While electronic and web-based giving are fairly new developments, the philosophy within which Egiving Solutions functions is far from original. Chris Rogers, a Christian missionary to Uganda, offers this testimonial: “Egiving.com and George Eusterman counsel from the same ‘essence’ as Larry Burkett’s Business by the Book . . . encouraging clients in the financial framework from the Word of God.”
The long-time guru of Crown Financial Ministries, along with other evangelical financial voices, such as Dave Ramsey, hold many common values with Egiving.com. For instance, they extol biblical principles related to finances, such as debt-free living, prioritizing giving, and exercising wise stewardship over all assets through wise management and long-range planning. The difference is that Egiving Solutions is focused on helping ministries, rather than individuals and families, to apply those principles.
Of course, Egiving focuses specifically on the giving aspect of a ministry’s finances, and it further pin points the aspect of electronic recurring giving and web-based giving outlets. However, since those services are not offered a la carte, but as part of an entire feast of biblical counsel, strategic ministry planning, and assorted applications and tools, they are designed to be practical extensions of biblical principles, as demonstrated on an institutional level.
1. Stewardship
Ministries show good stewardship when they avail themselves of services at modest costs, allowing labor costs to remain low and keeping the focus of their limited staff on other aspects of ministry. By using Egiving.com’s recurring giving solutions, most ministries see a 95% giver retention rate over a 5-year period. Instead of constantly needing to solicit more gifts and givers in order to keep the status quo, these ministries can focus their efforts in other directions.
2. Planning
When ministries are run with wisdom, they don’t replace careful planning with prayer: They bathe their planning in prayer and put forth effort to meet their goals. Not only do new, creative approaches to fundraising bring enthusiasm to your ministry’s leadership team, but it will also help make giving more enjoyable and accessible to your giver base. With Egiving.com, EFTs are only one avenue offered. Project giving, web-based giving, and upcoming giving-via-texting all offer givers additional opportunities to fund your ministry’s efforts. These tools also come with counsel that can help you implement each service in a clear, meaningful way.
3. Giving
Ministries that make giving accessible to potential givers allow their donors opportunities to receive God’s blessings on their lives. Partnering financially is only one way that believers are encouraged to participate in ministry, but it is an important part. While Christians need to guard against materialism, frivolous expenditures, and unfaithfulness, sometimes they need help. By providing various avenues of access, ministries that utilize Egiving.com solutions provide a valuable service to their givers. By allowing and promoting recurring giving via EFTs, what often ends up being mere good intentions regarding faithful giving can become a fulfilling, long-term giving relationship.
In many ways, Egiving Solutions does for ministries what biblical financial counselors endeavor to do for individual believers: It aids in practical application of biblical financial principles.
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