simple process to donate is a sure win to add more givers to your database. Apps may also have the added benefit of tracking generosity, sending reminders to give, and easily printing tax documents right from their phone.

Free online giving tools for your church

Tithely provides the best online tools to help you increase generosity, manage your church, and engage your church members.

Sign Up Free
Digital giving apps and tools

4. Kiosk Giving

With a mobile-friendly giving form, every tablet or laptop computer instantly turns into a simple giving kiosk, allowing your members and visitors to easily give as they enter or exit the building, fellowship with friends, or enjoy a cup of coffee in your café. Kiosk giving is portable and convenient, and it can scale easily as your church grows or changes venues. Donors can use a card or online account making this option one of the easiest ways to give.

5. Cash or Check

Giving by cash or check is a classic way to engage attendees by giving everyone in the room a chance to contribute, but since most people don’t carry cash or checks today, this may no longer be the best solution. However, if your church is more traditional, or you’re leading an older congregation, cash options such as offering plates or donation boxes may still engage this demographic.

Is there a best way for churches to accept donations online? 

The best way for churches to accept donations online is the one that makes it easiest for their people to give using a method they feel comfortable with. There are still many individuals who don’t trust their money exchanges with technology. You won’t ever get them to use an app or kiosk, and they probably still read the newspaper, too. They’re the ones at the local grocery store holding up the line while they write a check or search for exact change in the bottom of their purse.

Trust is a big issue when it comes to giving, so if you want to engage this particular type of person with a new technology, or habit of giving, you’re going to need to spend the time to educate them on how it works, what safety and security measures are in place to help their intended donation get to the right place. While not impossible, it will take work. When we first installed giving kiosks at my church, most people thought they were ATM machines, and would try to use them to get tithe money instead of using it to give their tithe. It took a while to help people understand that the digital kiosk in the atrium that looked like an ATM machine was, in fact, a giving option and not a quick way to get money.

Whether you’re motivating the 95% to get in the game, teaching your congregation about the biblical principles of generosity and tithing, or choosing an online or app-based solution, increasing the number of givers is a great way to build a church for the generations. At Tithely, we offer a number of online giving solutions including giving kiosks, custom giving apps, and online giving solutions to suit your needs. We’ll help you engage with the community you’ve worked so hard to build and serve and work alongside you and your team to build the best online giving solutions for you and your church.

If you’re interested in checking out Tithely as an online giving solution for your church, click here.

AUTHOR

Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.

With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder why over 37,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church. 

Education, biblical teaching, and online giving options are ways to increase the number of givers in your church.

If every Christian tithed 10%, faith organizations would have an extra $139 billion each year (Health Research Funding). According to Church Development.com, less than 5% of regular church attenders give consistently, and I’m sure it’s not because you don’t spend time teaching about biblical generosity and tithing. So, how do we inspire the 95% of regular attenders to step up and give?

A solid message series helping people understand biblical generosity, tithing, offerings, and other giving-related themes may inspire them to give once, and might even spur them on to regular giving. With more than 2,100 Bible verses on giving and examples from the Widow’s Mite to the audacious giving in the book of Acts, there’s no shortage of content to choose from.

Sound biblical teaching is one way to increase the knowledge of givers in your church, but what other options are there to increase the physical number of givers? If knowing the truth about generosity and the promised blessing of seeing yourself as a manager of what you’ve been given, and not simply a reservoir to collect it all was enough to inspire people to give, there wouldn’t be such a gap in giving in the faith community.

A simple solution is to increase the number of ways to give, but could it be that easy? Making giving easy is a surefire way to engage more givers. Some people like the physical act of putting money in an offering plate or basket as it is passed down the aisle. The digital generation prefers an app, online platform, text to give, or a QR code. We all have preferences and patterns guiding how we like to spend our money, and if you provide options that are familiar to your people, chances are you’ll be able to impact the number of givers and generate more revenue for your church or non-profit. 

Adding just one additional giving option can have a big impact. If passing the plate is your thing, then maybe it’s time to accept donations online. If you already have an easy way to accept donations online, maybe your next step is to offer a giving app or kiosk. The best way to increase the number of givers at your church is to know the ways and methods that they are already giving money to other businesses and organizations, mortgage lenders and fast food restaurants, and find solutions that mirror those patterns of spending. Let’s look at 4 of the best ways to accept donations online and one tried and true traditional method to give. 

5 Ways to Give 

1. Online Giving

In today’s digital world, it’s time to offer your church members several ways to give online. With online giving you can add a church donation form and make it simple for your members to give on your church website vs. redirecting them to a third-party giving page. Design your giving form to be mobile-optimized, ensuring your donors have a delightful experience when giving on the go. Making online giving easy is a key part of increasing the number of givers in your church.

