How to sustain giving
during disruption
Tips, tools & expert advice
Dr. Marty Baker
Lead Pastor @ Stevens
Creek Church
Founder @ SecureGive
securegive.com
Given the coronavirus and its effect on church operations,
are you seeing an increased interest in sustained giving
tools and strategies?
Baker: Before COVID-19, digital giving was an important part of a
church’s stewardship ministries. Now it’s the main focus of financing
the work of the Lord. Every church has been affected, and every pastor
feels its weight. We simply must provide a simple, secure way for people
to give.
The foundation of digital stewardship is an online giving option
on your website. This requires a website or a social media page and a
software provider, like SecureGive, to provide current, secure technology
that connects your donors with your mission.
Once the giving site is working, encourage members to set up an
account and give as the Lord prompts them.
SecureGive understands the needs of local churches and allows
members to donate to multiple categories in one transaction.
One of the features that helps in times of crisis is the ability to set up
a recurring donation. In life, we automate what’s important. We do that
with our mortgage payments, our insurance payments and so forth. Why
not automate your gifts to the church so that your congregation can stay
financially strong regardless of the season?
We have also created very rich resources [ securegive.com/survivalkit
] that give practical strategies and best practices to churches as they
make decisions surrounding COVID-19.
Smith: Nacha has continuously promoted the benefits of ACH (some
refer to it as EFT) for sustained giving to churches and other nonprofit
organizations. I think that this crisis has made all nonprofits more aware
of the value of ACH to assist in keeping donations at previously expected
Brad Smith, AAP
Sr. Director, Industry
Verticals
Nacha
nacha.org
“[A] consistent message of faith, hope and
giving will be meaningful to parishioners.
Spreading the word that making donations by
ACH can help the church in this difficult time to
continue to perform its mission will most likely
be met with enthusiasm.”
— Brad Smith, AAP
levels. Aside from ACH payments being safe and secure, ACH provides
uninterrupted tithing during times when people can’t attend church
services in person. And while the current pandemic has temporarily
shuttered many churches, there will always be other reasons for
nonattendance, such as vacation or illness.
Surely, church leaders are concerned right now with how
quickly giving tools can be implemented. Should they be?
Smith: How quickly a congregation can implement ACH depends upon
the financial institution or financial service provider that they work
with for this option. Most financial institutions have a simple and timely
implementation process that they use to set up the service, and then the
22 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | MAY / JUNE 2020