Offering: Will that be Debit or Credit?
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 08/07/2007 at 3:27 PM
Time.com reports on the trend of electronic giving in the church. In Dallas, a recent poll found that 55% of 200 local churches accept credit and/or debit cards. And some have added debit card swipe machines in their lobbies. The move toward paperless giving appeals to a generation with an aversion to carrying cash.
Automatic checking account withdrawals are used by some churches, and more recently, ATM-like kiosks are now available in many church corridors and lobbies, where parishioners can swipe a card and receive a printed receipt, which they can either save for the IRS or plunk into the collection basket with a flourish, so pew mates will know they're not spiritual freeloaders.
The card-swipe kiosks were a brainchild of Dr. Marty Baker, pastor of Stevens Creek Community Church in Augusta, Georgia. They were so successful in his own church that he now markets the devices privately and has placed them in 35 congregations across the U.S. "People don't carry cash," he says, noting that total income from contributions has increased 18% since the first kiosk was installed in 2005. Coins and paper money now account for less than 5% of that total.
I laughed when I read about dropping the receipt into the offering plate with a flourish, but I wonder about the change from plate to plastic. Will giving simply become a financial obligation like every other online bill? Is there anything sacred about dropping a tangible offering into the plate? Whatever your opinion on that, a change seems unavoidable.
MondayMorningInsight.com Editor Todd Rhoades predicts that electronic giving will inevitably grow. "I often hear people say that the only check they still write each month is to the church," he says. "It seems that everything else has gone electronic; the church will follow."
1. Vincenzo said the following at 3:41 PM on Aug 7:
I admit I pay my tithes using a debit card, since it still comes from my checking account. I think that using a credit card to pay tithes is a bit of a stretch though. I mean think about it, would God want someone to go into debt like that to pay their 10%?
2. James Jenkins said the following at 3:49 PM on Aug 7:
I wondered if anyone would get around to going electronic with the tithing process. Honestly, I'm surprised it's taken this long to become widespread. I can't remember the last time I had any significant amount of cash in my wallet.
On the flipside, it speaks volumes to the atmosphere of our society. We have come to demand the utmost in convenience from every aspect of our lives, even from the offering plate.
Interesting...
3. Ted Slater said the following at 3:54 PM on Aug 7:
My wife and I do the automatic checking account withdrawal thing. We're supporting our church financially, but not really experiencing the weekly "put the money in the plate" feeling; we really don't have much of an emotional connection with our tithing, which leaves me wondering if we're missing out on something by not literally putting anything into the offering plate. On the other hand, we haven't missed a week since we started! :-)
4. Ang said the following at 4:03 PM on Aug 7:
Giving is a matter of the heart, not a matter of finances or convenience. It's not the method by which you give, but WHY you give. So i say c'mon ATM's and credit card machines, it only gives people more reason to examine why they don't give if it is, in fact, so easy.
I wonder if there was any debate when paper checks became the new rage in giving...
5. Mike Theemling said the following at 4:05 PM on Aug 7:
"Please slide your cards into the offering device as it is passed on by"
Honestly, I have no problems with this, and in some ways it's a good idea to go electronic. Money doesn't have to be counted/sorted, checks don't have to be processed (including returns), and it is better record keeping for individuals for tax purposes.
6. BDB said the following at 4:42 PM on Aug 7:
Hmmm...how does the math work when it comes to frequent flyer miles? Do you need to tithe on them, too?
But seriously, if you're deducting your giving on your taxes, you need a record of that giving. I also don't see how you can designate your giving for a specific thing, such as a missionary, using an electronic method. I'll stick with checks. Though, admittedly, I pretty much only use checks for church any more.
7. Carrie said the following at 4:50 PM on Aug 7:
There was this article in the local paper some weeks ago:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/life.aspx?articleid=18460&zoneid=10
I was actually surprised to read about such a phenomenon! The day the deaconate at my church allows such a thing will be the day just before the Lord returns! My pastor once told the congregation "If you think your tithe and offering is just like another bill . . . shame on you!"
I will admit it save a few trees to be able to debit it from my account, but then again I do not want to view my tithe and offering "just like my other bills". So, its best to avoid the temptation.
8. DannieA said the following at 5:22 PM on Aug 7:
What's wrong with using checks???? That's still literally putting something into the plate....seriously people....has it really come to this???
