Credit cards continue to pop up in some of the most unexpected places – and that includes churches. Credit card kiosks have started to appear in places like the Journey Church sanctuary in Springfield, Ohio in order to collect offerings. The church has made it possible for its congregation to make offerings with these “giving kiosks” with the help of a touchscreen device that processes debit or credit cards.
I’ve mentioned before that some churches are allowing their congregations to make offerings with credit cards, despite the fact that some feel this takes away from the act of giving and the meaning behind the offerings. The touch screen device that is made available in a kiosk style, however, is something that I haven’t seen before.
Noel is definitely in support of using the kiosks in his church. “You use your debit card at the gas station, you use your debit card at the grocery store,” he said. “Why are we afraid to use the technology in church. Biblically speaking, they used to bring grains and fruits and animals as offering. Then they brought coins.”
Apparently, Noel considers the move to plastic payments is simply a natural part of the evolution of church offerings. In order to make giving as easy as possible, the congregation has access to a desktop kiosk with a card swipe that looks similar to what you would find at a fast food restaurant. The move seems to make sense for Journey Church, with 240 members, more than half of which are younger than 25 years-old.
If you ask me, the main reason churches are offering payment by plastic is because it will help to increase the offerings they receive. It’s no secret that people tend to be more generous with their spending when they pay with plastic. Although the church only installed the kiosks in September, they’ve already seen an increase in the amount of their offerings.
In his defense, Noel, states that “We really push the debit [card] side. The church is trying to steer people away from debt.”
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