Monday, November 05, 2007
Signs Of The Apocalypse?
Out of Ur discusses "Automated Tithing Machines."
Nope, my problem with this is that this is about revenue generation and handling, it is not about GIVING. These are not the same things. We do not pass the plate, collect the offering, gather the tithe, or anything else to generate revenue for the church. Hate to break it to you, but we do it because giving is part of our spiritual development. Money for the church is a by-product, but it is not why we do that stuff.
I must confess to hating stewardship time at church. See I have always thought that if the church was about the business it was really supposed to be about, you know, making disciples, it just wouldn't need to worry about things like stewardship campaigns. See, I figure genuine disciples are going to give because well, disciples give.
Ours is a sacrificial faith, and when we make the sacrifice easier, you know, less sacrificial, we sort of lose the whole point. I also am a big believer in making it as public as possible. The shame factor is motivating (I only write a check once a month and I know I feel a bit of shame other weeks when the plate goes by) which is another way of saying there is accountability in the public display of that sacrifice.
Don't look for me to be attending a church with an ATM anytime soon.
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How can you pass the plate to people who don't carry cash? You can't. So the next big wave may be the "Giving Kiosk" in your church's lobby.Is it just me, or is your skin trying to crawl off you body, right now - as you read that? Of course, end times enthusiasists will be quick to point out all the that "mark of the Devil" stuff, but such speculation usually goes in circles.
"A lot of people no longer carry cash or a checkbook," says Marty Baker, pastor of Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. So he installed two ATMs in 2005. The experiment has been a success.
[...]
The company points out an array of practical advantages. One example is a decreased risk of embezzlement, since donated funds are transferred directly into a church's bank account, bypassing the counting committee. And the kiosk documents satisfy Internal Revenue Service regulations requiring taxpayers to present a written statement from a bank or charitable organization when claiming a deduction on their returns.
Phil Martin of the National Association of Church Business Administrators says that Automated Tithing Machines might only be the beginning. "Whether we'll have an offering plate with a card reader one day, who knows," he said. "But we're certainly not far from that."
Nope, my problem with this is that this is about revenue generation and handling, it is not about GIVING. These are not the same things. We do not pass the plate, collect the offering, gather the tithe, or anything else to generate revenue for the church. Hate to break it to you, but we do it because giving is part of our spiritual development. Money for the church is a by-product, but it is not why we do that stuff.
I must confess to hating stewardship time at church. See I have always thought that if the church was about the business it was really supposed to be about, you know, making disciples, it just wouldn't need to worry about things like stewardship campaigns. See, I figure genuine disciples are going to give because well, disciples give.
Ours is a sacrificial faith, and when we make the sacrifice easier, you know, less sacrificial, we sort of lose the whole point. I also am a big believer in making it as public as possible. The shame factor is motivating (I only write a check once a month and I know I feel a bit of shame other weeks when the plate goes by) which is another way of saying there is accountability in the public display of that sacrifice.
Don't look for me to be attending a church with an ATM anytime soon.
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