Soon after putting the finishing touches on my new book I began to think about the next one. It did not take long for me to get a germ of an idea. It came as I was on Twitter reading comments by those that I follow. A pastor of a large church at a conference was quoted as saying that if you are not on twitter you had better get another job! His assumption was that everyone was on Twitter and we have to be in the people business. In the past few months I have had a running debate with my fellow Twitterites about whether this new phenomenon is indeed going to dramatically change every thing including how we raise funds.

So, I set out to research and discover the current impact of Social Media upon raising funds. At the outset I have to admit a couple of things. One, I love Twitter and Facebook and am at heart a techie wanna be. No, I don’t have an iPhone as I am a Blackberry fanatic and a loyal Verizon customer. I do have an iTouch and when Apple decides to let Verizon in the iPhone family I will quickly switch over. So, I do think, even though I am past fifty, that I can run with the young turks on this technology stuff.

More importantly however I have to admit that I have a bias that Social Media though having some impact, will not fundamentally change the way funds are raised. My opinion is that particularly in the church the key to sustaining funding is raising up disciples not simply band wagon followers. In that regards Social Media will play only a small part in the over all picture.

With all that in mind here are some preliminary findings…

Social Media is too new to fully analyze. I want to be fair to Social Media and give it the benefit of the doubt. It is simply too new a tool at this point to know what its impact overall will be. When we discard one platform for the next new platform one year to the next it is hard to evaluate where this will all land. At this point there have been too few studies to support that this movement is the future of raising funds not only in the non-profit world but in the church. Repeatedly as you research and read about this movement you see the word potential used. It is simply too new and not fully developed to warrant final conclusions. However, nearly every study while showing growth in terms of numbers is showing that the amount raised overall is a small percentage total of a non-profits overall funding.

Social Media in terms of fund raising is more hype than reality. Apart from the Obama campaign Social Media disciples can point to very few success stories in using this tool to raise funds. When you closely examine even that example you find that its success was over blown. The Campaign Finance Institute found that “only 26% of his money came from donors whose total contributions aggregated to $200 or less. Obama’s 26% compares to 25% for George W. Bush in 2004, 20% for John Kerry in 2004, 21% for John McCain in 2008, 13% for Hillary Clinton in 2008, and 38% for Howard Dean in 2004.” They further stated, “Obama received about 80% more money from large donors (cumulative contributions of at least $1,000) than from small donors.” So Obama raised most of his money the old fashioned way, through larger donations that typically did not come through the Internet.

I have looked at example after example of what some would say is a successful use of Social Media and have found that they lag far far behind traditional methods. One book that I researched gave an example of a non-profit using Social Media to raise over $31K from its 1.5 million member online supporters. Do the math, that is 21 cents per member! Not impressive at all. My contention is that when you do the math the return on investment is so low that you have to wonder if its worth it at all? At this point Social Media as a new impact player in raising funds is a myth that is unsupportable by the facts.

Social Media’s strongest adherents, young adults, give typically far less than other age groups. While old guys like me are embracing these new tools, typically it is the world of the young that inhabit the space. As such the amount given is fractionally small. While some are touting that this generation is just as generous as the WWII generation facts as of yet do not support that claim. You can find a lot of examples of five dollar donations being text in on cell phones at some concert. However when you evaluate that on the whole it is a fraction of what could be raised and a mere smidgen of what this generation spends on other personal preferences items.

While using Social Media should not be discarded it must however be used correctly. Much will be made of the growth of this new tool. There are indications of its growth among non profits. I am not advocating that we not use this tool. I am simply saying that it is limited. The most effective use of the tool is as an entry point to further engagement. So, please understand that I do think you should have an online giving strategy. What I am saying is that you need to see it in context and use it appropriately.

Given the small return that even the best Social Media campaigns are seeing it is wise to keep that in mind in your overall stewardship plan. As effective as the Obama campaign was in using the Internet they would have failed if all their eggs were placed in that basket. You too must see Social Media as one aspect of your total approach. It may grow in the future but for now it is very limited. However some money is better than no money.

The future will look like the past. Some things will never change. It has always been true that a few give the majority of any churches funds. That will never change. It has always been the fear of one generation that the next would not step up. Each time the next generation does indeed step up. As in the past so in the future God will raise up stewards to fund His work. The process that has been the most effective down through the ages has been discipleship. True disciples are what funds your ministry. Major on what works and minor on what has potential and you will have better success.