9. Trin said the following at 6:21 PM on Aug 7:
Like BDB, I only use checks anymore for Church giving. I thought about going the electronic route for awhile while at a church that had that option (my current church does not). There is certainly a convenience about it that would make it harder to forget to give. In the end that was why I decided not to use it, though. I think that for me, the convenience would take away from the reverence and intention in giving my offering. It adds weight to the event when I have to physically write out what I'm giving and then physically hand it over.
Josh
10. Jonathan from Canada said the following at 6:22 PM on Aug 7:
Sometime between the Old Testament and the New Testament, offerings to God switched from actual items (e.g. calves) to precious metals (i.e. coins). This can hardly be said to have been a negative development to the concept of tithing.
Sometime after those bits of metal, Christians around the world began to give paper notices of those bits of metal (i.e. paper bills). This too was not negative to tithing.
Sometime after that, governments went off gold and silver standards and issued fiats. The money became worth whatever the government could trick people into thinking it's worth. This too was not negative to tithing.
Now, offering is about to take the form of digital signals that represent the government fiat that represents the worth of tangibles. This is not a convincing problem to me.
I certainly do not wish to bring a calf to church--and even if I did I would probably have purchased it with a credit card.
11. Leah said the following at 6:54 PM on Aug 7:
If giving was going to become an obligation like paying the bills, it would have done so a long time before plastic. People have been paying bills a long time. Plastic isn't what makes it become obligatory.
Anyway, most churches I've come across in Aus use good old cash. You come across a check every so often, and I've only heard of a handful of churches (mainly pentecostal) that use electronic means.
12. Leah said the following at 6:56 PM on Aug 7:
Vincenzo: using a credit card doesn't mean you're in debt. As long as you have enough money to pay the credit card bill at the end of the month, you're not in debt.
13. Jacob said the following at 7:14 PM on Aug 7:
I don't see any problem with it, but it seems very odd. It is really just the same as normal tithing, and also avoids the Pharisaical (yes, that is a word) temptation of public giving. It is just too new-fangled for us here savages in Montana.
14. brx said the following at 7:24 PM on Aug 7:
Though I clearly see the convenience factors, I see a subtle and frequent miscommunication when various ministry oragnizations advertise "you can use your Visa/Mastercard to give". Considering the general debt/credit problems in society today; if we are going to be promoting these paperless transactions, I think we should be careful to suggest using "Direct-debit or Check-card" rather than credit cards. Also, because credit cards - the mainstream names like Visa, Matercard, Amex, Discover - have for so many years been promoted as the tool and keys to instant gratification, it makes me a little uneasy when I see these associated with Christian giving.
Convenience is nice... but surely there is something to be said about the discipline of planning for your giving as well, before you go to the place of worship.
Slightly different but related thread - A wise word an older Christian brother mentioned to me: it's good to think about your tithe when you're considering how much house you can afford. Most loan officers don't ask about your giving habits, you need to pay attention to that yourself.
15. Joy W. said the following at 7:33 PM on Aug 7:
I write checks for just two things now: tithe/offering and rent. (And now that I've moved to a new apartment complex, I might go with the auto-withdrawal for rent.)
That said, I really don't WANT to go auto-withdrawal with my tithe, and I'd prefer not to go plastic even though I use that for everything else.
I WANT to have to make the conscious choice twice a month to give the first part of my income to God. If I'm not writing out the check, I know I'm missing something from the experience of giving. (It may not be that way for everyone, but it is for me.)
Vincenzo: Regarding your concern about people going into debt to pay their tithe with their credit card, credit card use doesn't always mean debt. I use my credit card as a debit card, using it to pay for nearly everything. However, I VERY rarely pay interest because I don't carry a balance; I pay it off each month.
16. Ivy said the following at 7:44 PM on Aug 7:
I don't think I will ever give by debit or credit card. I don't like automatic deposit, I like the feel of my paycheck in my hand and personally putting it in the bank. I'll pay by check, or cash if I was at the bank recently, but that's as far as I go.
I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with giving by debit, although credit is something that does bother me. Even if I do have the funds to pay, it's still like you're borrowing money to pay God. I don't like it.
