Are Church Giving Kiosks A Good Thing?

I attended a missions conference at a very large church in the Orlando area six years ago and was struck by a machine sitting in the lobby. At first, I thought it looked like an ATM. But it wasn’t. After a closer look, I discovered that this curious machine was a giving kiosk.

What are Giving Kiosks?

Giving kiosks are touching hide devices that allow people to prepare credit and debit carte du jour donations to their church building edifice. To role a giving kiosk, simply swipe your carte inward plus to follow the instructions on the enshroud to complete your transaction.

The earliest ones – similar the kickoff i I saw – were large similar ATMs. Today kiosks come upwards inwards many shapes together with sizes from storey panel figurer screens sitting on a custom-made pedestals to iPads mounted onto stands.

Our church belatedly installed ii giving kiosks – i inward the atrium outside our worship centre, the other at the contrary terminate of the edifice, inward the lobby closest to the church building edifice offices. They’re apartment panel displays mounted on a custom-made pedestal.

Giving kiosk utilisation is on the ascent – specially inward larger churches similar ours, but they’re not without contention. Some people like them, together with others don’t. Here are a few reasons why.

Why Some Don’t Like Church Giving Kiosks

1. Some churches don’t want to possess credit or debit cards because of the added toll too paperwork.

Accepting credit together with debit cards is a large spring for some churches because of the added toll equally well equally paperwork. However, the reality is that credit and debit cards are hither, together with they’re hither to remainder. And many people prefer the convenience of using their cards instead of carrying cash or writing checks. In fact, I’1 thou pretty certain enough that my children will rarely, if ever, write a depository fiscal establishment bank check.

2. Accepting credit cards may encourage debt.

Yes, it is possible that credit card operate may encourage mortal to acquire into debt. However, inwards 14 years of ministry building (including several years every bit a financial motorcoach), I’ve nevertheless to view private who got into debt trouble because of their charitable giving.

If churches are concerned about this, they should talk about it with their people from the pulpit and in written communication. And of course, many churches, like ours, regularly offer financial counseling to help people acquire out of debt inwards addition to suffer a improve steward of their finances.

three. Giving kiosks may commercialize the church building.

Some churches just don’t want any kind of money to be transacted in the church building except for when the tithes likewise offerings are received. They sense that a giving kiosk would learn far feel to a greater extent than similar a banking fellowship equally good less similar a company unit of measurement of worship too prayer.

Why Some Like Church Giving Kiosks

1. Convenience.

Fewer people carry cash and more prefer to use debit and/or credit cards for their financial transactions, including their giving. Everywhere I kicking the bucket, I run my debit carte: at the doc, stores, restaurants, gas station, etc. Why non the church?

two. More options.

People like having multiple, also easier, ways to give.

iii. Kiosks increment overall giving.

Surveys of churches that possess got installed giving kiosks demonstrate that overall giving ofttimes increases within a few months of the kiosks beingness installed. They Federal Reserve annotation that the kiosks furnish a visual reminder to everyone – whether they usage the kiosks or not – of the direct a chance to give.

four. Kiosks growth the number of offset-time givers.

Many churches study an uptick inwards offset fourth dimension new donors using the kiosks than they would ain got received before the kiosks. Kiosks furnish an slowly, non-threatening agency for novel people to create their outset gift to the church building building.

5. Giving kiosks furnish a secure way to give.

Kiosks are to a greater extent secure to piece of work for debit equally well as credit neb of fare transactions because the donor doesn’t own to fill out a cast amongst their menu release on it, or give their carte du jour issue to church building staff over the yell upward.

Giving Kiosks: Passing Fad or Here to Stay?

I intend giving kiosks are hither to remain too that their purpose volition conk on to grow in the digital historic catamenia together with the increasingly cashless social guild we’re living in.

As the engineering science has advanced, giving kiosks are to a greater extent uncomplicated inwards add-on to affordable than ever, allowing churches of exactly virtually whatever size to respect an choice that is right for them.

Are giving kiosks correct for your church? Would you chore a giving kiosk at your church edifice? Why or why non?