Would you like to know how online giving can help you avoid the summer slump in giving? A few years ago I began to write about the importance of having online giving for a church. At the time, 2011, LifeWay Research had just published a report that showed that only 14% of American churches had online giving. I have long contended that in order to increase giving at our churches we must make giving easy. There is virtually no easier way to give than through online giving.
Here is a real life story of a pastor reading my blog, taking my advice and raising significant funds!
Jerris Duncan is the lead pastor at Grace Community Church of Champaign, IL. Grace is an affiliate of LifeChurch.tv. While small, about 150 members, this church is making a significant impact in the Champaign area. As you might imagine with a small membership and a budget of $250K a year making ends meet is difficult. That is especially true when it came to the summer months. Don’t take my word for it listen to what Pastor Jerris said, “Often during the summer we as a staff would gather on Monday mornings to get the report of how much came in the offering the day before. It would sometimes be about half of what we typically brought in. We would have to decide which bills we could pay and which had to be put off.” Does that sound familiar? How many times have you had to delay paying a bill or doing ministry simply because the funds were not there?
Everything changed for Grace Church when they implemented online giving! Then one day Pastor Jerris read a blog of mine where I talked about the need for online giving. His church initiated online giving. What happened was truly amazing. Members signed up for recurring giving through their online partner. In the summer when they went on vacation or to the lake for the weekend their offering still showed up.
“Online giving took the worry out of Monday mornings in the summer for our church,” said Pastor Duncan. What happened was their giving became steady and consistent. For the first summer since they were founded they had a good handle on what would come in weekly as a result of recurring giving. Suddenly bills were paid on time and ministry could move forward! It was and continues to be for Grace Church a game changer.
Let Jerris Duncan’s story be your story! I have helped large churches and churches the size of Grace Church raise more money using online giving. I can help you. Whether you already have an online partner or you need one I have a tool that will help you increase your giving. Find out more here http://thestewardshipcoach.org/online-giving/
On Thursday May 1st at 2 PM EST I will be teaching a webinar on “How to Use Today’s Technology to Increase Giving.” The webinar is free. You will learn great stuff as I teach about this new tool for ministry funding for about the first fifteen minutes. Then you will be given the opportunity to purchase my new manual by the same title that I guarantee will increase your online giving! Again to register go to http://thestewardshipcoach.org/online-giving/
Let’s take the worry out of your Monday mornings this summer by effectively utilizing online giving! I can show you how.
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
Founder and President
The Charis Group and Charis Giving Solutions
Want to know how you can sign up for online giving? Go to http://charisgivingsolutions.com/