From “The Week” magazine: “Good Week For Faith-based technology, after an Evangelical church in Georgia installed a “Giving Kiosk,” a sleek black pedestal with a swipe-card reader that enables congregants to make donations by credit card. “It’s truly like an ATM for Jesus,” says Pastor Marty Baker, who expects the kiosk to bring in between $200,000 and $240,000 this year.”
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Did Jesus ever tell about the widow with the... debit card?
Sharolyn
harmonicminer 4:27 pm on 13 October 2006 Permalink
OK, I know this is funny… but it’s a great idea. I don’t walk around with lotsa cash, and frequently forget to bring a checkbook…. this woulda saved me more than once.
One thing, though…. if the Holy Spirit is there looking while I type in my PIN, is that bad?
aly hawkins 4:29 pm on 13 October 2006 Permalink
Tithe…$40. Missions giving…$10. Building fund…$10. ATM for Jesus…priceless.
harmonicminer 7:21 pm on 13 October 2006 Permalink
OK, I’ve got this image…. instead of a plate, the ushers pass wireless ATM modules (you know, like they stick through the car window at McDonalds, except wireless) up and down the rows….
june 8:05 pm on 13 October 2006 Permalink
I suddenly feel the urge to bake bread, homeschool my children and take up knitting.
harmonicminer 9:58 pm on 13 October 2006 Permalink
Just imagine how long the offertory would have to be.
Kyle 9:21 am on 14 October 2006 Permalink
Amen, June.
Hey. I worked for a large church in Dallas that paid VISA and Mastercard a hefty 20 grand in one year for the privilage of that borrowed money.
This is a practice that institutionalizes financial irresponsibility in the life of the church. Wealthy people might use them for convenience, but poor people? This just makes a terrible problem worse.
Maybe I’ve seen Fight Club too many times…
michael lee 9:47 am on 14 October 2006 Permalink
What if you limit the terminals to only accept debit cards? You place a barrier between wreckless behavior, but still allow for convenience.
My wife and I do almost all of our giving by using automatic bill-pay. Every so often, we reassess our giving, and direct it to different ministries and missions, go online to our banking site to set the amounts that go out every month, and then it rolls automatically.
I’m still conflicted about this. We did it for purely pragmatic reasons – we kept forgetting to write the checks! This way, we can be more consistent and intentional. I sometimes feel like we’re missing out on some of the joy that comes from intentional giving, the act of faith that comes from giving up control of some of your resources when you write that check. At the same time, it’s a pretty extreme example of “not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”
So, if we didn’t do it this way, we would be less consistent givers, but more aware of giving as a spiritual practice. By using automatic bill-pay, we are more consistent in our giving, but are less aware of the regular practice.
Any thoughts?
june 9:55 am on 14 October 2006 Permalink
Go bake some bread.
june 10:00 am on 14 October 2006 Permalink
Michael, we do the same thing. Downside: I used to remember to pray for our Compassion kids when I wrote the checks each month. Upside: I think/hope I pray for them more now that I’ve had to find a different way to be reminded of them. So…I think it (life, giving, bill-paying) can work in any number of ways, one just has to be intentional and aware at all times. It’s exhausting. Coffee is key.
(Hmm. This is basically what you said. I forgot I was going to use the “WMS” acronym from now on.)
Back to my knittin’…
ash 4:27 pm on 15 October 2006 Permalink
“Just imagine how long the offertory would have to be.”
OMGROTFL.
Morphea 8:40 am on 16 October 2006 Permalink
Kyle, I don’t think it’s possible to watch Fight Club too many times.
Cerise
Sharolyn 1:10 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
I’ve got it… the CHURCH could issue credit cards! Interest payments would – of course? – go directly to missions.
Like any credit card, it would have to award its clients “rewards”, such as:
-pew preference
-parking preference
-bulletin space
-song requests
-musician requests (did I just say that?)
and my favorite – adding three random sentences to each sermon.
I went there in my mind, but decided Chad would be much more hilarious at random sentences to throw in a sermon.
Morphea 1:22 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
“Of course, whoring and prostitution are two entirely different things.”
“Think about this. If Bette Davis were to come up this aisle and stand before you, what would you wish to say to her in your heart?”
“All in all, I’ll come right out and say that calling it a Quarter-Pounder based on a PRE-cooked weight is exactly the kind of thing that’s wrong with today’s society.”
Sharolyn, you have given us a gift. Thank you.
Thank you.
Sharolyn 1:33 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Oh my gosh, ROFL!
I’ll just provide a topic, and you can provide the actual humor substance!
Morphea 1:37 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Noooo.
[whining] Come on, Sharolyyyynnn. I want to hear yours!
michael lee 2:16 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
“For more information about todays message, let me direct you to sermons.com, where for $5.99, you can download the Rick Warren message that I plagarized.”
“When I take off my glasses midway through my third point, it means you should feel very emotional about whatever I say next.”
“Would you thank the worship team for me? I really couldn’t ask for a better opening act.”
Sharolyn 2:38 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Oh my gosh. I can’t believe there is a “sermons.com”.
“Jesus would be a democrat.”
“Women make GREAT church leaders.”
“Cookies for everyone!!!”
aly hawkins 2:49 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
“I’m gonna tell you a touching story right now about how I gave a homeless woman new Christmas shoes, but you should know up front that it wasn’t really me.”
“So I think you can see why the 10 Commandments are just 10 really good suggestions.”
“What’s that? Oh, okay. Folks, the head usher just informed me that we have to take a second offering, since some of you, by our calculations, erroneously believe you’re supposed to tithe on net instead of gross.”
harmonicminer 2:50 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Personally, I’d settle for frequent prayer miles.
aly hawkins 2:54 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Really, Phil? I was under the impression from your recent comment on the Darfur post that prayer is pointless.
Argh. Sorry that’s incredibly snarky. Where’s my Xanax?
Sharolyn 3:30 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
Keep your bickering on that other post!
(only kidding… love to you both)
Morphea 3:32 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
See, Sharolyn? Your contributions were hilarious [and true - KIDDING!]. But #3 would surely cause some sort of hullaballoo.
Cerise
Sharolyn 4:00 pm on 18 October 2006 Permalink
#3 happened! Well, sort of. (That’s what made me think of the quote.) One of our pastors is known for using props in his sermon – very engaging. I talked to him as I was warming up a few Sundays ago, and he told me to sit in the front row, but I didn’t know why.
His sermon was promoting small groups using scripture from Acts. This guy doesn’t do anything half-assed. He brought his whole living room from home and filled the stage with it! Couches, end table, lamp, rug, pictures, etc. He began his sermon with, “Hi, I’m Jeremy. Welcome to small group.” -and started passing out cookies.
The sermon was even better than the cookies.
I think we have a few new groups now.