Should You Introduce Tithing During Your Church Online Service?

Church leaders who stream their services often don’t offer tithing options for those watching at home. While this could stem from a simple lack of technical knowledge, many pastors also think those who are really committed to the ministry would be in a pew instead of at home. As the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, though, offering online tithing is a necessity.

There are many reasons a pastor may not offer virtual tithing during services — or even appeal to online congregants to give. None of these reasons are sufficient, though, and they can prove detrimental to the ministry. Review our eBook on how churches can survive COVID-19, but first, read on to learn why offering tithing for virtual services is important even without a pandemic.

Should You Offer Online Tithing for Virtual Services?

There are many complex questions to ask regarding what’s best for the ministry. A resource or strategy that does wonders for one house of worship may prove to be nothing more than a waste of time for another. With providing virtual services and asking for tithes during broadcasts, though, there really should be no debate. Doing so is an absolute must. 

Nearly 40 percent of churches don’t have enough money on hand to survive three months. This is a tragedy with a variety of factors behind it. A pandemic that resulted in lockdown orders certainly played a part, but church attendance has been on the decline for decades. Similarly, church tithing statistics show that believers have given less in recent years as well.

It’s simply becoming more difficult for houses of worship to thrive in today’s world. In an average church, nearly all revenue comes directly from congregant tithes and donations. This means ministry leaders must strive to increase giving among their congregation. There are many ways to accomplish this, and it’s important to use tithing for virtual services as one of these methods.

Online Tithing for Virtual Service Tools

If you don’t already have a foundation in place to accept tithes during virtual church services, getting started may seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, there are a variety of tools and apps for pastors that can make this transition seamless. The following tips will include both resources and strategies for implementing online tithing during virtual services.

Online Giving Page

One of the most essential tools in garnering tithes from online congregants is an online giving page. There are very few methods for parishioners to give from the privacy of their homes, and a dedicated webpage will offer the best opportunity for them to do so. Whether you outsource this to an outside professional or your digital giving software already offers it, it’s vital that you don’t overlook this necessity.

Digital Giving Software

There are many services that can create an online giving page for your church, and you could even use a service like PayPal to bypass this step altogether. Unfortunately, doing so will harm your efforts at offering tithing for virtual services. You need to offer several giving methods — including online giving, text-to-give and app donations — if you want more parishioners to contribute.

Include Links in Video Descriptions

No matter what service you use to stream sermons, it will have a spot for you to add a description. You’ll certainly want to include your ministry’s name, date of service and other basic information, but also include text-to-give instructions or a link to your online tithing page. You can refer virtual attendees to the description during offering.

Donor Engagement Framework

All the tools in the world that simplify tithing for virtual services will mean nothing if you’re not engaging your congregants. While your parishioners may be more than just donors, their attitudes towards giving are essentially the same. By utilizing a donor engagement system like the DonorWERX Framework, you’ll ensure your communication leads followers to online giving.

How to Introduce Tithing for Virtual Services

Now that you’ve got all the essential tools and strategies for tithing during virtual services, you’ll need to introduce this new offering to your congregants. This once would’ve been as simple as making an announcement during service. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case.

After all, many people attended their last service of 2020 in March without ever even knowing it. This means some ministers would’ve never even been able to make the announcement. Regardless of your church’s current situation, though, at least one of the following introductory methods will work for you:

• Make an announcement during in-person services.
• Include tithing information when you email a link to virtual services.
• Include a shortened link in your post if you’re streaming on social media.
• Speak directly to virtual viewers about how to tithe when in-person congregants are giving.
• Get contact information from congregants and send out a text during the offering.
• Send out “disciples.” Ask your inner circle to spread the word to their circles.

Introducing online tithing for virtual services can help your church succeed even after a hard year. Congregant giving is an essential aspect of a functioning ministry, and contributions are just as useful whether they come from an offering plate or an online donation page. Don’t view virtual tithing as a chore. The simple steps necessary to get it off the ground can accomplish greatness.

Start Offering Tithing for Virtual Services Today!

The ministry exists in a world far different from what we used to know. And while coronavirus may have had a significant effect on church attendance and giving, it’s simply not correct to blame the current state of matters on a single pandemic. A transition towards a more virtual house of worship has been years in the making. It’s time to catch up.

If you’re not currently streaming or at least uploading sermons online, your church is behind the curve. And even if this is something you’ve done for years, you’re missing out on a significant resource if you don’t offer online tithing for virtual services. The only way this won’t result in a justifiable return on investment is if your donor engagement and communication strategy fails.

Schedule a Discovery Call with one of our giving experts today to learn how to avoid this mishap and increase church revenue.