Surviving Summer, Part 2: Beat the Summer Giving Slump
By Raul Rivera
In continuing our “Surviving Summer” series, today’s post addresses the summer giving slump that often plagues churches this time of year. Although there are several contributing factors to this slump that should be addressed, perhaps more importantly, we should address the question, “How can your church beat the summer giving slump?”
In Part 2 of this series, I will give you 4 answers to that question, and if implemented, any of these four solutions can have an immediate, positive impact on your church’s summer giving slump.
Meeting the on-going need
With the summer comes family vacations. Often, these are times of well-deserved rest and relaxation for families. The only downside is that vacation weeks usually result in lower church attendance. And lower church attendance is usually followed by a dip in tithes and offerings; thus, we have the summer giving slump.
How can you stop this downward spiral? How can we meet the needs of our church members while also meeting the needs of our churches?
I believe part of the answer comes from that upon which we have all become so dependent: technology.
In today’s culture, we have more resources than ever before. In many ways, technology has made our lives easier. We are able to connect with people at faster rates than ever thought possible. More information is available to us at the click of a few buttons or with a few swipes of the finger. There is a good possibility that at this moment you are reading this blog post on your cell phone or tablet.
Utilizing technology can help give your church the added advantage needed to beat the summer giving slump.
You are already using social media and the Internet to champion the cause of Christ. Why not begin using the same mediums to fund His Kingdom?
4 ways to beat the summer giving slump
We all lead busy lives. Between work, ministry, children, school, extra curricular activities, and everything else in between, it is almost a wonder we have time to sleep.
If you want to help simplify life for your church members, have available more than one way to give. By doing this, you are also helping to ensure the consistent flow of tithes and offerings that your church needs.
Let us take a look at some of the available options your church can implement:
Option 1: Online Giving
Online giving is one of the most common giving methods to date. Many churches already have websites that allow members to donate using a credit/debit card or even an echeck.
To do this, you need an account with a merchant service, such as PayPal or PayoLee, that serves as an intermediary to receive funds from donors and to transfer those funds to your banking institution.
Merchant services charge a small transaction fee, which is either a small dollar amount or percentage of the transaction. However, many of these services give a discounted transaction fee for public charities like churches and ministries.
Option 2: Automated Drafts
Many people today already enjoy the convenience of establishing automated drafts from their bank account to pay bills. In a similar fashion, many people would also enjoy (and many already are) the convenience of an automated giving option.
This option to your members is connected with the online giving option mentioned above. The merchant service you choose should have options so that donors can choose to give a one-time gift or to create recurring payments. This is an easy way for your members to continue their giving even if they are out of town on vacation.
Option 3: Text to Give
A more recent development is text-to-give options. This option allows givers to text their donations to a number that is specific to your church. The text sends a link to download an app or gives them access to an app or webpage where they can donate to your church.
To utilize this option, you can check out platforms from Tithe.ly or Pushpay by eChurch.
Option 4: Church App
Statistics indicate that nearly 80% of churchgoers show up on Sunday having had zero interactions with the church during the previous week. So, how can you keep your congregation engaged on a regular basis?
Creating an app for your church can serve multiple purposes. You can use them to keep your church members informed of upcoming events, weekly announcements, and even include links to archived sermons.
Additionally, your ministry’s app can include a link to give. Cellular devices as well as laptops and computers are moving towards using apps more and more exclusively for functionality. As a result, more and more churches are using this to their advantage.
You can check out Custom Church Apps for more information on building and designing an app specific to your church.
Broadening your horizons
Gone are the days when giving tithes and offerings requires one to be physically present at church. It can now be done with a few clicks or swipes of one’s finger. Adding additional giving options with today’s technology is an easy way to beat the summer giving slump.
These options are good for meeting your church’s need in the immediate future. But have you ever wondered if there is a way for your church to not depend so heavily on tithes and offerings?
The long-term solution to the summer giving slump is the for-profit arm. If you are unfamiliar with the for-profit arm of a church, I want to encourage you to do the following:
- Join us at one of our Ultimate Church Structure Conferences. During this conference, we teach you how to implement this strategy with your church.
- Call us. We have plenty of knowledgable representatives who would be happy to answer any of your questions. You can reach us at 770-638-3444.