Giving is an act of worship and trust, and the way a church receives gifts should honor that. For many congregations, that now includes making it possible to give by card, online and on a recurring schedule. Fewer people carry cash or checks, and members who travel, work weekends or watch services online still want to give faithfully. The goal is not to turn giving into a transaction, but to remove barriers for people who already want to support the ministry.

The main ways churches receive gifts today

  • In person, with a card terminal or kiosk in the lobby or at the welcome center.
  • Online, through a giving page linked from the church website, app or livestream.
  • Recurring gifts, where a member schedules a weekly, twice-monthly or monthly gift.
  • Bank transfers, using ACH, which typically cost less to process than cards.
  • Text-to-give, where members send a text to receive a secure giving link.
  • Event and ministry payments, such as camp registrations, retreats, conferences and bookstore sales.

Most churches do not need all of these at once. Start with the ones that match how your members already live and give, and add others as you see the need.

Why recurring giving matters

Recurring gifts give a ministry something it rarely has: predictability. When a meaningful portion of giving arrives on a schedule, budgets are steadier through holidays, summer travel and bad-weather Sundays. For members, recurring giving can be a way to practice consistent, first-fruits generosity without having to remember each week.

  • Make the recurring option visible on your giving page, not hidden behind a second click.
  • Let givers choose the frequency that matches their paycheck.
  • Send a confirmation when a recurring gift is set up, and a simple way to change or stop it.
  • Notify givers when a card is about to expire or a payment fails, gently and privately.

Keeping processing costs in view

Every dollar that goes to processing fees is a dollar not going to ministry, so stewardship applies here too. A few practical points:

  • Card networks have offered special interchange categories for qualifying charitable organizations. Ask your processor whether your account qualifies and is set up to receive them.
  • Encourage ACH for larger or recurring gifts where members are comfortable with it, since bank transfers usually cost less.
  • Many giving pages offer givers the option to voluntarily cover the processing cost. Keep it optional, and confirm with your processor that it is presented in line with current card brand rules.
  • Review your statement at least once a year, as any business would, and calculate your effective rate.

Choosing a giving platform

Many churches use a dedicated giving or church management platform, and others use their processor's payment pages. Whichever you choose, a few questions help:

  • Is the giving page simple enough that a first-time visitor can give in under a minute on a phone?
  • Can givers designate gifts to specific funds, such as general budget, missions or a building fund?
  • Does it support both card and bank account giving, and recurring gifts on flexible schedules?
  • Can it produce year-end contribution statements, and export records to your accounting software?
  • How are processing fees structured, and are any platform fees charged on top of them?
  • Who will help when a member has a problem with a gift on a Sunday morning?

Ask to see the giver's experience for yourself before you commit. Make a small test gift on your own phone, set up a recurring gift, then cancel it. You will learn more in five minutes than from any brochure.

Protecting givers' trust

Members are trusting the church with both their gifts and their financial information. A few safeguards go a long way:

  • Use a secure, hosted giving page so card numbers never pass through church computers or email.
  • Never write down card numbers from a phone call. Send the giver a secure link instead.
  • Limit who can view individual giving records, and keep that list short.
  • Have two people involved in reconciling deposits, just as you would for the offering plate.
  • Keep the lobby terminal or kiosk in view of staff or volunteers, and check it regularly for tampering.

Communicating about giving

Introducing card and online giving is also a communication moment. Explain the options simply from the pulpit or in a bulletin note, show members where to find them, and make clear that every form of giving is equally welcome. Older members who prefer the plate should never feel that their way is outdated. Younger members who give from their phone should never feel their gift is less personal.

A second source of support: the BrightStar Impact Network

Beyond your own giving, many churches have members who own businesses. Every one of those businesses pays to accept cards each month. Through the BrightStar Impact Network, a business owner can move their card processing to BrightStar and designate your church or ministry. BrightStar then donates a share of its profit on that account to your ministry every month. The business pays the same or less than before, guaranteed in writing, and the church pays nothing. No one is asked to sell anything or give more out of pocket.

Starting a network for your church costs nothing. We provide a page your members can use to designate the ministry, and we handle the statement reviews and setup for each business. BrightStar can also help with the church's own card and online giving setup. If you would like to talk it through, we are glad to listen first.

Published · BrightStar Merchant Services