My old boss John Maxwell teaches that you need to spend your time wisely in the areas of your strength not your weaknesses. He states that if you are a 4 in a certain area you might work hard to improve to a 6 but you would still not approach excellence. In the same way if you are a 7 in an area you might improve to a 9. Since you only have so much time focus your time on that which will bring the greatest return, your strengths.

My position is that the same should be true for your stewardship plan. Focus the majority of your time on that which promises the best results. While it might be cool and hip to use Social Media at this point putting all your eggs in this basket will cause you to miss thousands of dollars and you could face hard times. In the same vein totally dismissing this new tool could mean the loss of five or ten percent increase in your receipts. That might just help you make budget this coming year.

The bottom line whether you agree with this post or not is that you need a comprehensive stewardship plan to successfully navigate through these challenging times.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

“The rules of engagement has changed. The principles of organizational and interpersonal communication will forever be changed.” Those words were written to me by a friend who had asked a question about what was next after Twitter? To me simply asking that question about a Social Networking site that is still relatively new is telling. There is no question that just in the last couple of years Social Networking has become all the rage and could change the rules of engagement.

While I love Twitter and Facebook it is my contention that we are too quickly jumping on this new band wagon and need a healthy dose of reality. I am not convinced that the rules have been changed as much as those that are embracing Social Media claim. As of yet there is little factual data to confirm a major shift in behavior Certainly from a stewardship stand point the confirmed data to this point is showing that a change has NOT occurred.

Here are some points that I think we should consider before we too quickly embrace new technology as our savior or the future of raising funds.

Social Media is not the first new medium to trumpet new rules of engagement. While it might show my age I can remember the rise of cable television and religious broadcasting. There was a time when those who embraced television saw that medium as a fundamental new way of engaging people. While some ministries did indeed raise significant funds through television few churches ever did. More significantly religious broadcasting has made a minimal impact in terms of evangelism. In the end the return on investment will be judged in my opinion as a poor Kingdom investment.

I base this observation from experience. The last church that I pastored spent thousands of dollars on establishing a cable channel in our town through our denominations network. While our presence in the community was heightened in the end there were few people that I can point to as having been brought into the Kingdom through all the programs and advertising that we did. I bought into the belief that having a media presence would transform our ministry but now must admit that the impact was minimal.

Change in the church comes slowly not quickly. While we are debating what is next after Twitter the church will still stand. Some times I wonder if we truly believe in the sovereignty of God. We are either poor students of history or ignorant of theology. Christ’s church marches on no matter what the current media platform is. While the church does change it changes slowly not swiftly. Some might see that as a negative however the flip side of that is that the Church throws out what is unproductive and adapts to what works. It is still way too early to tell what the impact of Social Media will be.

The few will always give the majority. This has always been the case and will always be the case. In part this is a result of discipleship. While we must continue to encourage the next generation the end result will be that only a few will truly embrace the responsibilities of discipleship. To believe that Social Media will some how be the tool to engage the next generation of donors is to totally miss history and minimalize God.

The key for future fund raising depends not on new tools but the tried and true method of making disciples. I am all for using new tools. However at the end of the day what has sustained the church through time has been solid discipleship not a dependence upon new approaches. If you truly want to make sure your ministry is funded for the future focus on what works, discipleship making.

My fear is that in chasing the newest online tools we will miss what really matters. True discipleship can not occur behind a computer screen or a smart phone any more than it could from your couch watching television. In our rush to embrace what is hip and new we are trading our birth right for a pot of stew.

Tell me, what has been the impact of our chase to be contemporary? Have we truly been reaching the lost better than before? Statistics do not bear out that we are. While some might claim some success the truth is that nationally we are no closer to winning our nation than before we began this contemporary journey. I fear the same will be true as we chase the Twitters of the world.

That’s my view. What is yours?

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

I am in the process of doing research for my next book which will be about the use of social media and raising funds in the church. To that end I have been reading books and articles about this new explosive innovation and what it might and might not mean for stewardship. What has amazed me is not only the growth of the Social Media movement but how fast it is changing. One book that I am reading was published in 2007 and has no mention of Facebook. They continually talk about MySpace, a site that is now far distant to Facebook in terms of subscribers. Twitter barely gets mentioned at all and yet it has exploded across the world.

