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The Church Guide to Coronavirus

POSSIBLE DISRUPTION #3: Decreased Giving

On a given Sunday, a high percentage of giving happens through the offering plate. Although church use of online giving and giving apps continue to grow, if attendance should drop, giving will most likely drop.

To make giving easier, consistent and without the need for passing a plate, your church may want to consider online giving platforms. Churchgoers have the freedom to decide how much they want to donate and how frequently, and even have the choice to automate their giving by setting up recurring gifts. From debit cards to credit cards to automatic bank withdrawals, church online giving platforms make tithes and offerings easy for everyone.

(You may also find that the core of your church may be motivated to give extra during this time of crisis so that your church will be more prepared to serve the needs inside your church and in the community. This may be one of the largest opportunities your church has had to share the Gospel in words and deeds.)

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR CHURCH’S FINANCIAL NEEDS

There are several things you can do now to prepare for any impact COVID-19 will have on your church. Here are a few ideas.

Build a financial reserve in case giving decreases for a period of time.

• Do a special offering to build a reserve and to provide resources for serving the needs of those in your church and community.

• Make it easier for people to give through an online giving platform if you don’t have one. There are some great giving platforms to choose from that can be tweaked to fit your church’s specific needs. We’ve rounded up our five favorite church online giving platforms (in no particular order) to help you provide your congregation with the option to give online or through their smartphones.

SecureGive has a 15-year track record of helping churches grow their giving to further their missions. With cutting edge technology, expert implementation, and biblical stewardship strategy, you’re resourced to grow giving in a sustainable way.

TouchPoint is a powerful cloud-based church management system that equips leaders to grow fully devoted followers of Christ. TouchPoint is designed for mid-to large churches looking for a ChMS solution that is off-the-shelf and customizable.

mobileAxept serves some of the largest and fastest growing churches in the United States. In addition to their GiveNow product they have added ReachNow and ConnectNow to their suite of services.

PushPay provides a complete, robust dashboard that harnesses your giving data to show you where every member of your church is on their giving journey with your church. Not only can you view the complete picture of your donors, you can see individual donors and get customized next-steps to help you invite those people into deeper participation with your church.

easyTithe makes giving easy. With their iOS or Android App, donors can manage their online giving directly from their phones. Members can update payment methods, select specific funds, and manage the frequency with which they choose to give.

Keep reading this Church Guide to Coronavirus to discover practical solutions for the last possible disruption.