You can do a lot with your phone these days, and you’ve probably seen quite a few church attendees with mobile phones pulled out during a service. The great thing about knowing your donors is knowing how you can reach them. Text giving allows you to put a giving option in the hands of your church members… literally.
Think of it this way: How often are you on your phone or computer? While Online Giving allows the convenience of making a donation to a church or organization via your computer or laptop, text giving allows the same great benefits but on a device you actually carry with you, often.
When it comes to the right tools for your ministry, it’s a good start to think about what would not only benefit your church, but what would be the best option for your supporters. If you have already set up an Online Giving option, you have created an easier way for your church members to give to your ministry. Now is a great time to take it a step further and implement something even more convenient: Text Giving!
Having the conversation about tithing and giving to your ministry doesn’t have to be an awkward or uncomfortable one. Standing in front of your church members and sheepishly suggesting they follow tithing discussions from the Bible doesn’t have to be your church funding strategy. Instead, start by explaining the benefits and convenience of Online Giving, and transition into discussing the ease of texting a donation. Providing your supporters an on the spot demonstration of how to set up text-to-give methods can actually show them how easy it is. Encourage them to pull out their phones and join you. Make this an open discussion as opposed to a taboo quarterly subject.
Depending on your provider, Text Giving works by providing your members a unique, 10-digit number that is assigned to your ministry. All of your church’s text donations will be sent here, and your members are usually able to choose a fund category in which they would like to donate.
Once you have established this method of giving for your church, it’s good to communicate the importance of what a donation lends to your ministry. You can send your members a thank you email for their continued support, or send out a quick post on social media to show what donations and tithes have allowed your ministry to do.
Has your church set up a Text Giving option? What has been your experience? Let us know in the comments below!
