Paying your tithe and offering online?
@mrsgoodygoody00 (895)
United States
November 19, 2008 11:50am CST
Ever since my husband and I moved, I've been searching for a church home for us. And now that we're soon to be parents, it's really important to me to find us a church. I saw a comercial for a church on t.v., and it looked interesting, so I checked their website. They actually had an option to pay your tithes and offering online. They even had it so that you could set it up like automatc bill pay. I was a little shocked to tell the truth, because I have never heard of this. In my mind, you should attend church, recieve a message, and hopefully take something away, and give whatever you feel you should in your heart, or can give. I was so put off by it, that I didn't give the church a second though. I was a little dissapointed, because I really need to get my praise on at church. lol. But I know I'll find a good church for us. Is this a new trend? I'm hoping that it was just this particular church.
2 people like this
3 responses
@EAStanley (2688)
• United States
19 Nov 08
Wow, I had never heard of that. But, I am not really all that surprised by it. Everything else is done online! Well, except for voting for the President, LOL, but that will probably be done online sometime soon as well. I do understand about the need to actually go to church and worship in person. But, if a regular member is sick and home-bound for say a month or so, then they might want to do this. Or if somebody has to go on a Business Trip and can't be at Church on Sunday, they can get online from their laptop in their hotel and do this. Examples like that are how I hope that this system would be used. But, I can definitely see people not wanting to get out of bed and get dressed on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and they assuage any guilt that they might feel by tithing online. It could definitely present a problem if every member started to feel this way; there would be no physical attendance at the actual church! *LOL* So, I can see both the good points and the negative points of such a system.
1 person likes this
@EAStanley (2688)
• United States
19 Nov 08
Well, I meant to say "lazy Sunday morning" as most Church services are in the mornings. :)
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
21 Nov 08
hi,
this is my own personal view on this matter..
i dont think it is wrong to pay your tithe and offering online.. and i dont think it is wrong the church to offer such services.
i find it the same as donating online.. by text, and so forth..
in fact making it available online, would make it even easier for people to give more, because they can do so at their convenience..
going to church to pray, and listen to the service is important, and should be done as often as you could.. and giving/paying tithe+offerings should also be encouraged as often as one can afford to.. and not necessarily only you can come to church..
these are my thoughts, anyway..
peace ! 
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
19 Nov 08
I think the automatic tithe thing is mainly for convenience. Our church has it as an option (We do not use it). If you think about it, many people no longer carry cash or even a check book anymore and maybe the church is trying to find a way to make it easier for people to give. They have to pay the electric bill too.
