Your church may be a place of religious worship, but it also needs funding in order to thrive and grow. Churches often rely on monetary donations from congregation members in order to stay afloat. However, manually collecting those donations year after year can be tedious and ineffective. For that reason, churches that want to thrive in today's digital age should consider turning to church donation technology. Software platforms that now enable giving to churches make donating easier than ever, and they may just be the key to financially thriving for a church that is looking for more effective ways to raise funds.

What Is Church Donation Technology?

Church donation technology includes software platforms that allow people to give money to churches digitally. These platforms can be on websites, via software installed on a device, or via channels that can be accessed remotely (using the cloud or messaging technology). Some popular church donation technology options include giving apps, text-to-give programs, and online donation platforms where people can visit a website or give directly. There are also now contactless collection plates, which take the place of traditional ones and offer churchgoers the chance to simply tap a credit card or digital pay device, rather than giving bills or coins.

How Does Church Donation Technology Benefit Your Church?

Church donation technology is crucial today for churches that want to grow in the coming years. However, it has more benefits than simply welcoming your congregation into the digital age. Some of the most important benefits include the following.

Convenience of the Donation Process

Sometimes people want to donate to a church or nonprofit organization, but they don't know how to donate, or they feel like they do not have the time or energy to go through the donation process. Church donation technology makes giving as easy as simply sending a message from your phone or mobile device. Sixty-two percent of churchgoers say they are more likely to give if they can simply do it via a phone, tablet, card reader, or computer. So, by minimizing obstacles between giving and a potential giver and by offering easy giving options, you can increase the chances that people will donate and maximize the amount of funds you may be able to raise for your organization.

Encouraging Repeat Givers

Church leaders say that people are more likely to give multiple times to a church when electronic giving opportunities are offered. So churches who want repeat givers may want to turn to donation technology, which can help bring in more dependable sources of funds.

Better Tracking

When you receive donations, it's important to log them. This helps you keep track of who gave them, how much the donation was for, what it is to be allocated for, etc. However, doing all of this manually can not only be tedious, but it can also be inaccurate and leave a lot of room for human error. When you have software solutions keeping track of your church donations, you can accurately record who gave how much, to what, and when. You can also have a record should you ever need to show proof of donations later.

More Confident Givers

Studies have shown that people can be wary of donating to churches because they are not sure if the church will allocate their funds to the right places. When you use donation technology, you can let people digitally demarcate where they want their donations used. You can also allocate that money digitally, and you can show people how you used their funds. When people have more confidence that you will use their donations properly, they are more likely to give, which also maximizes the amount of money you may be able to attract during your fundraising efforts.

Church Donation Technology: Consider Choosing NewFire Giving

A recent survey showed about 80 percent of churchgoers now have the opportunity to give to their church via online or digital technology. If you feel ready to raise funds more effectively for your church and join the digital era, consider using NewFire Giving. This digital donation technology can help make giving easier for donors and tracking more convenient and accurate for you. One of the best perks of using NewFire Giving is that they provide coaching with their software. So you can use their expert knowledge to ensure that you are doing the best you can to raise money from potential donors. You can also rely on the content and learning material they give you to improve your fundraising efforts or turn to them if you need help troubleshooting one of the software solutions they provide.

5 Church Online Giving Statistics You Can't Ignore

Before asking themselves “what's the best online giving for my church strategy,” most decision-makers in houses of worship wonder if it's even worth it. If you've never accepted online donations, you probably aren't sure how effective they can be. Ask any church leader who's gone this route, however, and they'll undoubtedly tout their effectiveness. Just look at the statistics to get an idea of the potential.

1. Willingness to Give Digitally

One of the most important statistics related to online donations is the fact that 60 percent of congregants are willing to give digitally. This is a huge number considering the ease with which you can use a church donation management program. Unfortunately, only 16 percent of churchgoers actually give electronically.

What's going on with this discrepancy? The fact is, many churches don't offer online donation options. Congregants want to give digitally, but many simply aren't given the ability to do so. By failing to offer this choice, churches are missing out on large sources of giving.

2. Donations Made with Cards

Utilizing a church giving app was once unheard of when it came to tithing and donations. Of course, this is because “apps” didn't even exist until very recently. Now that they do, however, a full 49 percent of all church giving transactions are done through a credit or debit card.

While there's no guarantee that you'll lose these donations by not accepting card payments, it's a pretty safe assumption that you're missing out. Only accepting funding the traditional way is certainly your right, but the best online giving options for your church will ensure you reach out to the nearly half of givers who use cards.

3. Preference of Most Engaged Congregants

We all know a few churchgoers who are CEO (“Christmas and Easter only”) attendees. On the opposite side of the coin, there are countless congregants who come in every time the doors are open and attend events throughout the week. The latter group is made up of those who are most likely to donate.

So, what do those individuals prefer? Research has shown that 80 percent of those who attend at least two activities or church groups a week prefer giving electronically. There's no doubt that many of these dutiful attendees with still give without the option, but why take the chance when we can cater to their preferences?