What this has shown me is how fast things change. What was once hot can be cold in almost the blink of an eye. The fast paced world in which we live in is a challenge for all of us. From a church perspective how does this impact us? From a stewardship stand point what does this mean?

Here are my thoughts about the speed of change.

While change is inevitable the Truth stands! The way we do ministry might change but our ministry will not. We are doing what our fore fathers did, communicating the Gospel message. The medium changes but not the message! The old saying applies, keep the main thing the main thing.

Churches need to stay up to date on current communication trends. We regularly visit church websites to gain information about potential clients. I can not tell you how many churches have web sites that have last year’s newsletter posted as the last entry. The calendar is out dated. Sometimes the pastor is not the current one at the church! More and more people will evaluate you on how well you handle current communication trends. It is imperative that you have a good communication strategy.

Not everything that can be done needs to be done. Many years ago when TV was new and churches were trying to utilize this new tool I worked closely with Mike Huckabee. I knew Mike before Fox News! I remember telling him one time that just because something could be done does not mean that it must be done. We would be wise to remember that as we consider trendy approaches. I know I can order my pizza online but I still pick up the telephone to do so. Our world increasingly is technical but at the same time people still crave for the individual touch. Nothing will ever replace that no matter what new Social Media tools come on the scene.

People are not as impressed with how much you know as they are with how much you care. John Naisbitt wrote a book many years ago about the coming technology explosion. Still he maintained that people want high tech AND high touch. In the church we should be wedding the two with the mind that high touch is always more important than high tech.

The best uses of Social Media for the church will be to get people into real community. If we forget the basics of discipleship in our quest to be hip and trendy we will miss our calling. Ultimately what people need is a true sense of community. Have you ever been to the funeral of someone not connected to a church? Then have you been to a funeral of someone that was? There is a vast difference. The churches that will thrive in this new environment will be the ones that use technology as a means to an end not the end itself!

Using Social Media to garner contributions will result in smaller gains than traditional methods. If I have found one thing from my studies thus far it is that Social Media produces small donations that are not consistently maintained. I am not saying you should not have a presence here because I think you should. However you should see it as a starting point or a point of entry into more traditional approaches to stewardship. Churches putting all their eggs in the Social Media basket will fail miserably. While some money can be gained through Social Media the tried and the true ways are still how the majority of your funds will come in.

My advice is to not throw the baby out with the bath water! In fact that is the working title of my new book, “Throwing the Baby Out.”

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

By now you probably have realized that there is an explosion taking place in the way we connect with one another. Words that just a decade ago would have meant nothing, like Twitter, have a whole new meaning for all of us including those in Christian leadership. Social media outlets are grabbing the headlines and making all of us rethink how we can use those tools to accomplish Kingdom purposes.

A new book is out by two leaders in the field of using the internet and social media called, “Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.” The authors, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith have a long list of accomplishments at using the internet and social media effectively. Together they have collaborated to write what is certainly a must read for those new to social media and even the few old hands of these tools.

Brogan and Smith contend that the Web has changed to be more humanized. In short the authors define Trust Agents as, “the people who will succeed in understanding this and using the Web to build business are called trust agents.” Their book is about how you can become a trust agent. They spend the next two hundred plus pages telling you how to go about being that kind of presence on the Web. Sharing from their own personal experience and the stories of others they give practical advice on how to build web presence and ultimately trust for a business.

As Christians our “business” is extending the Kingdom of God. For us it is more than a business it is a calling. Jesus has commanded us to make disciples. In the parable of the Wedding Banquet the king when finding the wedding hall empty told the servants, “Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” Since Jesus time we have been seeking the lost on the corners of our world inviting them to the banquet. The Web is a huge corner of the world and Social Media is the tool for engaging those that gather there.

So how can the book “Trust Agents” help us in this endeavor? Here are some thoughts…

It shows us the impact of the Web and Social Media upon all aspects of modern day life. If you need convincing about the impact of this new medium this book will help your disbelief. The Web has changed the way we interact and its time the Church realized this. While we might still debate where this is all ultimately going to land it is without question changed how we think and process information. Gone should be the days where your church doesn’t have an up to date web site or use the new tools of engagement. Sadly many Christian leaders are way behind the curve on this one.

It gives practical tools on how to build your Web presence. I felt like this was the best part of the book for me. While I had heard of many of the tools they describe there were still many that were new to me. For someone totally starting out fresh in Web awareness this is the book for you. For old hands you might find the book interesting but not ground breaking.