2. Text Giving

Church text-giving and text-to-donate is hands down the fastest and most convenient way to give! Plus, it’s kinda fun. Once you have your dedicated church text-giving number, members can give to your church through a text message. Even for those who identify as less than tech-savvy, text-to-give is as simple as sending a text message, and nowadays, who doesn’t know how to text?!

3. Church Giving App

You can give in seconds with just a couple of taps with a giving app. Amazon, Starbucks, Lowes, and McDonald’s all have apps that make trading what God’s blessed you with for what they offer super easy and efficient. Giving an app user a simple process to donate is a sure win to add more givers to your database. Apps may also have the added benefit of tracking generosity, sending reminders to give, and easily printing tax documents right from their phone.

Free online giving tools for your church

Tithely provides the best online tools to help you increase generosity, manage your church, and engage your church members.

Sign Up Free
Digital giving apps and tools

4. Kiosk Giving

With a mobile-friendly giving form, every tablet or laptop computer instantly turns into a simple giving kiosk, allowing your members and visitors to easily give as they enter or exit the building, fellowship with friends, or enjoy a cup of coffee in your café. Kiosk giving is portable and convenient, and it can scale easily as your church grows or changes venues. Donors can use a card or online account making this option one of the easiest ways to give.

5. Cash or Check

Giving by cash or check is a classic way to engage attendees by giving everyone in the room a chance to contribute, but since most people don’t carry cash or checks today, this may no longer be the best solution. However, if your church is more traditional, or you’re leading an older congregation, cash options such as offering plates or donation boxes may still engage this demographic.

Is there a best way for churches to accept donations online? 

The best way for churches to accept donations online is the one that makes it easiest for their people to give using a method they feel comfortable with. There are still many individuals who don’t trust their money exchanges with technology. You won’t ever get them to use an app or kiosk, and they probably still read the newspaper, too. They’re the ones at the local grocery store holding up the line while they write a check or search for exact change in the bottom of their purse.

Trust is a big issue when it comes to giving, so if you want to engage this particular type of person with a new technology, or habit of giving, you’re going to need to spend the time to educate them on how it works, what safety and security measures are in place to help their intended donation get to the right place. While not impossible, it will take work. When we first installed giving kiosks at my church, most people thought they were ATM machines, and would try to use them to get tithe money instead of using it to give their tithe. It took a while to help people understand that the digital kiosk in the atrium that looked like an ATM machine was, in fact, a giving option and not a quick way to get money.

Whether you’re motivating the 95% to get in the game, teaching your congregation about the biblical principles of generosity and tithing, or choosing an online or app-based solution, increasing the number of givers is a great way to build a church for the generations. At Tithely, we offer a number of online giving solutions including giving kiosks, custom giving apps, and online giving solutions to suit your needs. We’ll help you engage with the community you’ve worked so hard to build and serve and work alongside you and your team to build the best online giving solutions for you and your church.

If you’re interested in checking out Tithely as an online giving solution for your church, click here.

podcast transcript

(Scroll for more)
AUTHOR

Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.

With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder why over 37,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church. 

Education, biblical teaching, and online giving options are ways to increase the number of givers in your church.

If every Christian tithed 10%, faith organizations would have an extra $139 billion each year (Health Research Funding). According to Church Development.com, less than 5% of regular church attenders give consistently, and I’m sure it’s not because you don’t spend time teaching about biblical generosity and tithing. So, how do we inspire the 95% of regular attenders to step up and give?

A solid message series helping people understand biblical generosity, tithing, offerings, and other giving-related themes may inspire them to give once, and might even spur them on to regular giving. With more than 2,100 Bible verses on giving and examples from the Widow’s Mite to the audacious giving in the book of Acts, there’s no shortage of content to choose from.

Sound biblical teaching is one way to increase the knowledge of givers in your church, but what other options are there to increase the physical number of givers? If knowing the truth about generosity and the promised blessing of seeing yourself as a manager of what you’ve been given, and not simply a reservoir to collect it all was enough to inspire people to give, there wouldn’t be such a gap in giving in the faith community.

A simple solution is to increase the number of ways to give, but could it be that easy? Making giving easy is a surefire way to engage more givers. Some people like the physical act of putting money in an offering plate or basket as it is passed down the aisle. The digital generation prefers an app, online platform, text to give, or a QR code. We all have preferences and patterns guiding how we like to spend our money, and if you provide options that are familiar to your people, chances are you’ll be able to impact the number of givers and generate more revenue for your church or non-profit. 