4. Tithing Has Gone Down

It's surprising just how long statistics have been kept on tithing throughout history. In fact, we know exactly what congregants were giving at least back to the Great Depression. Today, only 3.4 percent of churchgoers tithe the 10 percent that's set forth in the Bible. Back during the Great Depression, this number was 21 percent higher.

What can we learn from this? To start, we know it's not the economy. Even during the worst of the Depression, our grandparents were proportionally tithing more than we do now. Better yet, what does this have to do with the best online giving for your church?

It actually leads us right into our final statistic.

5. Increases Thanks to Online Tithing

So, how can we make up for the fact that fewer families are donating the biblical tithing amount? It all comes down to digital giving. Statistics show that overall donations increased by 32 percent in churches that started taking online donations.

There's no way to understate the absolute significance of this statistic. This means that an average church that took in $1,000 in donations weekly would see giving increase to $1,320. Regardless of your church's size and weekly giving amounts, this increase can help you do much more than you're currently capable of.

Find the Best Online Giving for Your Church

If there's one thing that comes close to being as certain as the words of the good book, it's that the truth is in the numbers. Surveys, research, and statistics consistently show that accepting online donations is the perfect way to increase tithing. If you're ready to find the best online giving tool for your church, give us a call today so you can focus on your mission instead of worrying about how to fund it.

Since 1990, church donations in the U.S. have been in decline.

As a result, missions are looking for new ways to increase contributions. In the smartphone era, many churches are looking online to engage with new members.

But is technology alone enough to make a difference?

Many online donation providers have entered the market in recent years. And churches have found that payment gateways can be effective — but they're a piece of a much larger puzzle. Vanco is a popular solution. Read on for more information.

Who Is Vanco Payment Solutions?

Vanco describes itself as a payment solutions provider for churches, nonprofits, and schools.

With a selection of payment gateways, Vanco enables churches to receive online donations. This includes website portals, mobile apps, text-to-give, and donation kiosks.

It's a simple premise: With more ways to reach members, there are more ways to receive donations.

A Vanco Payment Solutions Alternative – NewFire Giving

Receiving a donation requires much more than a payment gateway.

In fact, the donation itself is often the final step in a much longer process.

Payment gateways make the act of donating very easy.

But to increase donations, churches need to learn why people donate in the first place.

Every church does great work. And every church has a great mission. But this doesn't always translate into donations.

NewFire Giving has a different approach to church donations. They offer their own branded, flexible payment gateways — but that's only the first step.

NewFire works with churches to develop a complete donation strategy. With education and training, churches invest in their own financial security.

Package Comparisons – Vanco vs. NewFire Giving

Both Vanco and NewFire Giving offer online payment solutions. Churches can customize each format with their own branding.

• Online forms are a simple website solution. Members can donate via computer or smartphone, no matter where they are. Donors can use debit, credit card, or direct bank transfer. Contributions can be one-off, or recurring payments.
• Smartphone apps continue to grow in popularity, particularly with younger members. Users can make donations and save their details for future contributions.
• Text-to-give allows instant donations via SMS. Text-to-give is fast, simple, and encourages first-time donors. It can also promote church-wide campaigns.
• Giving kiosks are a physical donation solution in a modern format. Members make donations via tablet in a comfortable environment.

While offering similar products, there are differences between Vanco and NewFire.

Vanco's online payment forms are easy to embed, but can be difficult to use on mobile phones. Mobile use is now matching or exceeding desktop use. It's important that online forms are mobile-friendly.

NewFire Giving has a strong focus on desktop and mobile devices. Their online forms are simple, yet effective. Churches can also customize the forms to include specific funding targets.

From here, the difference between NewFire Giving and Vanco becomes more obvious. Vanco's main products are its payment gateways, whereas NewFire offers a vision of a long-term solution.

With their “Ignite” framework, NewFire works with churches to develop donation strategies. After an initial assessment, there's education, action plans, and coaching sessions.

NewFire's has designed its Ignite program to empower churches. They learn how to encourage donations — rather than ask for them.

What Does Vanco Cost?

Vanco offers several different pricing brackets. They vary depending on the size of the church, and the amount of donations received per month.

Their suggested plan is $49 per month. On top of this, the church pays a percentage from each transaction. Depending on the payment method, a $60 donation carries a fee between $0.83 and $2.45. For large churches, they offer custom pricing upon request.

Vanco's product range is simple and well-priced. They offer technical support, but no further coaching or strategy. This leaves churches on their own to create donation plans.

NewFire Giving's value offering is much more extensive. In addition to online payment solutions, the focus is on coaching and strategy.

NewFire's most common plan starts at $147 per month. This includes the payment gateways, as well as the Ignite coaching program. Churches receive education, training sessions, and a monthly Q&A strategy call.

When comparing Vanco and NewFire, it's clear that there are two value levels. Vanco's focus is on payment gateways, whereas NewFire delivers an entire framework.