17. Joshua Pettett said the following at 7:55 PM on Aug 7:
Though I know it's rather commonplace, I actually find the idea of passing a plate to be odd, as I've gotten used to giving being done in private on most occasions. The church I participate in just has a little offering box in the back so that people can give without the temptations of compulsion or being showy (2 Corinthians 9:7; Matthew 6 1-4). Not the most profitable method I'm sure, but then, we don't do church for the money anyway. :-)
18. Marci said the following at 8:00 PM on Aug 7:
Hey All,
This is interesting. I don't think it's wise to encourage credit card use for offerings. There are times where a pastor will plead with the congregation for money, and will begin to guilt trip people into giving offering (beyond just tithes is what I speak of here) that they are 1) not led by the Holy Spirit to give and 2)simply cannot afford. I think it's just horrible that the credit card can be used in such circumstances to justify digging people into financial holes.
I should stress that not all pastors do this - and that I truly believe in giving freely, and saving towards such endevors - but I just can't handle credit cards for offering because well-meaning people who may feel guilty about giving 'the widows mite' may be easily manipulated into spending beyond their means (ie. giving more than the mite because there are credit cards now that weren't around then....)
Blessings to All!
19. James said the following at 9:10 PM on Aug 7:
I'd just feel WRONG if I used my plastic to give at church. I just write a check, actually.
Now, I do give to missions and that I do do by credit card, but that's not to a local church-based mission organization either.
20. dave said the following at 9:37 PM on Aug 7:
I use my online bill pay for tithing. I just cant consist remember to bring a check. I still havent used all my checks from when I opened my account 5 years ago.
I do think there is something nice about dropping something in the offering. Our church views giving as part of worship. It is done after the sermon every week at the same time we do communion. People come up in a line and take communion and drop off there gifts. It may sound like paying for communion but it actually works really well. We communicate every week that giving is for regular attenders and members only. I do the online bill pay because it is the best way for me to consistently give my first fruits to the Lord.
21. Leah said the following at 11:09 PM on Aug 7:
Joshua: an offering isn't going to be profiting people, whether it's taken up by plate or not.
The point is, a church needs money to survive. You cannot get around that.
I think a lot of people who give into a plate wouldn't give in a box sitting down the back of the church. And not because they feel obliged or guilted into placing money in a plate, but simply because they'd forget the box was there, or they wouldn't get round to it, or... etc.
I think we should make it as easy as possible for people to give, without guilting them or making a public show of it.
22. Leah said the following at 11:19 PM on Aug 7:
I read the link Carrie posted.
"Mrs. Hall said Christ United Methodist didn't hold a financial campaign for the current church year but does send out quarterly statements to make people aware of how much they've given."
... churches keep track of what individuals pay? I understand this is going to happen anyway with electronic donations and with cheques, but cash? I think it's kinda rude to try and put names to amounts of money.
23. JRW said the following at 11:27 PM on Aug 7:
My church has the option of giving in the offering plate that is passed during the service, or giving in a little box near the doors, or giving online. I personally have gone to online giving because of the convenience, but I wouldn't criticize anyone who gave to the Lord another way. As long as a child of God follows His instructions about giving, whatever specifics He left for you to decide are between you and Him only.
1. Give of your first-fruits.
Proverbs 3:9-10. "Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."
2. Give at least ten percent.
Malachi 3:10. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows."
3. Give cheerfully.
2 Corinthians 9:7 "Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver."
4. Give in secret.
Matthew 6:3-4 "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
(Note: I would tend to think that giving in secret could include folding your check in half or putting your cash in an envelope, so only God knows how much you are giving.)
24. Melody said the following at 11:33 PM on Aug 7:
I do think the use of credit cards could be a problem as Marci explained above.
I would probably not attend a church that had some sort of large cash machine in the lobby... Other than that, I haven't much problem with electronic tithing. I think Jonathan from Canada explained it well.
As a fellow Canadian, I was hoping Jonathan would use the word -cheque- and spell it properly. ;)
25. Melody said the following at 11:36 PM on Aug 7:
... I mean that I would feel odd going to a church with a cash machine type thing prominent in the lobby. It would feel too sacrilegious to me and I would hesitate to bring a non-Christian friend in case s/he got the wrong idea.
26. Sherie said the following at 6:14 AM on Aug 8:
Hmm ... kiosk's in the church, that's interesting! My church hasn't made it there yet and still 'passes the plate' every Sunday. However, they do offer automatic paycheck deduction for church employees.
