As Christians, we are commanded to give a portion of what we have back to the Lord. The tradition of passing the plate during church service is still used in most churches today. Many churches have now turned to using the Internet as a means for giving to the church, from posting PayPal links on their sites to full-fledged giving programs online. I know at our church we have had requests from members to add the ability to give online, though we haven’t done so yet. One huge advantage that online giving has is that it allows for giving whether or not the person attends church that Sunday. This works even better if the church allows for a schedule automatic withdrawal on a regular basis. Many of the churches I have researched so far point to this as a way to generate a more regular stream of income.
The big question here is not whether giving online is bad – it is not. The real issue is that by allowing giving electronically, churches are also allowing giving via credit card, since most online providers allow transfers to be made from bank accounts or credit cards. Many churches, mine included, have specific ministries aimed at teaching people how to manage their money using principles from the Bible. These ministries teach that the use of credit cards should be strictly limited or even eliminated. This presents a problem then when allowing online giving via credit card:”Credit cards are tools of the devil and have no positive benefits . . . except, of course, when giving to our church.”
One church that has struggled with this and come up with a solution is Saddleback. They have created a comprehensive online giving program that does not allow the use of credit cards. In speaking with their pastor of technology, he stated that they really worked to eliminate credit card use for regular giving, finding a service provider that would process online transactions but now allow credit cards. In his words: “we’re a real pain in the butt to them [the service provider], but they do it.” Saddleback does allow credit cards to be used for registration for events and purchases of products. Another interesting note to this online giving program is that they provide cards that say “I gave online” that can be placed in the offering plates passed on Sundays, thus allowing those who use the online giving option to still participate in the traditional way.
As my research continues, it will be interesting to determine how other churches handle this and what solutions they have come up with. As more and more people become comfortable with handling their money online, it will become a “must have” feature for the church web site.
Lessons From Babel 