For NewFire, payment gateways are the final step — not the solution.

Churches that want basic online payments may find Vanco to be a good fit.

For others, they may want a sustainable donation strategy. In this case, it may be worth looking into the NewFire program.

Vanco Payment Solutions – Reviews

Vanco's payment platforms have generally received fair-to-good online reviews.

As Frank Kehl from Merchant Maverick writes:

“…they're an excellent choice for churches, nonprofits, and professional services…”

But after a merger in 2018, several Vanco employees raised problems:

“The merger of Veracity and Vanco Payments is still going through some pains.”

“A lot of change is going on and sometimes it feels like they are leaving employees out of the loop on what is happening.”

“The company has had 3 CEOs in a year, along with 4 CIOs. No real direction.”

It seems that although Vanco has some good products, it faces some internal struggles. If they're unable to resolve these problems their future could be in jeopardy.

Vanco vs. NewFire Giving – Which Is Better?

Vanco provides a simple way for church members to make online donations. With website forms, apps, and text-to-give, they offer all the standard options. While the gateways are basic, some churches may find them limiting.

In the end, it's very hard to increase donations without a strategy.

NewFire Giving offers a more complete approach. And their focus on the process has the potential to yield much better results.

Rather than asking for more donations, churches can develop a long-term plan. Payment gateways are only effective if members have a desire to use them.

By understanding their own core values, churches can reach more followers. They can also meet — and exceed — fundraising targets.

If you're looking to develop a donation strategy, NewFire Giving can help. They offer free church giving assessments, to help you discover your donation potential.

Remember, you should focus on the mission — not funding it.

An innovative source for church-related mission funding is here. NewFire Giving provides forward-thinking methods to contribute to church missions. The company offers online donations, as well as a convenient text-to-give option. Mobile-friendly services are a crucial part of the way our world now functions. This highly convenient text option allows members and supporters to give at their discretion, in seconds. This is a function that can drastically and instantly boost your donation rate.

Presently, more than 2,300 churches use digital giving services from NewFire Giving. Every day, more people get to know the benefits offered by this particular platform. This platform provides users with the tools and abilities to boost contributions and also educates users on how to optimize its functionality. The program is intensely focused on uncovering the best methods to increase funding. This, in turn, allows church leaders to stay focused on the mission. Thus, this takes a lot of pressure off the pastor and ministry leaders with regards to raising and securing the funds necessary for daily operations.

With NewFire Giving, churches get the platform they need to spread their message and find funding immediately.

One key feature of NewFire Giving is the self-assessment quiz. The website allows you to complete a self-assessment of your church, which helps determine what the needs of your church are. That way you can get personalized software that can help maximize the funding received for your organization, rather than using generic programs that may have unnecessary, confusing features.

Another amazing benefit of using NewFire Giving is that it offers educational opportunities to all users. Learning new software programs can be a challenge. Also, coming up with strategies to help grow your church and encourage more donations can be a downright daunting task. NewFire Giving offers personalized coaching to help you navigate the software in order to maximize the program and easily expand your church. They also offer online resources for you to educate yourself so you can integrate a strategy to boost donations and contributions. Plus, you can count on your members’ security, as this platform protects privacy while simplifying the donations process.

With “industry-leading technology,” NewFire Giving also focuses on the three C's of stewardship: Clarify, Communicate, and Celebrate. The program is straightforward and easy to learn, and there are tons of resources to help you understand every element of how the platform works. The idea of communication focuses on simplifying the use of this platform among your congregation members and workers. This will allow you to continue to focus on donation growth so you can keep spreading the word about your mission and celebrate your congregation’s milestones.

PushPay is a tech platform that helps churches fundraise. On this platform, you can state your mission and detail exactly what you need to achieve it. Then, donors can give what they want based on the easy-pay feature.PushPay is a mobile giving and engagement center.

The donation software offers a custom app. It includes finance tools and donor tools for those in the faith sector. It is also useful for education providers and nonprofit organizations. It is available in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States. One of the most popular features of PushPay is the ability for donors to choose how often they want to give. They can set up regular monthly, bimonthly, biweekly, or weekly donations.

PushPay is a mobile-friendly platform and allows users to choose their own preferred donation amounts. However, it will take some time to brush up on the program itself and learn to use it to its maximum potential.

The software is a little more complex, but that’s because it also offers other tools for collecting statistics and tracking income. The PushPay app is also customizable, but that comes at a cost. The program is available in different package levels. Each one will cost slightly more than the level before it, but offers more features. To obtain a direct quote, you have to communicate with a member of the PushPay team to discuss which options suit your budget and your needs.

Before you can make a decision, you’ll have to evaluate the differences between NewFire Giving and PushPay. Which advantages matter most to you and your church’s growing needs?

