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5 Ways to Use QR Codes For Your Tithes and Offerings

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Help your congregation give by using QR codes for tithes and offerings.

The last couple of decades have seen a dramatic shift in how we do church. The nitty-gritty elements of how a service is conducted have become steadily influenced by modern life. 

Live streaming is the norm now. Overhead projectors and giant flat-screen TVs are being used even in smaller sanctuaries. Churches have thriving social media communities and email lists.

One area of 21st-century church activity that has seen a lot of changes in recent years is tithes and offerings.

How to Handle 21st-Century Tithes and Offerings

Once upon a time, all it took to collect a tithe and offering was to, well, physically collect it. A plate was passed along each aisle as people dug cash out of their purses and pockets. 

Checks were also common. Those who came prepared would carefully place a pre-written, already folded check into the plate. Others would scramble to find a pen.

Whether via checks or cash, the process typically ended in paper.

Nowadays, congregants give in a myriad of different ways. People direct their giving toward churches through direct deposit, giving kiosks, credit cards, online giving portals, and even banking apps.

The increase in giving options is a great benefit. And yet, it can also lead to a case of analysis paralysis as churches waffle between the plethora of different giving options.

This is not good, as it too often leaves both churches and donors uncertain how to proceed. 

It’s important that each church takes the time to carefully select the specific giving channels that work best for their circumstances and then clearly describe how to use them.

This is where using QR codes for your tithes and offerings comes into the picture as an effective, easy-to-understand giving option…if you use them the right way.

Level up giving: 8 Effective Digital Giving Practices For Your Church

Making giving easy by using QR codes for tithes and offerings.

5 Ways to Use QR Codes For Your Tithes and Offerings

The concept of using a QR code can be alluring. It allows you to send a giver directly to an online giving portal, streamlining the experience in the process.

The only thing is, if you’re going to use a QR code for your tithes and offerings, you need to actually provide your church members with the code itself. Here are a few of the best locations to place your code to ensure that anyone looking to support your ministry can easily find them.

Innovative online giving ideas: 7 Ways To Increase Online Tithing For Churches

1. Announcements & Bulletins

The number one best place to put a QR code is in your announcements & bulletins

Once you have a QR code handy, the first place it should go is on its own tithes and offerings slide in your announcement rotation. If you’re thorough, these should be available both in-service and online via a live stream. This means everyone watching, either in-person or at home, can find the code.

An announcement slide is also a great place to provide an offering-related item. People expect to see logistical information communicated through this medium.

2. Seat Back Stickers

The back of a church seat is a classic place to communicate information. 

Pews have always held Bibles and hymnals. Church seats, of all kinds, often have repositories for used communion cups, too. Communication cards are common to find, complete with pens — or, at times, even those tiny pencils you use to keep score when you go golfing.

The point is, the back of the church seat has long served as a way to provide information and tools for congregants and it can also be a great place to include your QR code.

One of the best ways to do this is with a seat back sticker. Simply print off stickers of your QR codes and adhere them at regular intervals throughout your sanctuary. That way, if someone wants to give online, all they have to do is lean forward, snap a picture, and they’re off to the races.

The increase in giving options is a great benefit but it can also lead to a case of analysis paralysis as churches waffle between the plethora of different giving options. QR codes are a simple solution to this. Click To Tweet

3. Signs on the Way Out of Church Services

Another way to promote your QR code capabilities is through signs.

This may sound a bit tacky, but think about a giving kiosk. They can be big, bulky objects, and yet churches everywhere don’t hesitate to keep them right out in the open. 

A slim, well-placed sign with a QR code can be much less intimidating — and still be a great way to promote your cutting-edge giving option.

The important thing here is “well-placed.” Try not to put up QR codes that are right in everyone’s face when they arrive at church. This can come across as a bit aggressive, and for a visitor, it can immediately set the tone for a negative experience.

Instead, position your QR code signs in spots that are primarily visible on the way out of the church. That way everyone can see them as a quick reminder as they exit the building.

4. Quarterly and Annual Giving Statements 

One quiet-yet-effective way to promote a QR code is right in amongst your other financial activities.

For instance, many churches offer both quarterly and annual giving statements as well as annual reports. These can offer excellent opportunities to include a QR code right on the documentation.

If someone already supports your ministry, it can show them a simpler way to speed up their giving. If an individual doesn’t give regularly, it can serve as a good reminder in a fitting context to consider doing so.

Giving insights: 5 Powerful #GivingTuesday Statistics

5. Printed Materials

Finally, consider any areas where your church distributes printed media. These are iconic places to find a QR code.

Even if the item in question isn’t giving related, if there’s a spot to include a call to action to support your ministry, include that QR code right along with it.

This doesn’t have to take up precious real estate on everything that you print. On the contrary, you can tuck it away in a footer or on a back page.

The point is to look for the hidden opportunities to include that QR code magic whenever you go to distribute something to your congregation with good ol’ paper and ink.

Getting the Most Out of Your QR Codes

QR codes are an excellent giving tool. They streamline the giving process by helping donors jump to the right place in an instant.

While they’re great for your congregation, they’re equally helpful for those running a church.

A QR codes for tithes and offerings is a great tool to use as you try to coach your congregation on the importance of tithes and offerings without trying to sound too repetitive or annoying. They can be subtly included throughout your congregants’ experiences, both in-person and online, where they can quietly serve as a reminder, pointing the way toward a simple, 21st-century giving experience.

Are you wondering how to promote recurring giving? Check out 3 Proven Ways To Seamlessly Promote Recurring Giving.

Kenny Jahng
Kenny Jahnghttps://www.kennyjahng.com
Kenny Jahng is Editor-In-Chief at ChurchTechToday.com. He's also the founder of AiForChurchLeaders.com. Kenny is a Certified StoryBrand Copywriter Guide and founder of Big Click Syndicate, a strategic marketing advisory firm helping Christian leaders build marketing engines that work. You can connect with Kenny on LinkedIn, TikTok, or Instagram.

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