Will Church Giving Apps Make Offering Plates Obsolete?

Your parishioners delight in church giving. They rarely miss a tithing opportunity. But they don’t always carry cash. In stores, they often pay with debit or credit cards.

They probably won’t write a check for the offering plate, either. In fact, 6.1 billion fewer checks were written in 2009 than 2006 (ServiceU).

You don’t want to miss out on their gift altogether. How can you make the giving process more convenient? You may love the offering plate tradition, but it’s time to modernize.

Church Giving Apps Can Help

Since cash and checks are off the table, let’s look into other forms of payment. What do your churchgoers always carry? During your next Sunday service, take a look at the crowd. The answer will be clear. In the meantime, though, take a look at these figures:

90% of American adults have a cell phone (Pew Research)

83% of smartphone users won’t leave home without their device (Google)

91% of adults keep their smartphones within arm’s reach (Morgan Stanley)

82% of time spent on mobile phones is within apps (Smart Insights)

If you accept financial gifts via a church giving app, your visitors can make mobile donations right then and there. They can even give tithes and offerings during the week, when they won’t be anywhere near the church building. More fundraising opportunities mean more donations for your church.

Pass the Plate

Will church giving apps and mobile technology do away with one of your most cherished traditions? Should you be worried? Thankfully, the answer is no. Offering plates are here to stay. Churches thrive on tradition, and making such a drastic change would not be an easy task.

Go ahead and pass the offering plate. But keep modern forms of payment in mind, too. Make it convenient for every potential donor to give to your church. Church giving apps should not be ignored or avoided. They should be embraced.