One of the most significant differentiating factors between the two is that NewFire Giving offers practical education for users. In other words, it provides online resources and personalized coaching designed for pastors, along with their ministries, who have a stagnant or declining budget, and teaches them how to reverse this decline. It also allows for ease of communication among members to help build a solid community. PushPay’s main advantage is that it is customizable, but that comes at a higher cost.

In the end, you’ll have to choose the software program that is best for the needs of your church. The bottom line is all churches need to build a strong community that supports their growth. As churches grow, they can continue to give back and focus on their respective missions. Your software program should be simple, secure, and focused. Although NewFire Giving may be newer, it has several important key advantages that could help make a major difference in the growing needs of your church and its members.

Service organizations face a struggle between their core mission and raising funds to support that mission. Ideally, fundraising is a modest strain on church resources. The congregation should spend its energy putting its values into practice. The reality is that church donations are down, even as overall charitable giving is up.

The solution is new technology developed to help churches optimize the giving process. This is a new idea for many congregations but welcomed by leaders who see its massive potential. For many, the choice is between two software solutions: ACS Church Software and NewFire Giving.

A side-by-side comparison of these solutions can help you to assess what's right for your church. Technology can make it easy for people to give. New tools help churches reach a younger, tech-friendly audience. With the right support, you can better assess your fundraising goals. Ultimately, you focus on the mission and not the fundraising.

NewFire Giving Software

What is NewFire Giving?

NewFire Giving offers digitized options for giving. Many non-profits fall behind for-profit commerce by failing to stay up-to-date with new payment methods. Churches are no different. By bringing them into the world of modern commerce, NewFire removes a barrier to giving. This makes it easier to accept spontaneous, one-time, and even recurring donations.

The solution also supports giving through a comprehensive educational program. With these lessons, church leaders learn how to make the giving process more efficient. This is particularly meaningful for people who are not used to donor development and need extra guidance.

In addition, NewFire Giving's IGNITE framework automates messaging. Church staff stays in contact with congregants without taking too much time away from the essential day-to-day workings of the church. Electronic communications such as emails are quicker and easier to dispatch.

The team behind NewFire has been in the church giving space for close to 15 years. Our data demonstrate a strong track record of success. Using our tools, you can increase your recurring giving rate by as much as 39 percent. We believe this so strongly that the program comes with a guarantee of a two-fold increase in digital giving.

Digital Giving Innovations

Traditional giving methods are lost on modern consumers. In the past, congregants might put cash or checks into a donation envelope. Now, there's less cash and paper money than ever before. People pay online for goods and need digital options to give to their church.

NewFire Giving makes this transition easier on churches. The software enables online giving. There is also a smartphone app to facilitate one-tap donations. Text-to-give capability means a donation can happen through a quick text message. Texting is the method for giving that young congregants prefer more than any other.

There's even the option to put a giving kiosk in your church. That way, your community can support missions and events on the spot. At NewFire, we good-naturedly term these kiosks “ATMs for Jesus.” They facilitate the work you do as a church body.

One-on-One Coaching

NewFire goes a step beyond technical support by offering an education program and direct coaching. The modules help you rethink the giving process. You can feel more at ease with taking a new direction with your church fundraising, lifting up the organization without sacrificing your values.

Once a month, users of NewFire Giving have communication with a giving coach who can provide more assistance. Overall, the platform has built-in components that make sure no client is left on their own to figure it out. We know giving is a challenge for many congregations. NewFire is dedicated to making it easier.

Communication Tools

As part of NewFire's IGNITE framework, church leaders can make their communication easier. Tools include letters, emails, postcards and sermon notes, to inspire and engage your community.

Who is NewFire Giving Ideal For?

Because of its modern interface and a wide range of tools, NewFire may be a great fit for your church. The education modules and coaching support may especially help churches that want to revitalize their giving. Being able to reach out to younger congregants means it's easier to spread the message. It's also easier for them to support your cause with digital donation tools.

What Does NewFire Giving Cost?

NewFire Giving offers several packages, tailored to the needs of your specific church. Options include giving software and IGNITE coaching as one comprehensive solution. Some customers choose to receive just the stand-alone coaching program. This coaching-only package is ideal for people who want help building their church's resources, but do not necessarily benefit from new software.

Ultimately, we aim to create a package that meets your needs. We'll work with you to find what fits your budget and gives you the tools you need to grow.

ACS Church Software

What is ACS Church Software?

ACS Church Software is an all-in-one package that focuses on the entirety of church administration. It focuses less specifically on giving. The software, marketed under the name “Realm,” helps staff track attendance, plan events, accept donations and handle all aspects of accounting. Depending on the plan you choose, ACS can provide a way for congregants to communicate with the church through event details and notifications. It is available in a cloud-based or a desktop-installed version.

Among the features of ACS Church Software is a customizable workflow. This helps leaders to develop pathways for specific activities and monitor progress. There is an option for a mobile app for use by the network. Here members can check in, communicate, or post news. Church leaders can track donor history and other essential information.

Who Is ACS Church Software For?

