It’s no secret that the generous financial gifts of your local congregation are the backbone of sustaining the day-to-day ministry of your church. Not only does it help provide your staff and leadership with a living wage, but regular giving is also a biblical mandate to support the work of the Church and further the Gospel.
In spite of financial gifts being such an important topic, it remains a sensitive subject. In many churches, it rarely comes up on Sundays or in staff meetings. But with so many changes in the method of giving and recent online giving statistics, church leaders can’t afford to let this topic remain taboo—It’s important to talk about money at church strategically.
To help you kickstart the conversation (particularly internally), here are five important online giving statistics that your church needs to know about:
49% of all church giving transactions are made with a card.
When was the last time you wrote out a check? Odds are it’s been quite a while (outside of the occasional bill!). The number of people who make no cash transactions in a week continues to rise at 41%. (source) This points to a continued trend of many people moving towards a “cashless” economy.
This isn’t a trend to shy away from! Instead, consider: How can we leverage this reality?
When it comes to church giving, this statistic reinforces the importance of having online giving options. If you take up your regular tithe, or a donation for a visiting missionary or specific cause, the majority of your congregation won’t be able to respond without offering online formats for giving.
Only 27% of digital giving happens on a Sunday.
The other 73% happens on the other six days of the week. Did this one surprise you?
Many givers are opting to set up their tithe as a recurring online donation as a monthly gift. But this also points to an opportunity during the other six days of the week to give people a chance to respond to extra giving opportunities or special campaigns.
When you have a visiting missionary or a special need for your people to respond to, be sure you are giving people time to consider how they would like to respond. Send a direct link to where additional gifts can be made via email or text. And as an added benefit, anyone that missed that particular Sunday still has a chance to give!
Churches that accept tithing online increase overall donations by 32%.
How about this one?
There are two reasons for this statistic: One is that online giving is quickly becoming the preferred method of tithing and the other reason is that online giving often automates recurring donations. People are busy, and while they have every intention of making regular tithes to your church, they can miss a few donations in the process.
Spiritually, an advanced-decision to be generous can be every bit as meaningful as sitting down to write a check every month is for some people. God calls us to be intentional with what we have, and directing our monthly dollars towards the Church is a God-honoring action.
By offering online tithing options, you not only make the process easier for your givers but you also allow them to automate the regular process of giving. This will naturally increase the total amount your church will receive as you make consistency easier!
77% of people who tithe regularly give 11% to 20% of their income.
Did you know that of those who tithe regularly, 77% of them give 11% to 20% of their income? Sometimes they give even more! This makes it clear that people are going above and beyond the standard one-tenth originally shared in Leviticus 27:30 and echoed throughout the New Testament.
The people of your church believe in supporting the work that you are doing. God’s people are passionate about helping those in need, furthering the Gospel, and supporting your ministry.
While you may feel uncertain or that you can’t address finances, it’s clear from this statistic that people are choosing in their hearts to give even more than what Scripture has laid out for them.
Incredible!
55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media end up taking some sort of action.
You may wonder how this applies to giving, so let us explain:
The giving conversation isn’t just about “the ask” itself. In today’s world, people want to be engaged in the causes they care about. They want to see behind-the-scenes. They want to share about the causes they love.
In fact, organizations who engage their audience on social media see them more likely to take action, such as giving or volunteering.
If you’ve ever questioned the power of social media before, this is a clear sign that it has an impact. People desire to listen and respond to you outside of Sunday morning. By making sure you have clear action steps present on social media, whether that be to connect with a leader or make a gift, you can convert their engagement to action.
More than 74% of churches across the United States offer online giving in some form. If your church doesn’t yet have an online giving option, or is considering a switch, take a look at our free 30-day trial to see how One Church Software can help your church with online and text-to-give options.
And if your church already offers online giving, take the time to make sure you are reaping all the benefits by responding to these statistics and making sure your online giving tool allows you to access donor history, donor information, recurring givers, automates donor follow-up, and more! The right online giving tool should work in harmony with your other systems to save you time and help you run more efficiently.
Want to know more about finances and the church? Here are a few other resources you may find valuable:
