How to Encourage Joyful Holiday Giving (With No-Pressure Appeals)
During December, church pews across the country overflow with congregants and visitors alike as they celebrate God's gift of Christ Jesus. The Christmas season fosters a spirit of generosity in Christians, motivating them to give, which is reflected in the church coffers each year.
December is the highest month for church donations, accounting for nearly 14% of the yearly total. Congregational leaders have an opportunity to tap into this spirit of generosity to help their organizations serve their communities throughout the New Year.
My experience as an ordained minister has taught me that the topic of holiday giving can be a potential source of tension within churches, both among regular attendees who may resent feeling pressured to give and among visitors who are unfamiliar with a church’s culture. This problem is exacerbated by major shifts in financial habits, particularly among younger people.
The Year-End Giving Reality
King Solomon spoke of the renewing nature of giving in Proverbs 11:25 when he wrote, "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
During the advent season, it's a pastor's responsibility to invite their congregation to receive these gifts through their acts of generosity. However, much has changed since Solomon's day, and leaders all through the church must understand the realities of modern fundraising before making their appeals.
As you know, December is the biggest month of the year for charitable giving.
While regular churchgoers provide the majority of these gifts, visitors are another potentially rich source of holiday support. One analysis found that 76% of givers donated only intermittently, compared to 18% who gave monthly and 6% who gave weekly.
Because irregular attendees lack weekly involvement, they are less likely to support their churches out of habit, out of a sense of obedience, or out of investment in the mission. Instead, visitors' gifts are often spontaneous or emotionally driven. There's also a growing preference among casual churchgoers to donate to specific causes, rather than the general fund.
When churchgoers decide to make gifts, they increasingly prefer electronic methods. ChurchTrac data shows that 49% of donors use their credit card or other electronic methods. This trend is particularly true for younger generations, who don't carry cash to add to the collection plate.
Only 10% of Gen Z use cash for regular transactions. 51% regularly use digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc).
These realities present both opportunities and challenges for church leaders. Members, even those who are marginally engaged, are primed to give. However, churches need to adapt to a changing financial culture. This process begins with complete transparency around financial matters.
I've never been a fan of asking for money from the pulpit.
Instead, I'm a big believer in the idea that tithes and offerings should be a discussion between congregants and God, with no pressure applied in between. Church leaders should pray that their congregants' hearts are open and willing to hear God's calling toward biblical generosity. That doesn't mean they should never speak about money — quite the opposite.
Unfortunately, church fundraising often carries negative connotations. From questions about tax exemptions to millionaire TV preachers, many people wonder whether churches will actually use their money to serve others. These preconceptions can be at least partially undone when leaders are transparent about where the money is going.
Churches that practice transparency spell out where every penny of their tithes and offerings goes. They also place responsibility for spending decisions with a trustworthy third party, like a church financial committee.
These practices foster trust with congregations by ensuring no single person has absolute power over the church's checkbook.
This transparency becomes even important during holidays like Christmas and Easter, as a larger number of visitors attend services. There may be only one or two opportunities to demonstrate to these new faces how they use tithes and offerings.
If those visitors witness pastors speaking openly and honestly about their fundraising, they'll be much likely to participate. The same is true for regular attendees.
Building a culture of transparency around giving creates significant opportunities for donations when congregants can see where the money is going and feel like a part of the overarching mission.
Once churches establish the "why" around giving, they can move on to the "how."
The Chipotle Approach to Giving Appeals
The act of collecting gifts has changed significantly over the years. Everyone is used to ushers passing around collection plates during services, and then manually counting the cash and check totals every week. While the offering plate still plays a vital role, there are options now to complement this practice. Consequently, church leaders must adapt to match their congregants' new preferences.
Today's donors like what I call the “Chipotle approach,” where they can pick and choose when and how they give, especially highlighting digital, cashless options:
Giving Kiosks
Often stationed in the main entrance or at events, giving kiosks offer a quick and low-lift way to increase in-person giving. These kiosks consist of a tablet, card reader, and donation app, enabling congregants to make an offering with a tap of their phone or credit card. Donorbox data shows that kiosks help increase donations by an average of 35%.
QR Codes or Text-to-Give
QR codes and text-to-give tools quickly send congregants to donation pages via their smartphones. Churches can project a large QR code behind the pastor during announcements or include a Text-to-Give number in the weekly newsletter to increase visibility and drive traffic.
Near Field Communication (NFC) Tap Tags
This emerging fundraising method utilizes a coaster disk that congregants can tap with their smartphones, directing them to a menu or landing page. Some churches have begun installing tap tags on the back of pews to create an easy access point for congregants.
Create a Multilayered-Visibility Strategy
Churches should implement as many of these tools as possible to reach the most people. However, simply installing the technology isn't enough. Implementing and promoting the technology needs to be done strategically as well.
First, use a multi-layered visibility approach that places donation points throughout the church. Place kiosks in the foyer or other high-visibility areas, tap tags on pew backs, and QR codes on announcement slides and in the weekly bulletin. Finally, these tools should be called out during the Sunday offering message to raise awareness of their availability.
The goal is to make giving seamless and barrier-free for anyone who feels called to generosity.
The Recurring Gift Advantage
Beyond simplifying the giving process, modern tools offer strategic advantages for church leaders. Contactless technology, like tap tags or giving kiosks, can collect crucial data, including names, addresses, and emails, and automatically store it in a customer relationship management (CRM) or church management software (ChMS) platform. Being able to attribute gifts to individuals and thank them personally helps deepen relationships and encourage lasting support.
Digital methods also enable seamless record-management and automate time-consuming tasks, such as issuing tax receipts and tracking revenue. Several fundraising platforms allow customers to log offline gifts while simultaneously tracking every online gift, providing a holistic picture in a single location.
Most importantly, these tools can make recurring giving easier, leading to predictable income and long-term sustainability. Monthly givers can sign up and manage their gifts online, as straightforward as the monthly app subscriptions everyone is used to today.
For online donation forms, this can look like offering one-time and recurring intervals, but nudging individuals towards recurring through visual cues and articulation of benefits. Data shows that 64% of one-time donors agree to make recurring gifts when asked. That additional revenue stream, compounded over many congregants, could make a significant difference in a church's operating budget.
Creating a Culture of Generous Giving
The key to inspiring church generosity this Christmas season is a no-pressure approach, closely tied to a spirit of transparency about church funding. When those elements combine with accessible donation methods, church leaders create space for the blessing Solomon described in Proverbs 11:25, where generous people prosper, and those who refresh others will be refreshed.
This season can serve as a catalyst for building year-round habits of generosity.
When giving becomes effortless and joyful rather than pressured, congregants will respond in kind.