ACS Church Software may be described as a management tool. It is a software solution for churches who want to have everything they need in one place. The software does not focus on bolstering fundraising or giving campaigns. Instead, its main goal is to make the back office more efficient.

ACS has three plans: Inform, Connect, and Multiply. The first is designed for church staff; the second for the staff and congregants; and the third for mega-churches that exist over several campuses. In all plans, the software is best suited for leaders who want an all-in-one solution that does not necessarily prioritize the optimization of fundraising campaigns.

It also may help organizations that have a lot of people they need to contact. Church is about community. In large numbers, leaders may need technology to make sure the right information gets out.

What Does ACS Church Software Cost?

ACS Church Software does not have precise cost information on its website. It does say that for all three packages, price depends on the number of attendees. One can presume therefore that larger churches pay more for the service.

Although there are three plans, one can get the most out of ACS by choosing the largest plan, Multiply. Multiply includes all the features of Connect and Inform. Connect includes all the features of Inform.

What Are Clients Saying About ACS Church Software?

ACS has strong aggregate reviews on SoftwareAdvice.com. Many users praised the completeness of the software, offering everything one needs to run a church. However, some users noted features are not intuitive or easy to use. Reporting features may take some time to learn and it may be hard to search within reports. In addition, the cloud version of the software may have outdated functionality.

What to Do Next?

Each church is a unique community. All do have some common needs. Donations are essential to keep the doors open. It is also important to connect with congregants so the organization is a living and breathing home for people of faith. NewFire Giving and ACS Church Software both aim to help churches in their mission.

Only NewFire, however, has a singular focus on optimizing giving campaigns. This is so church leaders can focus on what's really important to the church body. In order to do this most effectively, some leaders need mentorship. That is why the coaching and education part of NewFire may set it apart from a software application like ACS.

Perhaps the best way to decide what solution is right is to contact NewFire. Visit us online today to schedule a call with an expert who can help you work out the best solution for your congregation. Together we can help you build a community that's living its commitment to faith.

People love to give, especially when their gift or donation impacts their community and the world around them. This hasn't always been the case: Giving USA publishes an annual insight into the world of charitable donations and giving within the church has declined rapidly since the '90s. This past year, however, there has been an uptick in religious giving.

This is great news for your congregation, but the question remains: How do you improve on this uptrend in giving? The answer is largely found in transparency.

Transparency breeds trust and trust is essential when you are asking for money–be it tithes, offerings, or a one-time gift. In fact, the Millennial Impact Report indicates that the generation now stepping into adulthood is less likely to give to organizations that lack transparency and accountability.

How do you become transparent with your congregation? Think of it this way: When you share your story–or testimony–with someone else, your vulnerability invites trust and connection. The same is true when you share the story or mission of the church.

Opening up about money–how it is being used and where it is most needed–builds trust between you, your staff, and your church members. It gives congregations an opportunity to be part of the story of growth, financial blessing, and increase in the church and community.

Here are three simple ways to encourage giving through transparency within your congregation.

Categorize Donations

Rather than letting your church members assume their tithes all land in one big pot, give them an opportunity to see the budget categories every time they give. NewFire's church donation management software allows for an unlimited number of giving categories. Showing different categories for online giving lets you encourage giving to a specific area. It also means your church members can see how money is dispersed every time they open your church giving app.

Create a Monthly Focus

Whether your congregation meets once a week or once a month, you can help create an expectation of giving by taking one gathering a month (or quarter) to focus on a specific need within the church or community. Take a week to focus on missions or another to emphasize community outreach. If your goal is to get new seating for the sanctuary, share that with your congregation and add it as a category in your donation software. Let your church join in the fun of accomplishing that goal together.

Talk Openly About Money

While talking about money may be one of the more difficult topics, it is also the area in which transparency is most essential. People love to know that they are having an impact. Talking about how their monetary gifts impact the church is a great place to start. Your openness about building, salary, and property needs can change the way your church members view their tithes and offerings–for the better.

Transparency may look different for each church or congregation, but the goal is still the same: to let people know that the money they give is making a difference. Bring your church along for the ride. Let them be part of the journey of giving and share in the joy of impacting their church, their community, and other communities around the globe.

Learn more about NewFire Giving's digital giving software or how to increase financial giving in your church when you apply IGNITE, the Church Giving Framework. Check out our complimentary course here.

If you want your church to be as fruitful as possible, you need to ensure that your congregation is as strong is it can be. Many churches work in a traditional fashion, which does not typically fit the needs of today's congregations as well as it did years ago. In order to bring your church into the 21st century, you need to be willing to think outside of the box and try new things. The following guide provides a few ideas your church could implement to make it more appealing to the younger generation.

Don't Waste Money on Useless Technology

There are many different apps being marketed as new and interesting ways to help churches grow and thrive. Some of the apps can seem more beneficial than they really are. Most church offering apps do menial tasks that can be accomplished with standard computer programs. Using simple spreadsheets and a database will cost a lot less money and accomplish the same end results for your church. Using in-house technology can also decrease the chances of your congregation's private information from being hacked or leaked unexpectedly because many apps can be hacked from time to time.

