ATM in your church lobby?
 

This weeks Time Magazine has an article about ATM's in churches.

It is not so far fetched of an idea. You have to have receipts for most donations beginning in 2007, and some church giving increased 18%.

Would you use an ATM at church?

Click here for the full story.

Why not? Most people don't carry cash anymore. It's also an extra stream of income if the the ATM adds a fee for disbursement.

It should be placed discreetly, however.

Church of Champions/Bro. Hutchins can offer you experiential insight. They have been doing this for a while now and have seen a similar increase in giving. They also can point you to some folks that will assist you in getting this set up!

Why not? It would save us the gas from going to the bank on Friday or Saturday to get cash from the ATM for offerings. I hate putting checks in the offering plate. God is the only one who needs a record of my giving. I don't have to keep a receipt. ;)

My husband would LOVE that...he's into online banking and automating everything, and quite frankly, our tithes would probably be less likely to be late if it was set up to automatically go to the church, or if he could just swipe his card.

Me...I'm not so sure...I guess the convenience factor is great, BUT...I think there's something to be said for bringing money in hand and giving it to the church. I wouldn't want my kids to donate money they've never really "seen"....it seems a bit impersonal. I also think it makes the church look a bit like money grubbers...wouldn't it make a bad impression on visitors to walk into the church and see an ATM machine? The secular world already suspects the church of scamming people out of their money about half the time. I think its better for them to see giving in the offering in the old-fashioned, traditional way as an act of worship, as part of the service.

I can see how it could increase giving, though.

how about a link to "online giving"..in case you missed a recent opportunity to give...

I saw this recently on a church website, their HOME PAGE to be exact, and was seriously turned off.

My thought was withdrawing the money from the ATM to give in the offering, in which case you would be "seeing, holding, giving" the offering.

I wouldn't be opposed to the ATM at church but I think it would be tacky to be in the foyer in plain view - maybe it could be tucked away in a more non-conspicuous area.

Ok, Did anyone read the article?

We have MissB loving this and Theresa hating it....

Okay. I read it just for you. So 'splain something for me. I just automatically assumed regular ATM (withdrawals) functions. But the way I read this, I am thinking a kiosk for transfers to church account only.....Is this a correct interpretation?

Do we? I don't think that's what I said. :coffee2

great idea!!!

""How would you feel if someone in your church was giving and giving on credit and you later find they have to declare bankruptcy," said one from Eric. "I guess it wouldn't matter because you're not your brother's keeper — huh?" To deal with that problem, many churches now accept only debit cards."

This would also concern me...I don't think anyone should be paying tithes or offering with a credit card! That seems wrong, and even dishonest to me...to pay God with money you may or may not have. Just my perspective!

Amen!! And a very good perspective.....

I could see the possibility of it helping people give, or making it convenient, but what I have a problem is this:

Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.

Now I know Jesus is talking about purchasing Doves not ATMS, but I wonder how much we should mix worship, prayer, and banking.

Just a concern I personally have.

JMHO

We were at a church in N.S. when we were home and they have ATM service available. It's really helpful because there are many people not carrying cash much anymore.

There have been many times that I wanted to give money for a specific cause or just for the general offering but had no cash. If I'd had access to a debit machine the offering would have increased. :thumbsup

The people who increase their giving just because it's "easier" are not biblically giving anyways. If they were, they wouldn't mind the "sacrifice" it would require to get some cash beforehand, and they wouldn't give more only because it was easier to give it, they'd be giving from the heart as much as they wanted to give regardless. *shrug*

I don't know how much personal banking one can do from an ATM ... Ron.

The prooftext you gave was for the shameless hawking of merchandise ... specifically those who wanted to buy an offering to present ... rather than bring one of their own ....

The ATM simply is an electronic means of accessing one's own cash ...

The sacrifice? Give it a break. Most of us don't see our checks or get paid cash ... unless you are off the books or still cash a check.

With direct deposit I don't even see my check in the form of cash ... all my banking is done electronically ... my bills paid online.

I thought God prefers our obedience over sacrifice, anyway.

Depends on what one wants to do Dan, but again it wasn't just the ATM I had a concern with, it was the principle of "banking" & Church mixed together.

I didn't say I had a "conviction" just a "concern" and that it was personal.

Some would like us to carry the ox to temple on our shoulders ... then it woud be "biblical'?

Gawd!!! I don't understand the relgious mind!!!!

You're torn to shreds and often manipulated to give an offering ... yet the zealot would then turn around and say ... no you can't access your own money in the foyer because you need to break a sweat carrying it here.

i think it is a great idea, maybe the only limitation should be atm card only, dt:hypercoffee

lighten up a bit dan, and maybe a couple less cups of coffee, love ya, dt:hypercoffee

Give it a break yourself. :nah The sacrifice remark was referring to the idea that has been stated in another post that it's more of a hassle to go to the bank and get money so you'll be able to give cash at church. My point was that if bringing an offering to church is that big of a problem, you don't understand the actual concept of giving in the first place.

I don't drink coffee ... and your nick is still very disturbing.

Who said it was a hassle ... having cash on hand is not someithing those of us in modern age are concerned about ...

Do you want the offering or not?

thanks, i dont drink it either, i just think that dude is funny, lol,dt

By having to pay the $2.00 "penalty" fee ... aren't you making amends for your slothfullness, anyway?

It's not like one busted their tail for 40-60 hours during the week to have the funds available in the first place.

Hey, Hey, Hey, no comments about wives-please!:hypercoffee

I would love to have one in the lobby, even if it's only to transfer money to the church's account. Like Felicity said, sometimes you get the desire to give WHILE YOU'RE IN CHURCH, perhaps you feel led to give to a missionary, etc. I personally do not carry a checkbook, my wife keeps it, and if I want to give, I would have to make other arrangements to give it to them. If there was an ATM, everyone could transfer money and the church could cut the missionary one big check. I would welcome this.

My daughter visited Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this year and she was shocked that they were selling souvenieres in the church. She had visited a church in Florence where she was given a paper shawl to wear because she the top she was wearing had spaghetti straps. :poloroid

You mean the heifer, right?

The above statement was where I got my 'hassle' tangent.

You is treading where Angels fear to tread!:hypercoffee

Cheese ... you know I'm hassling you, right? :poloroid

How about they give you the extra $3.00 dollars they would have used for gas as an ATM surcharge? ;) Plus $2 more for the ATM surcharge they would have paid at the bank. The church actually has $5 more...multiply that by an average of 30 members and you have $150 extra dollars a week. You might actually get a paycheck before long!

(the church member average was my observation of average church attendance in rural churches...for all I know you have 3000 :D)

I find the idea intriguing but before I went with a full fledged ATM (and ALL the hassles involved in maintaining it -I worked in a bank and know whats involved), I would start with something simpler.... like perhaps a PayPal account. I know far fewer people use Paypal then would use an ATM, but it is free for the church and doesn't involve ANY cash handling or armored carriers.

I like the idea of just a machine that would do transfers

It doesn't have to be an ATM ... a pin pad credit/debit processor would do the trick.

I think it is important to have an ATM machine in the church foyer. How else can you pay for the Starbucks? For real!

:killinme:killinme