If I have a reservation about the book at all it is the reservation I have about nearly all Social Media devotees. I fear that the authors might be too close to the chess board to properly evaluate the impact of these new tools. We who use these tools need to be aware that just because all our friends are on Twitter does not mean the whole world is. My fear is that in embracing these new tools we might end up throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Call me old fashioned but I still like the feel of a book in my hands even though I can down load most of them on my Kindle or iTouch. In fact I bought the hard copy of “Trust Agents” for over double what I could have bought it on my Kindle! We in the Church need to embrace what is new but not totally abandon what is still working. In the end it takes all kinds of approaches to reach those on the street corners of our world. Brogan and Smith I think would agree. After all they did use traditional publishing for their book “Trust Agents.” The old adage applies still, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”

The real question for you as a Christian leader is are you on the street corners of your world inviting people to the banquet? What do those street corners look like in today’s world? How can you best utilize the tools of today to reach your corner of the world where God has put you? Have you also considered that with tools like the Web, your street corner has just gone world wide?

Let’s go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone we find!

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

“If you’re not Tweeting, you might consider a different job…cuz we’re in the people business.” That tweet was posted yesterday by a guy quoting one of America’s leading pastors. As I read that I was stunned. Then what amazed me even more was that no one seemed to react to such an absurd statement. My hope is that the guy quoted the pastor wrong. Even if he did should that not have caused us to react? As far as I know the comment went by and no one said what was obvious, how wrong the statement was.

I work with one of the leading pastors in a major denomination. This guy is always on the cutting edge and incredibly creative. His passion is evangelism and church growth. I was surprised a couple of months ago when the topic of Twitter came up in our discussions. He said, “Those that twitter are in love with themselves! It is one of the most narcissistic trends among pastors today.” Wow! As one who regularly tweets I was a bit amazed. Yet I have to admit that there is a lot of truth to what he says.

Those of you who are on Twitter might find this post a bit hard to read but think about it. How many tweets a day are about stuff that is virtually meaningless? Do I really want to know how many miles you ran this morning or what you ate? Also, when you tweet about traffic am I to assume you have a chauffeur? I also find it amazing that as conferences are going on speakers are tweeting about stuff while they are suppose to be listening to the other speaker. Do you not think that others will do the same to you?

Here are some things for our consideration as we embrace this new technology and learn how to effectively use it.

Don’t over estimate its value. It is true that Twitter is growing by leaps and bounds. However the truth of the matter is that not everyone is on Twitter. As of yet Twitter while showing promise has to date delivered little. In the fast paced ever changing world of Social Media and the Internet it is way too early to tell what the future holds for Twitter or for that matter a host of Social Media sites.

See it as a means to an end not the end in itself. In the early days of radio and television there were probably those that made the same arguments as the early adopters of Social Media are making today. While they did make an impact on society overall the same can not be said for how it benefited the church. I led my last church into radio and television but I have to admit that the over all impact was far less than more traditional means of outreach. My feel is that ten years from now we will say the same thing about Facebook and Twitter. You should use them as entry ways towards more meaningful exchanges and relationships.

Show you are relevant but don’t forsake what works. I am not oppose to the new social mediums. I use them. I love them. I am simply saying that at this point there is so little data on their benefits that to wholesale change how you do ministry is a mistake. It would be equally foolish to write off the tool altogether. Before you fire me off an email or dismiss me as an old you know what think! When someone says that if you are not tweeting you need to consider another job is that really thinking clearly? I fear many pastors are getting caught up in the euphoria of a new tool and losing sight of what really works.

Social networking while having some value should never be a replacement for tried and true methods of evangelism and discipleship. I fear that in our rush to embrace new tools we might throw the baby out with the bath water. The fallacy of the last big push for using a new media tool, TV, was that it failed to produce disciples. Even with an incredible presence in radio, television and print mediums our nation has turned more secular not more religious. Why would you think Twitter would be any different?

Christ’s Church grows at the pleasure of our Heavenly Father not your website, Facebook page or clever Twitter posts! God uses many things to accomplish His work. At the end of the day I am reminded of the passage that says, “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit.”

This Sunday as I go to church here is what I want from my pastor. I want to know that he has a word from God for me. I want to know that he has taken the time to listen to God, that he studied the text and how it might impact our congregation. I want to hear what God has said to him not what he down loaded off of the Internet from some Mega Church pastor. I want fresh bread for my life not stale worked over seconds.