Use Social Media to Reach the Congregation

It's important to recognize that not everyone wants to be on an email list or call list for their church, no matter how much they may love the institution. Most people have very busy lives. Using social media to post information for the congregation ensures that everyone on your list can easily access the information you want to share and that you don't have to worry about them losing it along the way. It's important to spread your message across all forms of social media because not everyone subscribes to every form of social media that is available.

Live Stream Sermons

Things come up from time to time that makes it difficult for people to get to church, but you can live stream your sermons. Live streaming sermons allow people to take part in church without being physically present. Facebook Live is a great option for those who have to travel a lot for business, are homebound or simply don't have a way to get to and from church.

Hold Services on Varying Days

While church is traditionally held on Sunday mornings, you should not be afraid to offer more options for people if your church can make it happen. Holding church one night during the week will enable people who have to work on Sundays to still be fed spiritually even though they have to work on the Sabbath.

If you are wondering about any other changes that you can make at the church to ensure it as beneficial for your community as possible, consider adding a suggestion box somewhere in the building. There are many times when members of congregations see great things that other churches have done or are doing, and they may be able to provide you with new and interesting ideas that you can incorporate into your church. Churches need to be fluid and ever-changing to ensure that they can still preach the word while still adjusting to the changes that occur throughout the world and day-to-day life.

All over the world, organizations are using technology to increase revenue. Your church should be no different.

Over the last 30 years, donations to charitable organizations have steadily increased. Unfortunately, donations to churches have decreased during the same period.

Not only are many churches struggling to meet their missionary goals — they're spending valuable time and effort simply trying to stay afloat.

We have our own mission to turn this trend around, and we'd like to share this with you today.

Digital Giving and the Age of Online Donations

All churches receive donations. Very few have a donation strategy.

Most churches still rely on traditional methods to receive member donations. These often comprise of a humble donation plate, envelope mail-outs, and an old wooden offering box sitting at the back of the church. Sometimes these methods still prove to be effective. But often they can't meet the funding targets churches need to achieve to complete their missionary goals.

In order to modernize their member interaction — as well as increase donation revenues — many churches are moving over to digital donations. This not only removes many of the barriers associated with giving to your church, but it engages a new generation in a more user-friendly, high-tech format.

The act of digital giving is fast, secure and reliable. With an effective message and donation strategy, it can increase both the amount and frequency of member contributions, as well as build a stronger church community.

The most common methods of digital giving take four forms:

Online Giving

The days of mailing a check are all but forgotten, and yet this is still the method many churches rely on to receive donations.

With an online giving platform, members can set up a digital profile on any computer, phone or tablet. With this profile, they can set up a direct debit subscription and make easy donations at a frequency of their choosing.

This completely avoids the “I'll do it next week” syndrome associated with traditional envelope postage and speeds up the entire giving process. Churches receive member donations directly into their nominated bank account and remove the uncertain nature of the postal system.

Many people already use online platforms to pay bills, transfer money and renew subscriptions, so using this same method to donate to their church is a natural and logical progression.

Text-to-give

Especially popular with millennials, this method makes donating to your church as easy as sending a short text message. Text-to-give allows members to donate any amount in a few seconds, using a standard text message format.

This is particularly effective to encourage one-time donations or promote special church-wide campaigns. The simplicity and ease of the text-to-give format makes donating back to the church simpler and faster than ever before.

Donation via App

Mobile apps are one of the most effective ways to receive donations. They also allow people to donate any amount, any time, from any location. NewFire giving provides our customers with the ‘SecureGive' software platform, allowing church members to give regardless of where they are – in church or on the go. The SecureGive app also allows recurring donations, as well as providing users with access to their complete donation history.

Mobile app use is increasing every year, and having a professional donation app available to your members plays a key role in modernizing your church for the current day.

In addition, SecureGive is the only church donation software platform which allows members to make donations via Apple Pay.

Giving Kiosks

Still the preference of many churchgoers, giving kiosks take the traditional in-person donation format and update it for the modern era.

Via a touchscreen tablet, members can quickly log in and make a donation via their credit card. Fast, secure and anonymous, average donations made via giving kiosks are generally higher than those from mobile devices.

Many members still prefer to donate to their church on the premises, and giving kiosks provide a welcome and hands-on method to give back to their local mission.

Technology Alone Isn't Enough

Having all of the newest technology won't guarantee that your funding goals will be met. You also need an effective strategy to engage your members and give them a genuine reason to give back.

Through IGNITE, the church giving framework, you'll see how to develop an action plan which will increase your donations and allow you to meet — and exceed — your missionary funding targets.

With a combination of coaching, development of new strategies and best-in-class software, your church will develop a sustainable donation model to ensure your long-term success.

