Do you know how your members prefer to give? In 2021, Vanco conducted the fourth biennial study of 1,000 churchgoers around the country and across Christian denominations to find out. Now, we’re ready to share what we discovered.
Here’s an overview of what Vanco found.
Vanco’s data shows a growing preference for eGiving since conducting our first study in 2015. The latest survey revealed that, for the first time, churchgoers prefer eGiving over traditional giving methods. These findings make sense since many churchgoers opted to attend virtual services in 2020.
Vanco’s findings revealed a few trends about churchgoers who prefer eGiving. Over the years, Vanco’s studies have found eGivers to be among the most generous and active members at their churches.These members tend to give more income and donate more frequently to their churches. The flexibility of eGiving tools allows members to give whether they're attending in person or online, and they can send their gifts from any place at any time.
Those who have donated to a charitable cause or paid a bill online are familiar with processing fees. The convenience of making a quick-and-easy payment often outweighs the inconvenience of paying a little extra. Sixty-seven percent of all churchgoers are willing to pay this processing fee. Vanco found eGivers are also willing to pay this additional fee.
There are many reasons why churchgoers choose to attend services online rather than in person. During Vanco’s survey, participants continued to list safety as their main concern for returning to in-person services. However, as pandemic restrictions are lifted, it’s important to keep in mind the other reason people prefer attending church virtually: it’s easy.
As churches adopted a hybrid approach, churchgoers chose to attend virtually at high rates. This trend has continued. Churchgoers are not attending online just because it’s the only option; they’re attending virtually because they want to.
The data is clear: virtual ministry is here to stay. For this reason, churches need to make sure they’re offering an online worship experience their members love. Using a tool such as Vanco Live can help bring the church experience into your live stream to meet each member’s needs.
Vanco’s fourth edition of the Churchgoer Giving Study also found that the demand for a more convenient giving method is growing. More churchgoers than ever prefer to contribute using eGiving methods—text, smartphone apps, recurring credit and debit card gifts, and online donation pages.
Church leaders can use this data to understand the needs of their congregations and develop effective giving and engagement strategies.
Want to learn more? Download the full report to read more about churchgoer giving habits and virtual attendance.