I've been having my tithe automatically pulled out of my paycheck since I started working for the church two years ago. While at first it would appear like it doesn't require as much thought and there is the temptation to treat it like 'just another bill', it's not like that for me. To me it requires a greater faith on my part to give this way, because my 10% is already given before I can question whether or not I can afford it, leaving me to rely on God to help me work out the rest of my finances. Yes, it is convenient, but I also like the twice-a-month test of my faith in God to provide for my needs.
All in all, I agree with what someone said above, I don't think it matters what form of giving you use (cash / check / debit / kiosks) ... so long as you do it with intentionality, a 'right' heart, and full faith in God's provisions for his children.
27. Robert J Espe said the following at 7:30 AM on Aug 8:
I think you can pay electronically without it being "another bill". But either way, I view tithing as a discipline, much like prayer or Bible reading. It's always good for you, it isn't always a warm fuzzy.
I hate checks, they take time to clear, and my bank statement no longer looks like my register, which makes balancing more work. I could use money orders, but then I have to go get them made. Because of this, I don't actually make out a check until the money in the tithe envelope is over $100.
I think paypal would be nice, then I could initiate the electronic transfer. It would still be paperless, but I would be responsible for giving. Besides I have a variable income, and I just tithe 10% off each paycheck, so a uniform, monthly withdrawal wouldn't work for me, since I'm the only one who knows how much I will be giving.
28. Justice said the following at 9:32 AM on Aug 8:
I personally like going to my church's website and giving as soon as I get paid
29. BeautyReborn said the following at 9:52 AM on Aug 8:
My church offers online giving. It will store your account information, but you have to go in each time you give and put in the amount and you can specify if it is tithe, missions, building fund or another ministry. I love the convenience of it and that I still get to practice the discipline of giving each time I get my paycheck and that I can specify amounts for other ministries.
As for printing a receipt to place "with a flourish" into the offering plate - that lends itself to giving for the glory of man instead of an act of obedience and worship. Keep the receipt in you pocket!!
30. nikki said the following at 10:24 AM on Aug 8:
I do admit there is something seemingly odd or "off" about giving electronically (and I mean giving money you ALREADY HAVE; credit cards are an awful concept regardless). But I figure that if I used hard cash, I'd have to take that money out of an ATM before I brought it to church anyways. (Oh no -- that's convenient! Sacrilege!) I have given to organizations and charities through online check payment and I still feel just as joyful that I was able to help further the Kingdom. Even more so because I was able to do it from the "secrecy" of my own home, making anonymous gifts. I would certainly find it easier to give to my own church if they allowed me to give online. Since many people these days rarely use checkbooks, it's simply a matter of getting with the times and offering what is simplest for the congregation. It is just like using PowerPoint instead of singing out of a hymn book. There may be a certain feeling of authenticity that comes from singing with a hymnal, but it's just plain easier to follow along when you see it on the wall. There's nothing WRONG with it just because it's new and easy!
Where did we get the idea that unless it's out-of-your-way and inconvenient, it isn't really worship?
31. Marty Baker said the following at 10:29 AM on Aug 8:
It amazes me how the press has been so interested in our giving kiosks at Stevens Creek Church (stevenscreek.net). The idea was something that God placed on my heart in the fall of 2003. I searched and searched for a pre-made solution and could not find one. The next comment may be hard for some folks to grasp, but on June 6, 2004 at 5:45 AM, the Lord woke me up and said, "I've called you to do this." It was clear prompting from the Lord. I asked the Lord to open the doors. I have just walked through the doors that He has opened.
Last year I was having lunch with my wife at a Mexican restaurant when I received a call saying that a reporter from the L.A. Times wanted to talk to me about SecureGive. I knew at that moment that my life was about to change. It has. This year has been out of the ordinary. I constantly pray that God will give me the wisdom to do what He has called me to do.
When you see an article on SecureGive or Stevens Creek Church, please say a prayer, "God touch those folks ... they really need it."
Be blessed today.
Marty Baker
martybaker@stevenscreek.net
32. Katrina said the following at 10:40 AM on Aug 8:
Earlier this year, I seriously considered switching to tithing with my credit card because, as others have mentioned, it's a lot less hassle. However, I'd heard somewhere that credit card companies charged fees to organizations that accepted them, so I emailed a Christian humanitarian agency that I support and asked whether that was the case. Their reply: "Credit card merchant fees range from 1.9% to 2.5%. Some cards also charge .08 to .20 per transaction and .5% non-qualifying fees. We would encourage you to pray about which option is best for you from a stewardship perspective."