Featuring 12 modules, the Ignite Giving Framework provides education in areas such as:

• Understanding why someone would give to your church
• How to tell the story of your church's mission in a compelling way
• How to remove the barriers that prevent people from donating
• How to thank your givers and keep them informed
• How to help your givers succeed
• How to prep your givers for economic downturns

A successful mission should be built from the ground up. Your members should truly believe in what you do, what they can achieve as individuals, and that they're part of something special.

For us, helping churches to find success makes our own mission worthwhile. Over the years we've seen some amazing results, and we love to hear feedback from our missionary partners:

“NewFire Giving's framework for giving has increased our giving by 20% every year for the last 6 years.” — Kevin Lloyd, Executive Pastor, Leadbravely.org

Combining expert training with world-leading donation software, you'll have all of the tools you need to focus on growing your mission — not just funding it.

How Struggling Churches Are Learning From the Best

Regardless of who you are or what you do, you can always learn from successful peers. All churches want to succeed, but some are far more effective in funding their missions than others. In the age when church donations are on the decline, it's more important than ever to learn the strategies of successful churches and ensure that your giving model is secure and sustainable.

As part of our free Church Giving Assessment, you'll complete a simple online course that allows you to analyze your current donation strategies and see how these compare to the most successful missions.

You'll learn how successful churches turn one-time givers into regular donors. You'll learn how the best missions effectively communicate their message in person, on social media and via interactive software. Perhaps most importantly, you'll learn how to better understand what it is that you do and how to best convey this message to your followers. This will build better relationships, a stronger church community, and provide the ongoing funding you need to make your mission a great success.

At NewFire Giving we're excited to say we've already worked with over 5,000 churches to do exactly this. We have years of experience coaching and educating missions all over the country. Together, we can help to spread God's word and ensure your church can achieve more than you ever thought possible.

About NewFire Giving

With over 2,300+ churches equipped with digital giving and after consulting with over 5,000+ churches on strategies to increase giving numbers, NewFire Giving is a leader in helping churches counter the church giving epidemic.

We help churches dramatically improve giving numbers while reducing their need to focus all their time on raising funds. The end result is that the church can focus on the mission, instead of focusing on funds to accomplish the mission.

We offer a free church donation course which is designed to counter the church giving epidemic.

Within the course you'll receive:

• A free church giving assessment, which compares your mission against benchmark churches. You'll see what you're doing right and in which areas you can improve.
• A free church giving makeover, which will teach you the methods and tactics used by successful churches to increase their donations year after year. There are nine modules containing simple, step-by-step instructions.
• A free “battle plan” which gives you a church giving blueprint and actions you can take over the next six months to make your mission successful and sustainable.

Take your free 30-minute online assessment.

We believe that every church has a unique contribution and a genuine reason to be funded. That's why we work with churches to find their voice and grow closer to their members. Through stronger relationships with givers, churches can increase donations and spend more time focusing on their mission, rather than on fundraising efforts.

For more information on how we can improve the donations of your church, get in touch.

Stewardship. Tithing. Budgets. Money is a necessary part of ministry. Without it, the church can't function locally or globally. It all starts with the local church congregation.

However, money is one topic no one likes to talk about. Sermons on giving aren't fun to write or to give and certainly not to listen to, at least not too often. They can make your congregants feel motivated, or they can have the opposite effect and have them leaving with the “they're always asking for money” attitude. It's a fine line for sure when you're writing that sermon.

So how do you make the conversation, and the act of giving, easier on your parishioners? The answer could be as close as your smartphone.

Text-to-Give

Chances are, your church already has a way to donate on your website. It works, but it takes time. Givers have to set up an account, put in their credit card information and go through several steps to complete a transaction. While this works for regular giving, it's not that efficient when you want to take a special offering during a service or you have a special campaign you want to fund.

The problem with these special collections is that many of your congregants didn't come prepared to give. Some don't even carry cash these days, and you can forget about a checkbook. This is where Text-to-Give can help.

How It Works

Using Text-to-Give is as simple as sending a text message. You simply create a donation campaign and then publicize the number to text. Users can then text an amount they want to give and complete the transaction in about 7 seconds.

It's that simple, and funds are deposited directly into your bank account. The giver pays for the donation when they pay their wireless bill.

Why It Works

The basic nature of most people is that they want to help others. Sometimes the problem is they don't know how. They don't know from day-to-day who needs help and how to get that help to them. So, when they get inspired and make the decision to give to a cause, Text-to-Give allows them to do so immediately. There's no lag time when they could change their mind or forget about it. It gives new meaning to “strike while the iron is hot.”

When to Use It

Churches and other non-profits can use Text-to-Give any time. You could use it for regular giving if you want, but where it really shines is for special events and campaigns. Here are a few scenarios to consider:

Visiting Missionaries

When missionaries visit and share their passion for their work with your congregation, they often ignite a fervor with your parishioners. Of course, in reality, they are also looking for help funding their work. Getting support from individual churches is often their main source of money. When they visit, set up a code (you can reuse the same one over and over for missionary visits) and publicize it in the bulletin or announce it during the Love Offering you take.