I want to interact with other believers even though in my flesh I hate to interact with others. Left to myself I might just Twitter away. However without interacting with other believers in a local church setting I will never grow as I should as a Christian.

Indeed we are in the people business. The best way to pursue that is through the local church. Still today, Twitter not with standing, one on one relationship building is how the church has been built and sustained both in the past and in the future.

Twitter on but do so with some common sense!

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

One thing this recession is going to teach us is to be better stewards of our funds. As churches and Christian ministries feel the impact of either declines in giving or plateau’s in giving they need some creative ways to eliminate excess costs and some ability to raise additional funds.

On top of the already challenging times we are facing the price for many things that we can not do without is on the rise. Take your utility bill. The Wall Street Journal recently stated, “Surging fuel costs are about to inflict more pain on consumers, this time in the form of rapidly rising electricity bills”. If you think your bill is high now just wait.

We can sit back and let this happen to ourselves and hope that it will get better. Remember, hope is not a strategy! Or you can do something about those rising energy costs. Recently we heard about a company that develops “Green” projects that has a renewable energy product that among its many features and benefits will actually lower energy costs by up to 25%. One church that installed this system had a monthly electric bill of over $30k. After installing their “Green Box” they saw a reduction of $7K a month in their electric bill. Think about it, that $7K a month might have just saved someones job or a much needed ministry.

Listening to this story led me to think of some creative ways in which churches can easily save money but also an idea where by they could raise additional funds at the same time. On top of that you can demonstrate the greenness of your church in protecting the environment. How would this work?

First, move to cut your own power. The church I mentioned above spent a few thousand dollars getting their “Green Box” installed. The return on investment was almost over night when you think about a $7K a month savings. You need to seriously investigate your churches power usage as an easy way to save money. You can click on the link at the bottom to find out more about how to get your own “Green Box.”

Secondly, start a Green Campaign. Don’t stop by just eliminating waste at the church building. Why not get your members to install their own “Green Boxes?” As they too save around 20% monthly they could then sign Green Pledge cards to give a portion or all of that savings to your church.

For those that do sign on to get their own “Green Box” through The Charis Group we will for free design this campaign for you. We will help you with the communication process, pledge cards and all aspects of implementing your own “Green Campaign.”

With people struggling to find ways to make ends meet you can be sure that one area under consideration of cutting is your offering plate. Show your members how they can keep giving to your ministry, save energy and save money. It is the ultimate win/win. The cost for a residential “Green Box” is $299.95. Again the return on investment with 25% in savings will be made quickly.

Outside the box thinking…

This may sound totally out of the box in terms of thinking. Isn’t it time you thought outside the box? If you could save thousands of dollars annually in utility bills wouldn’t you be better able to fund ministry? If you help your members save money and encouraged them to return some of that savings back to their church don’t you think a large majority would?

Frankly I have some churches that are in the midst of their fourth capital stewardship campaign with no end in sight. They truly are the tired and the tapped! They are tired of capital campaigns and they are tapped out of money. I am always looking for creative ways in which we can help our clients raise more funds to fuel more ministry. This could be the path to saving thousands for your church and raising additional funds in a non threatening way.

I am sold on the idea and am encouraging all our clients to utilize this service. How about you? To find out more click on the link below my name.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

To find out more about the “Green Box” go to:

As we watch the daily news of the economy swirling downward we in the church need to realize that we now face the greatest opportunity to convey hope to a worried public since 9/11. Instead of wringing our hands in despair we need to realize that God has given us the answers that if we will communicate the world will listen. Now is the time to rise up as a leader and offer this hope. Here is what I would recommend.

It all starts with you. You can not lead people to where you are not. If your outlook is one of fear then your people will be fearful. If you are in dismay then they will be too. If you are in trouble financially then it stands to reason that your people are probably in the same boat. If you are in financial bondage you need to do all in your power to get out. There are tons of programs and services out there that can help you and in turn help your church. You have to lead by example and attitude. Adapting Godly principles for your life will allow you to proclaim them those in your charge.

Adapt a plan of action. What amazes me is that so many have no plan of action. I can ask a pastor what his growth plan is and he will tell me. I can ask him what his missions plan is and he can tell me. When I ask what his stewardship plan is I often get a glazed look from his eyes. The truth is they do not have one. You can not afford either personally or in your ministry not to have a plan of action to lead you through this time. There are tons of resources out there that can help you. Spend some time to put your plan together and you will see that you can navigate through this time.

