Search This Blog

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Online Church Offerings: Not So Holy

 

The church offering envelope used to be the source of much fighting in our house:

10:28am, Typical Sunday at the Simciks

Me: AIS in two minutes! (That means “Ass in Seat.” We got it from ELR, Everybody Loves Raymond).

Frank: Do you have the envelope?

Me: No, I thought you had the envelope!

Frank: Fine, I’ll get the envelope. Do you have any money?

Me: No, I don’t have a real job. How would I have money?

Frank: Let me see what I have. Where’s my wallet?

Me: Did you check the pants you were wearing last night?

Frank: Oh, found it.

Me: AIS one minute ago! We’re late!

Frank: I don’t have any money! We need to go by the ATM.

Me: Why didn’t you think of that before?

Frank: Why didn’t YOU think of that before?

Me: Well now we’re going to have to walk in late and that’s so embarrassing.

Frank: Would you rather show up late or not put money in the basket?

And so it would go every week. But not anymore. Now we give online. It’s the greatest thing to ever happen to our Sunday mornings.

I hesitated to give online for awhile because I thought, “If I give online, I’ll still have to pass the offering basket without putting anything in it.”

But as it turns out, there’s a box on those same offering envelopes that says “I give online” and you can just check it. So every week we still put an envelope in the basket. It’s just empty.

I’m glad we’ve worked all that out but I have to say, this whole process is VERY unbiblical. Sure, the Bible doesn’t address online giving but it does talk about giving just for the sake of showing off. Check it out:

Matthew 6:1-4 (But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

I mean, the whole reason our church offers the option to check the box on the envelope is so we can still put something in the basket. And they know that the only reason we want to put something in the basket is so that people can see us do it.

Not only does my left hand know what my right is doing, everyone in the pew knows too. Last week I even chased down the usher, just to give him my empty envelope! Talk about blowing your trumpet like the hypocrites.

Still, I think I’m gonna stick with it for now. It just works for us. I grab the envelope, check the box and we’re done! It may be unbiblical (not to mention eco-unfriendly) but the church is still getting their money and we get our AIS right on time.

5 comments:

Jessi said...

I'm sure I'm old school, but why not write a check? And what's with guys not having cash? Or is it just Justin?

Granny Jo said...

Last year I started online banking and now I just send a monthly bank check to our church...so, we don't even have to ask each other "where's the envelope" and, we're also covered if we miss church than Sunday. I LOVE IT!!!But I can't convince my church to stop sending me envelopes (you know -- save trees!) It would be too confusing to the database.

Writinggal said...

Jessi, I think we are too lazy to go upstairs and get the checkbook :)

GJ, so you just let the offering basket pass you by? And you're okay with just you and God knowing that you gave? That's holy. I guess that's why we call you the church lady.

Granny Jo said...

Yeah...I got over that a while ago...who cares what people think? It comes with age.

Kristin said...

Hmm..I wonder if online tithing will lead to the end of the offering during mass one day?
Nah, that would just mess up everything!