The Potential of Online Giving

As church leaders, cultivating a body of cheerful givers can be a difficult and delicate task. Looking to scripture, it’s clear that God calls His followers to give their lives, their time, their talents, and their money in faith. Not only does God call disciples to give as individuals, but also as a church body. Paul demonstrates this call to giving in his second letter to the Corinthians, as He asks the church to support the Macedonian believers:

Remember this: the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow in you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. -2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (HCSB)

Like Paul, church leaders must encourage members to cultivate a spirit of generous stewardship—not only to meet the needs of the church and serve the community, but to give thanks to God for His continual provision.

Church leaders today not only face the challenge of encouraging members to give, but do so in the face of a growing digital world, where members seek to interact with their church digitally as much as they do physically. For churches not offering any sort of online or mobile giving, members may be less likely to give regularly to their church. With the increased availability of sermons through streaming, podcasts, and blogs, it only makes sense to offer users the ability to give online as well.

For those not already offering online and mobile giving but hesitant to do so, here are a few considerations.... Keep reading

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