On a side note, missionaries can use this tool as well to create their own on-going campaign. You can give it out at any event, print it on prayer cards, share it on social media and more.

Building Funds

Got a roof that needs replacing, a driveway that's cracked or an AC unit on its last legs? Setting up a Text-to-Give code for your capital improvements campaign can increase giving whenever you bring up the need. Simply share in a special announcement or in a letter to each member outlining the needs at hand.

Community Outreach Events

Reaching out to minister in the community is a great way to bring people closer to God and win souls for the Kingdom. Sadly, these events take money and often lots of it. While you may have a budget category for outreach, a special collection for a specific event can boost your funds. Assign a Text-to-Give code to each one and promote it for several weeks prior to the event. The extra funds can mean the difference between a ho-hum event and one that wows the community and reaches more people.

Compassion Funds

Most congregations have some type of fund available to help out members in need. It can help pay utility bills, put food on a table or pay for rent or medical bills – basically, anything a member might need due to a hardship like a job loss or disability. Set up a special Text-to-Give campaign to help fund this account and periodically ask members to donate.

There might be a special need, or it might just be to replenish the fund. These funds can also help with funeral dinners or meals for families after a medical procedure as well.

The Bottom Line

More money can help keep your church budget in the black and can also help increase the reach it has in the community and the world. Inspiring your congregation to donate to special events and visiting missionaries is easy; the challenge is converting that inspiration to donations. A Text-to-Give program is one way to use technology to do just that, and it's actually the preferred method of giving for millennials.

By making it easier to for members to give, you can increase your donations and maybe not have to give that stewardship/tithing sermon quite so often. For more information and to see if using Text-to-Give is right for you, contact us. We'll be happy to help.

When it comes to giving to churches, there is a gender gap.

Given the current social and cultural climate surrounding the treatment and support of women by institutions, how your church addresses this gap may likely predict whether or not your church survives into the next generation.

First, several key gender giving facts* you may not be unaware of:

• Women control the spending of almost 70% of net worth in the United States.  This is a massive consumer block.  Ever wonder why so many ads are focused on women?
• Women are more generous than men.  In almost every category of giving, when given the opportunity and capital, women out give men.
• Women are more likely to respond to and engage with “impact giving”….. a key shift in charitable giving that is a key factor in how non-profits are getting a greater share of annual charitable giving dollars at the expense of churches.
• As a woman’s income rises, she is more likely to give to charitable causes (incomes for women are rising in most industries and sectors) than men.
• Women are more likely to give to secular causes than men.  So, for example, when organizations fail to confront sexual harassment of women, women donors don’t stick around, they simply find other avenues for their giving.

Combine these facts with the current state of church giving in the United States and there is a potential reckoning for churches who continue the status quo.  They can expect that giving will ultimately fall away from churches that do not embrace women in every aspect of church leadership and direction.

Here are some recommendations to consider as you seek to approach this gender giving gap.

1. When writing giving appeals, have a woman write the language and even present the appeal (if before an audience).  There are subtleties in the writing and speaking of men and women that women can discern and distinguish.
2. Unless a giving appeal is direct to men, lean toward feminine language that focuses on impact and empathy.
3. If you have women and men on your leadership teams and the responsibilities are similar, don’t give a man the title “Pastor” while giving a woman the title “Director.”
4. Men respond to the duty of “Giving to God.”  Women respond to the request to help fund mission and impact.  Define and describe the impact giving will make.
5. Have very clearly written and public policies for how the church will respond in the event of accusations and disclosure of sexual harassment by staff.  Often, churches are caught on their heels by these types of allegations.  Note the recent blow-up at Willow Creek Community Church.  You can go a long way by front-running it.
6. Make your stance on the role of women in leadership clear! There are now websites where churchgoers can search for a church by ranking their “clarity” around social issues. One of those is women in leadership.  This is a relatively new venture and already, over 1400+ churches have submitted scores. https://www.churchclarity.org/scores. How clear is your church?

For centuries, the status of men in the lead of the church has been unquestioned.  The church (like most institutions) has been largely patriarchal for generations.  This is changing.  Today, more and more, women are coming to the front of church leadership and those churches that fail to recognize and embrace this will likely be left behind as funding will follow the progression.

To that end, may we follow Jesus’ example and loft the status of women.  Jesus broke all kinds of social norms to include women in His ministry.   Women like Joanna funded Jesus ministry.  Some of Jesus closest disciples were women (an oddity for a Jewish rabbi).  The women disciples of Jesus did not abandon Him at His crucifixion.  Also, it was to the women that Jesus first revealed His resurrected self.

Finally, (2000+ years later) women are getting the position in the church they deserve.  May God add to the ministry of churches that also embrace these women!

* Giving data from Insidephilanthropy.com & Lilly Family School of Philanthropy: Indiana University–Purdue