Giving is a big deal for a church. Giving is not THE big deal, because we all know that is Jesus. But the Bible is pretty clear that, as followers of Jesus, we are called to be givers. What does giving look like? Time, talents, and service are all ways we can give, but it is often the faithful giving of tithes and offerings that give a church the advantage of reaching out for Christ in big ways in our communities and our world.
When we give and encourage our church members and attendees to give, we also have a responsibility to keep track of these gifts, both individually and as a church. Realm helps us do this. Individual users in Realm have a dashboard where they can see their total giving, schedule a tithe or offering, manage payment methods, or even pay for an event—all in real time. Individuals have control of and can clearly see each of their financial gifts and monitor personal giving history. “This individual control of giving and ability to see personal giving history is paramount,” Spring Hills’ Administrative Assistant and Church Clerk Theresa Warner says.
As a church, we must keep track of giving and monitor our progress to achieving financial goals for specific outreach projects, events, ministries, and general church budget. Realm helps us do this as well. With predesigned reports, viewing giving can be as quick and easy as the push of a button. Realm administrators can modify or design reports—and even view giving by specific demographics, such as age or geographical location of givers—and create unique charts and graphs to help church staff take a deeper look at giving. Understanding the giver and providing tools for giving and tracking helps our church answer God’s most certain call to be His hands and feet and freely give to others.
This post was contributed by Kathy Howell, one of our ministry partners. Kathy is the Communications Coordinator at Spring Hills Baptist Church in Granville, Ohio.
