How to Use Your Website to Promote Giving

Tithing is one of the most critical components of a healthy church. God calls His body to be diligent in the spreading of His kingdom through the contribution of their finances. Because it’s so critical, making giving as simple and prominent as possible should be a priority, and one of the best ways to do this is by utilizing your church website.

Here are a few concrete ways that your church can use your website to promote giving.

How to Use Your Church Website to Promote Giving

Showcase How Tithes are Being Utilized

As Christians, God calls us to tithe, and while we trust that the church is using our contributions for the good of God’s kingdom, sometimes it is helpful to see exactly what that looks like. Help your congregants create a personal connection to their tithes by sharing the ways your church uses the money. You can have videos showcasing mission trips. Check with local organizations your church partners with and see if they will provide a testimonial on how your tithes have supported them. Blog posts from missionaries sharing their journeys are another great option.

Share Methods for Giving

Sitting in a pew and dropping a check into the plate shouldn’t be the only way to give at your church. In today’s technologically advanced world, congregants can tithe first thing in the morning on payday, while vacationing on a beach in the Bahamas, or during Sunday’s lunch when they realize they forgot to drop their check in the offering plate. An online component removes the physical restrictions that often prevent people from giving. Dedicate an area of your website with links to each method of giving: Mobile, Online, By mail, Auto-draft, etc. By having these options visible, members and visitors alike are more likely to utilize them and setup recurring giving.

Make Your Tithe Goals Visible

Often churches feel that displaying the budget or contribution goals is slightly taboo. However, allowing the congregation to take part in the budget process and track the tithe progress is a great way to promote transparency and giving through your website. This is really helpful around year-end when you hope to push through those final few church services and reach your budgeted contribution goal. Seeing a number in real life can be the motivating factor to help members give just a little extra this week, or give for the first time.

Run Short-Term/Goal-Specific Giving Campaigns

Providing your congregation with a clear understanding of where you allocate the funds is a great way to promote giving through your website. Set up a page on your church website that focuses on a specific giving campaign. This is a great place to provide visual aids to track the campaign progress. Charts for tracking progress to goal, a countdown to completion, or photos of the organization or event that the money will go towards are great ways to showcase the campaign.

Offer Ease of Access Through a Quick Give Method

One of the giving methods you should include on your website is a quick give option directly on the homepage. Allow members to quickly enter their tithe info and save for future use. Having an easy-to-find and easy-to-use option will help promote congregational giving.

Offer Financial Stewardship Consultations and Prayer Partners

Create a form on your site for contributors to reach out for financial advice or prayer regarding their tithe. Committing to consistent tithing can be a major decision for many people. Offering these types of services shows that the church values and supports this commitment. You can use this area to offer tools such as Dave Ramsey’s financial peace course. Supporting members on their financial journey is a necessary step in helping their decision to tithe, and it is also a great way to teach members the importance of giving, as God calls his church to be diligent in their tithes in an effort to further His kingdom. It’s also a good idea to upload any sermons on tithing to the giving page on your site for easy access.

Next Steps

Hopefully, the ideas above give you a starting point for utilizing your website to promote giving. If you are looking for an online giving service that makes all of the above easy and possible, be sure to try Clover Give.