There are a number of ways we can give a tithe and offerings. Weighing out the pros and cons of each can help you decide which one is best for you.
Cash
Giving cash money is the truest form of giving. The physical form of putting paper bills and coins into an offering basket has been the longest running form of giving in our nation, and it still gives me a thrill when I do it.
- Pro: The action of giving cash is emotional
- Pro: It is instantaneous and requires no follow-up
- Pro: There is almost no cost for a church to deposit cash
- Con: Cash gifts offer little in the way of tracking for claiming a tax deduction or surviving an audit
Check
The check is becoming less popular as time goes by. Most people have graduated to more electronic ways to pay their bills, but the act of writing a tithe check is still a favorite of givers.
- Pro: They get a feeling of being good Stewards of God’s money when placing the check in the offering plate
- Pro: Tithe check writers tend to be responsible savers and spenders because they are forcing themselves to pay attention to their giving
- Pro: Checks offer a way to track tax-deductible gifts, which is a right and responsibility for any Christian
- Con: You have to think ahead or risk arriving on Sunday morning with your gift sitting in your desk drawer at home
Online
This is the new kid in town. Giving electronically is gaining in popularity and will become one of the largest ways people give in the coming years.
- Pro: It is super-convenient
- Pro: It can be done from anywhere, even from the pew
- Con: The option of electronic payments usually allow for payment via credit card, which leads to interest payments and over the limit fees
- Con: Processing credit and debit card payments is much more expensive than other forms of payment. Churches could pay more than $4,000 in fees for every $100,000 in gifts given via plastic.
Give a tithe, even while in debt
The most important thing to remember is to give. Living on 90% of our income with God’s blessings will always be more prosperous than living on 100% without God – even while paying off debt.
How do you give to your local church? Please leave your comments below.