It’s no secret that people use mobile devices now more than ever. But here are some mobile usage statistics that may surprise (and shock) you:
Summertime doesn’t have to be a season that stretches your church funds. If you aren’t capitalizing on the ways people use mobile devices, including recurring giving, you’ll probably face the dreaded summer slump every year. Taking advantage of technology could increase giving at your church by thousands of dollars a year.
The generation known for its nomadic, trend-following tendencies is (somewhat) settling down and becoming (slightly) more predictable. Millennials are aging and will make up the largest demographic of the American workforce by 2020.1 According to Forbes, there are 53 million freelancers in the United States. [Read more…]
You’re probably noticing, like the rest of the world, that people are hardly carrying cash or checks anymore. Most transactions are happening from our phones.
That’s why having text-to-give in your church is so important. (Though passing the plate is, too, for those who still use cash and as a visual reminder about giving.)
Not only are most people donating on their mobile devices these days, but having text-to-give and mobile giving makes it easier for people to give spontaneously throughout the week.
Here’s how to set it up at your church using Faithlife Giving. (Don’t have an account? Create one free.)
Go to Faithlife.com and click Create a free account. Enter your name, email, and password. Click Register to complete the process.
Expand Giving Configuration in the left-hand Admin navigation panel and select Giving Features.
Scroll down until you see the Text to Give section and click Get a phone number.
Faithlife will redirect you to your church’s Group Settings. Under Group Info, scroll down and select Get a phone number.
After you add your area code, a list of local numbers will display. Choose one from the list and click Get Number.
You’ve done what you need to on your end; now it’s time to let your congregation know how to give.
Here’s a quick 1-2-3:
Maybe this describes you. Research shows that 66% of senior pastors love teaching and preaching, but in small churches especially, pastors have to wear many other hats they are less excited about.
Like financial decision-maker.
Around 20% of the same group said that the church budget is the most stressful part of their job. And chances are, most pastors (not just that 20%) would cut budgeting from their role entirely if they could. Preparing an annual budget can feel like one more thing that’s taking them away from doing what they love to do most––preaching.
But the budget is actually a friend—if you frame it right.
With a healthy church budget, you can open up opportunities to expand your ministry. You can alleviate financial stressors like unexpected building repairs or drops in giving during the summer months.
With a predictable church budget and the financial stability it affords, you can spend more time pastoring and planning for the future.
Here are three financial mistakes your church may be making—and how to avoid them.
It can be tempting to use an annual budget like a strict set of rules to keep everyone and everything on track financially. And as the saying goes, making changes to the budget can feel like “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
But just like there are ebbs and flows in giving, there must be flexibility and movement within the budget itself.
In fact, a changing budget is a sign of a healthy, responsive church.
For example, let’s say for three years you’ve allocated x number of dollars to a certain ministry, but that ministry has remained stagnant or even declined in attendance or effectiveness. Meanwhile, another ministry is gaining organic momentum in the church and could be helped by some funds. It may be wise to consider reallocating funds, even in the middle of the fiscal year.
This rule also applies to revenue or how much money comes in through gifts, tithes, and other income streams (like renting out your building). If you see a sudden surge or dip in giving, do you have a plan for how to respond?
For example, many churches will see a significant increase in giving at the end of the year. Nearly 30% of all donations made last year were in December. In fact, 11% of all donations came in just the last three days of the year.1 Conversely, there’s usually a decline in church giving during summer months. If you structure your budget month-to-month (that is, June’s giving affects July’s spending), then your VBS could suffer. But if you build your budget anticipating these trends, a low June is of no concern.
A healthy church budget is flexible. It’s used as a guideline throughout the year to balance things like excess of funds from end-of year giving and to re-allocate them as needed—including a possible summer slump.
Plus, the longer a church operates within a healthy budget, giving trends become even more defined—resulting in a more balanced budget. And let’s not forget, with options like recurring and mobile giving, summer slumps could be completely avoided.
The days of people carrying cash are over. Most church members work, pay bills, and give from their mobile devices.
If a church only accepts cash and checks, they’re missing out on the donations of an entire generation that carries neither. Research has shown that nonprofits can increase giving 126% by simply having a mobile-responsive website.
In this era, mobile giving is a must.
But this is incredible news for churches to understand and act upon. With mobile giving, it only takes seconds to give—and isn’t limited to Sunday mornings. It’s a cinch to set up recurring gifts, which means you’ll have a more predictable budget. Plus, givers can choose to cover the transactional fee themselves, freeing up funds to invest in your ministry.
Even better, it’s easy to get mobile-friendly giving at an affordable price.
Although we’d like to assume no one in the church is dishonest, we simply can’t. When it comes to church finances, you need to guard against foul play.
One mistake to avoid is not using a clear system of checks and balances throughout the giving process. Who is doing the collecting? Who’s counting the money? A few steps can make the collections process secure:
You also need accountability structures in place for those interacting with the bank or handling the church finances at a higher level. A survey showed 46% of church financial managers had no written whistleblower policy.
A whistleblower policy is intended to encourage employees to report suspected fraud, corruption, or other improper activity. There are several sample policies available online that can be adapted to fit your church’s needs.
Not only does having a system of checks and balances throughout the collection and processing of gifts keep the money where it should be, it protects staff and volunteers from unjustly being accused of mishandling money. It also protects them from any temptation they could face if left alone in the process, and it honors the giver.
Now that you know common mistakes to avoid, it’s time to start building your church budget. We’ve created a free guide that leads you through 5 proven steps for a predictable, healthy church budget.
What three mobile apps do your members use most?
A recent survey shows nearly one-third of smartphone users rank their mobile banking app as their most-used app, just after social media and weather. And it’s not just the under-30 crowd that’s managing their money from their phones. Nearly half of adults in the survey are increasingly using mobile banking.1
Here are three tips for making the most of these changes when it comes to helping your members give financially. [Read more…]
I went to a fundraising event recently where I heard the best request for financial support I can remember.
It wasn’t the rhetoric or the moving stories that did it, although both were strong. It was how confidently the nonprofit founder asked.
He wasn’t embarrassed or tentative. He didn’t make jokes about our pocketbooks. He didn’t allude to money as an elephant in the room. (In fact, a few days before the event, he told us all in an email, “I’ll be asking you to make a pledge of financial support for the coming year.”) [Read more…]
Did you know that the last three days of the year can account for over 10% of a church’s total donations?
That makes December 29–31 the most important three days for January 1 and beyond. [Read more…]
One of the best ways to inspire generosity in your church is to keep your congregation informed.
When people know where their contributions are going, see the progress they are making together, and learn how God is using their financial gifts to grow the kingdom, generosity grows. It’s exciting to be on mission together. [Read more…]
Financial giving in churches isn’t what it used to be.
In some ways, giving is down—partly because people are losing touch with its biblical precedent. [Read more…]