Adding just one additional giving option can have a big impact. If passing the plate is your thing, then maybe it’s time to accept donations online. If you already have an easy way to accept donations online, maybe your next step is to offer a giving app or kiosk. The best way to increase the number of givers at your church is to know the ways and methods that they are already giving money to other businesses and organizations, mortgage lenders and fast food restaurants, and find solutions that mirror those patterns of spending. Let’s look at 4 of the best ways to accept donations online and one tried and true traditional method to give. 

5 Ways to Give 

1. Online Giving

In today’s digital world, it’s time to offer your church members several ways to give online. With online giving you can add a church donation form and make it simple for your members to give on your church website vs. redirecting them to a third-party giving page. Design your giving form to be mobile-optimized, ensuring your donors have a delightful experience when giving on the go. Making online giving easy is a key part of increasing the number of givers in your church.

2. Text Giving

Church text-giving and text-to-donate is hands down the fastest and most convenient way to give! Plus, it’s kinda fun. Once you have your dedicated church text-giving number, members can give to your church through a text message. Even for those who identify as less than tech-savvy, text-to-give is as simple as sending a text message, and nowadays, who doesn’t know how to text?!

3. Church Giving App

You can give in seconds with just a couple of taps with a giving app. Amazon, Starbucks, Lowes, and McDonald’s all have apps that make trading what God’s blessed you with for what they offer super easy and efficient. Giving an app user a simple process to donate is a sure win to add more givers to your database. Apps may also have the added benefit of tracking generosity, sending reminders to give, and easily printing tax documents right from their phone.

Free online giving tools for your church

Tithely provides the best online tools to help you increase generosity, manage your church, and engage your church members.

Sign Up Free
Digital giving apps and tools

4. Kiosk Giving

With a mobile-friendly giving form, every tablet or laptop computer instantly turns into a simple giving kiosk, allowing your members and visitors to easily give as they enter or exit the building, fellowship with friends, or enjoy a cup of coffee in your café. Kiosk giving is portable and convenient, and it can scale easily as your church grows or changes venues. Donors can use a card or online account making this option one of the easiest ways to give.

5. Cash or Check

Giving by cash or check is a classic way to engage attendees by giving everyone in the room a chance to contribute, but since most people don’t carry cash or checks today, this may no longer be the best solution. However, if your church is more traditional, or you’re leading an older congregation, cash options such as offering plates or donation boxes may still engage this demographic.

Is there a best way for churches to accept donations online? 

The best way for churches to accept donations online is the one that makes it easiest for their people to give using a method they feel comfortable with. There are still many individuals who don’t trust their money exchanges with technology. You won’t ever get them to use an app or kiosk, and they probably still read the newspaper, too. They’re the ones at the local grocery store holding up the line while they write a check or search for exact change in the bottom of their purse.

Trust is a big issue when it comes to giving, so if you want to engage this particular type of person with a new technology, or habit of giving, you’re going to need to spend the time to educate them on how it works, what safety and security measures are in place to help their intended donation get to the right place. While not impossible, it will take work. When we first installed giving kiosks at my church, most people thought they were ATM machines, and would try to use them to get tithe money instead of using it to give their tithe. It took a while to help people understand that the digital kiosk in the atrium that looked like an ATM machine was, in fact, a giving option and not a quick way to get money.

Whether you’re motivating the 95% to get in the game, teaching your congregation about the biblical principles of generosity and tithing, or choosing an online or app-based solution, increasing the number of givers is a great way to build a church for the generations. At Tithely, we offer a number of online giving solutions including giving kiosks, custom giving apps, and online giving solutions to suit your needs. We’ll help you engage with the community you’ve worked so hard to build and serve and work alongside you and your team to build the best online giving solutions for you and your church.

If you’re interested in checking out Tithely as an online giving solution for your church, click here.

VIDEO transcript

(Scroll for more)

Education, biblical teaching, and online giving options are ways to increase the number of givers in your church.

If every Christian tithed 10%, faith organizations would have an extra $139 billion each year (Health Research Funding). According to Church Development.com, less than 5% of regular church attenders give consistently, and I’m sure it’s not because you don’t spend time teaching about biblical generosity and tithing. So, how do we inspire the 95% of regular attenders to step up and give?

A solid message series helping people understand biblical generosity, tithing, offerings, and other giving-related themes may inspire them to give once, and might even spur them on to regular giving. With more than 2,100 Bible verses on giving and examples from the Widow’s Mite to the audacious giving in the book of Acts, there’s no shortage of content to choose from.

Sound biblical teaching is one way to increase the knowledge of givers in your church, but what other options are there to increase the physical number of givers? If knowing the truth about generosity and the promised blessing of seeing yourself as a manager of what you’ve been given, and not simply a reservoir to collect it all was enough to inspire people to give, there wouldn’t be such a gap in giving in the faith community.

A simple solution is to increase the number of ways to give, but could it be that easy? Making giving easy is a surefire way to engage more givers. Some people like the physical act of putting money in an offering plate or basket as it is passed down the aisle. The digital generation prefers an app, online platform, text to give, or a QR code. We all have preferences and patterns guiding how we like to spend our money, and if you provide options that are familiar to your people, chances are you’ll be able to impact the number of givers and generate more revenue for your church or non-profit. 

Adding just one additional giving option can have a big impact. If passing the plate is your thing, then maybe it’s time to accept donations online. If you already have an easy way to accept donations online, maybe your next step is to offer a giving app or kiosk. The best way to increase the number of givers at your church is to know the ways and methods that they are already giving money to other businesses and organizations, mortgage lenders and fast food restaurants, and find solutions that mirror those patterns of spending. Let’s look at 4 of the best ways to accept donations online and one tried and true traditional method to give. 

5 Ways to Give 

1. Online Giving

In today’s digital world, it’s time to offer your church members several ways to give online. With online giving you can add a church donation form and make it simple for your members to give on your church website vs. redirecting them to a third-party giving page. Design your giving form to be mobile-optimized, ensuring your donors have a delightful experience when giving on the go. Making online giving easy is a key part of increasing the number of givers in your church.

2. Text Giving

Church text-giving and text-to-donate is hands down the fastest and most convenient way to give! Plus, it’s kinda fun. Once you have your dedicated church text-giving number, members can give to your church through a text message. Even for those who identify as less than tech-savvy, text-to-give is as simple as sending a text message, and nowadays, who doesn’t know how to text?!

3. Church Giving App

You can give in seconds with just a couple of taps with a giving app. Amazon, Starbucks, Lowes, and McDonald’s all have apps that make trading what God’s blessed you with for what they offer super easy and efficient. Giving an app user a simple process to donate is a sure win to add more givers to your database. Apps may also have the added benefit of tracking generosity, sending reminders to give, and easily printing tax documents right from their phone.

Free online giving tools for your church

Tithely provides the best online tools to help you increase generosity, manage your church, and engage your church members.

Sign Up Free
Digital giving apps and tools

4. Kiosk Giving

With a mobile-friendly giving form, every tablet or laptop computer instantly turns into a simple giving kiosk, allowing your members and visitors to easily give as they enter or exit the building, fellowship with friends, or enjoy a cup of coffee in your café. Kiosk giving is portable and convenient, and it can scale easily as your church grows or changes venues. Donors can use a card or online account making this option one of the easiest ways to give.

5. Cash or Check

Giving by cash or check is a classic way to engage attendees by giving everyone in the room a chance to contribute, but since most people don’t carry cash or checks today, this may no longer be the best solution. However, if your church is more traditional, or you’re leading an older congregation, cash options such as offering plates or donation boxes may still engage this demographic.

Is there a best way for churches to accept donations online? 

The best way for churches to accept donations online is the one that makes it easiest for their people to give using a method they feel comfortable with. There are still many individuals who don’t trust their money exchanges with technology. You won’t ever get them to use an app or kiosk, and they probably still read the newspaper, too. They’re the ones at the local grocery store holding up the line while they write a check or search for exact change in the bottom of their purse.

Trust is a big issue when it comes to giving, so if you want to engage this particular type of person with a new technology, or habit of giving, you’re going to need to spend the time to educate them on how it works, what safety and security measures are in place to help their intended donation get to the right place. While not impossible, it will take work. When we first installed giving kiosks at my church, most people thought they were ATM machines, and would try to use them to get tithe money instead of using it to give their tithe. It took a while to help people understand that the digital kiosk in the atrium that looked like an ATM machine was, in fact, a giving option and not a quick way to get money.

Whether you’re motivating the 95% to get in the game, teaching your congregation about the biblical principles of generosity and tithing, or choosing an online or app-based solution, increasing the number of givers is a great way to build a church for the generations. At Tithely, we offer a number of online giving solutions including giving kiosks, custom giving apps, and online giving solutions to suit your needs. We’ll help you engage with the community you’ve worked so hard to build and serve and work alongside you and your team to build the best online giving solutions for you and your church.

If you’re interested in checking out Tithely as an online giving solution for your church, click here.

AUTHOR

Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.

With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder why over 37,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church. 

Category
Generosity
Publish date
August 8, 2024
Author
Tithely
Category

Cultivating a Culture of Generosity: Strategies to Increase the Number of Givers in Your Church

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