My new book can be a starting place for you. On December 1st my first book “Recession Proof Your Offerings,” will be coming out. You can go to our website and click on the free button to get your copy. It’s an easy read that is filled with practical advice.

New podcast that contains some good advice for church leaders. You can find the link at the following address.

http://www.emedialink.com/view_video.php?viewkey=926785cf3be594d95769

Ben Stroup always has good stuff and links from his blog that can be helpful. There is stuff out there that can help you. So, put down the sports page and start researching how you can develop a plan.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

If you are not utilizing the internet and email to garner donations to your ministry you may be missing out!  “The Chronicle of Philanthropy” in their June 12th issues reports that donations from internet based appeals are increasing.  Consider the following Christian ministries…

Campus Crusade raised $10,000,000 in 2006 and $33,000,000 in 2007 for a 230% increase!

Christian and Missionary Alliance raised $423,007 in 2006 and $656,488 in 2007 for a 55% increase.

Young Life raised $4,929,494 in 2006 and $4,600,00 in 2007 for a 34.5% increase.

They did this through direct emails.  What is amazing is that Campus Crusade saw their significant raise in dollars from 2006 to 2007 after they rented a list for a Christian company.  These people were not even in their data base to begin with and they gave to the ministry.  What could you do with those that are already members of your church or ministry?

So here are some thoughts…

1. Begin now to build an email data base if you have not already.  I had a church of 2,500 in attendance pass down each row a tablet for members to record their emails upon.  Now on all registration there is a place for attendee’s and members to give their email addresses.

2.  Develop a plan of action to use those emails effectively.  The American Society for the Cruelty to Animals in New York began a campaign asking members to give them their email addresses.  The first email message after that was sent to thank them for signing up and inform them of ways they could help including sending a donation.  The next three messages were more explicit requests for donations.  That plan might not work for you but have some plan of action.

3.  Initiate online giving through your ministries website.  If you have not already you should have a way in which members can get online to make their donations.  I would particularly do this in the colder regions of our country during the winter.  Let’s say that big storm hits on Saturday night and the services on Sunday are canceled.  If you have an email data base and can utilize it to drive people to your online giving then you might not take quite the loss in offerings.

4.  Go beyond the current web technologies to embrace the cutting edge.  Sadly most of the time we in the Christian world are behind the times.  The web and email are nearing a saturation point.  You may want to invest in social networking sites, text messaging and other online tools to help you raise funds.

5.  Whatever you do diversify!  Never put all your eggs into one basket.  That is good advice in investing and its good advice for Christian ministries.  You should have a diversified approach to raising funds that encompasses both traditional and non traditional methods.

Whatever you do just do it!  Jesus said, “You have not because you ask not.”  Too often that is true for Christian ministries.  We are afraid of offending so we don’t ask.  You can be sure that the American Society for the Cruelty to Animals is not afraid of asking.  You have a message and ministry that is eternally impacting.  So, step up to the plate and ask!  Just use every tool available.

Mark Brooks

To find out more about The Charis Group check out our website at www.TheCharisGroup.org

Would you ever consider a giving kiosk in your vestibule?  A number of years ago I remember laughing at a Leadership Magazine cartoon that showed an offering plate with a credit card machine attached to it.  I laughed then at what sounded absurd.  Then yesterday as I was reading the latest edition of Church Solutions I saw an ad by Bank of the West for a giving kiosk.  Bank of the West will install them and even have the front designed with your logo.  Imagine several giving kiosks spread throughout your church building.  As I sat down to type out this blog I Googled giving kiosks and was amazed at how many options there were.  As with most new approaches there are a host of people lining up praising it and another host lining up condemning it.

While I am not sure where I stand just yet on this I do advocate flexible options for giving.  We live in a day where people want and demand options.  Why should we not make giving as easy as possible.  I agree with those that fear people will use their credit cards to give and thus get further into financial bondage.  At the same time some type of direct withdrawal from checking or savings is a way to help people become more faithful stewards.  When your members already do so much online why should you not give them this option?  One church that I am working with has significant receipts every week through online giving.  I might not like to have giving kiosks throughout my church but I do think electronic giving is here to stay.

What do you think?  Leave a comment with your thoughts.