I did pray about it and just can't justify that I should allow the credit card company to profit from my giving. At least for me, I think good stewardship means spending that extra bit of time to make sure my tithe goes completely toward the Lord's work.
33. Mandy said the following at 12:26 PM on Aug 8:
I would be way excited if I could pay my tithe with my debit card!! It would make it much easier to remember to pay my tithe. Also, I like the idea of NOT putting something in the offering plate. Even when I give by check, I usually have to mail it to the church or bring it to the church office during the week because I forgot to bring the check with me on Sunday. This means that no one but the offering counter sees me give, and I like that. It helps me make sure that my giving is truly for God and not for those in the pews around me.
34. BB said the following at 12:41 PM on Aug 8:
I wish my church would do that. I write checks to two places. Internet and church. Everything else is debit or automatic withdraw. I can't remember the last time I went in a bank. For those who stick to putting things in a plate, either they like giving so the left hand sees what the right is doing or they are too old to trust this plastic money. I've been saying for years that this is the future. Churches who refuse to do this are keeping a lot of younger men from the privilege of supporting God with their money. A lot of churches are getting worried about the future of giving by this younger generation. They are probably churches who still refuse to have a website and power point. An earlier blog article said the leaders of the church should the age of the disciples (in their 20s). I think this would be one of the changes that they would make.
35. Andrew (tlw) said the following at 7:31 PM on Aug 8:
Hi Jonathan from Canada,
Nice to see someone else that recognises fiat for what it is - a promise to pay based on the ability to tax the productive means of those who actually generate wealth. Personally, I don’t think it would matter what currency is used, be it continental, dollar, Franklin, Amero … people would just give to their churches whatever currency has been declared the legal means of tender.
Our church encourages us to give to the Lord by direct transfer, which we do. It does seems strange, but it’s definitely convenient. Although, most of the faithful I know just use a fiat currency without questioning what it actually is. It’s a shame, as the continual expansion of the monetary base through inflation does erode savings and reduce our purchasing power.
I spoke to our pastor on this topic, but I suspect he was being kind by hearing me out. I had thought of developing an in-house course at church teaching the difference between money and currency, what inflation is, how central banks work, and so on. To say I met with little enthusiasm or interest is understating it. And I doubt that the church will be opening an E-gold account for its donations anytime soon.
Oh well. I try my best!
36. Karen said the following at 12:46 PM on Aug 9:
No, there is nothing sacred about dropping your offering into the plate. Why should there be? Money is money, and if we're giving it to the Lord for the right reasons I don't think He cares whether it's with a debit card or cash.
37. Karen said the following at 12:54 PM on Aug 9:
"Churches who refuse to do this are keeping a lot of younger men from the privilege of supporting God with their money." BB, I hope Christian young men aren't being put off from giving to the church simply because they can't do it by debit/credit card. If they really consider it a privilege they won't let the fact that they might have to *gasp* write a cheque stop them from giving to the Lord. :^)
38. kaj said the following at 3:35 PM on Aug 9:
From what I read in the Bible, the practice of passing around plates/baskets/other containers to collect offering during the church services did not exist.
Joash set a chest for collecting the offering outside the house of the Lord (2 Kings 12:9). Jesus observed the widow throwing in her two mites into an offering box, but it is not specified where it was located (Luke 21:1-4).
For some, electronic giving may be favored because it is convenient and private. But for those who want to pay with cash and checks, that is their decision.
Some people like to set up automatic payments because that way guarantees that payments go out on time, and are not forgotten. Maybe some would embrace scheduling payments to their church to avoid forgetting to pay at all.
39. Ellie said the following at 11:30 AM on Aug 10:
I never carry cash anymore, but I write a check for the offering. It's almost the only check I write anymore, since so many places no longer accept them. Through J.H. and H.S., I steadfastly refused a debit card, wanting to hold on to my checks - a tangible evidence of my spending. I reckoned swiping plastic was a bit too easy. Eventually, I caved in, however, after being denied one too many necessary (and probably unnecessary) purchases. : )
40. Richard said the following at 2:03 PM on Aug 9:
Next time you think it is weird to make an offering by debit / credit, remember that in Old Testament times people offered goats and lambs and pigeons at the temple. Seeing someone come to church with an animal to sacrafice would be more wierd to me than paying by debit / credit.