Money can be a touchy subject, especially when we start talking about how churches can increase donations. People often fear the stereotype of the church that “always” is begging for money. However, the reality is that people want to give to your church and God calls them to do so. This means that any reasonable effort to help them give is the role of a faithful congregation.
As we continue our series on generosity in the church, here are five ways to increase giving without feeling like a pitch-person:
- Add an Electronic Payment Option to your Church Service – with the advent of smart phones, texting payments and other solutions, people only need a cellphone in order to give electronically. ShelbyNext Giving offers services to help your church walk down this new road. Studies show that electronic giving can increase donations by up to 32%.
- Make Recurring Contributions Easy – Many people prefer to automate the important things in their life. They use different systems to make sure their mortgage payment is sent automatically and their water bill is deducted on the due date. Many people even use their bank’s system to make these payments. At the very least, you should have an “automated contributions” page on your website with instructions on how people should designate their contributions using their bank’s automated-payment settings. If you want to take it to the next level, allow members to schedule those contributions using their debit card without ever having to leave your website.
- Retailers Referral – This online tool allows your church members to make money for your church while they do their normal shopping online. You may not know it, but most online retailers (like Amazon) have a 2-5% associates’ fee they will pay to people who refer customers to their site. It is not added to the purchase, but taken out of the company’s profit.
- Start a Christian Financial Counseling Ministry – Many people’s finances are so tight that they cannot see a way to give to the church. Though the goal of ministries like these is not to increase giving, they do help people find financial stability and freedom so that they are able to discover the joy of giving to the cause of Christ. You might start by researching other churches that offer this type of ministry. Call them and ask for advice.
- Help Businesses Give – Many churches look only to their members and attendees as those who are interested in supporting the mission and ministry of their congregation and miss a whole category of contributions. Often times, local businesses are more than willing to partner financially in what the church is doing. Here are a couple ideas to get your brainstorming started:
- Sunday Lunch — Many restaurants will share a portion of customer’s bills as a fundraiser for an organization. Consider having a first Sunday lunch location where members can give back by going to lunch after church.
- Event Sponsors — Many local businesses love to partner on events like fall festivals and Easter family events. Next time, ask local businesses to sponsor a specific game or area.
- Business Directory — Your members would love to support businesses who support your church. Create a sponsored business directory that fills that desire and helps your local businesses partner with your ministry.
You don’t have to turn your church service into some sort of Christian infomercial. With a few simple updates, you can help enable your church members to do what they already want to do: give generously to the work of God.
Shelby Systems is committed to helping churches large and small streamline their giving process. We provide the software and the plan that can help your church make the leap to digital giving. To find out how, contact one of our Ministry Consultants today. And don’t forget to ask about our special Digital Giving Package!