By Matt Chandler
Reaching out to the congregation for giving requires more than a “one size fits all” approach; learning more about the different types of givers will help you come up with a customized approach and allow you to make giving personal.
5 Types of Givers
1. Reluctant Givers
These are the members of the congregation or group that rarely give, or don’t give at all. Reaching out to them requires a compelling strategy and an understanding of why they don’t give. Understanding this large group can help you approach them correctly. Sometimes your reluctant givers want to give, but simply don’t have time to write that check; mobile giving makes it easier than ever to connect with this group.
2. Regular Givers
These members give regularly and may tithe; while you have already forged a powerful connection, you can’t overlook them. Reinforce their giving with thanks and be sure to express your gratitude; making it easy for this group to give also helps them continue to stay the course.
3. Casual Givers
This group gives sporadically and without any form of pattern. They may give as a “tip” after a thoughtful sermon or enjoyable experience, or after they have received a personal windfall. Communication and interaction can help turn this casual giver into a more regular; casual giving may also indicate casual attendance or a need to be drawn closer to the group.
4. Lapsed Givers
Regulars or casual givers who used to give, but no longer do; this group is small but important, as this lapse could signal a personal crisis or a falling out with your organization. Approaching the lapsed giver out of concern not for the funds, but for what changed in their lives allows to reach out to the whole person and offer pastoral assistance as needed.
5. Legacy Givers
This group gives with abundance and even ensures that your church is supported when they are gone. Thanks, communication and an understanding of why this individual gives can help you connect with them.
How to Connect With Millennials Using Your Church Giving App
Millennials. They’re young, they’re headstrong, and they can be particularly difficult to connect with if you aren’t able to engage them through the technology which has always been such a deeply integrated part of their lives.
As with anyone, to have a meaningful connection, it’s necessary to develop a mutually beneficial relationship. Studies have shown that millennials who maintain strong ties to their church do so because they have close personal relationships with people within that church.
In spite of the widespread disillusionment that so many of these young adults feel, millions of millennials are still active in their faith and attend church regularly.
So, how can your church maintain those ties and nurture a robust connection with their millennial members?
Here are three powerful solutions:
1. Make your church available to them electronically.
Research shows that of practicing Christian millennials:
- 71 percent read scripture on a computer or mobile device
- 58 percent search for Christian content online
- 57 percent research a church online before attending services
- 39 percent fact-check statements made in sermons, blogs, or other places
This means all these resources should be available to them on your church website and your church giving app. When they search for you online, they should find mobile-friendly, useful and compelling content so that when they eventually do attend church services they will choose to visit your church.
2. Entrust them with leadership opportunities.
Everyone wants to be useful and feel appreciated. For technology-fluent millennials, this means they want to access, or at least have the ability to learn ways they can become active members of your church when they visit your website.
So, as you organize more groups, mission trips, ministries, and other volunteer opportunities, make it clear in your online content that there are distinct roles for them to fill.
A good way to engage their attention is to create surveys they can take online which will give them a way to assess how they can best serve your congregation. Let them know their interests and opinions are important to you.
3. Provide online giving opportunities.
Our research shows that 12 percent of church-going Millennials tithe at least once a month, and 41 percent of them donate to their church or faith organization using technology at least once a month.
By providing a way for these individuals to tithe via electronic means such as a church giving app, you will be helping them to remain active in their faith and to feel they are an important part of your church body.
Matt Chandler is the director of content marketing and strategy for Givelify, www.givelify.com.
