Is that an ATM in the church lobby? Credit and debit card swipe machines in churches may startle some of the pious, but such kiosks, already present in some houses of worship, might become even more commonplace now that a new IRS regulation is in effect.Beginning with gifts given in 2007, the IRS will demand documentation for charitable contributions under $250. Once, all one needed was a diary entry to vouch for such donations. Specially designed ATMs at church will help document such spur-of-the-moment cash gifts, as well as planned giving. Also as a result of the new IRS rule, credit card donations and tithing are likely to increase too because such electronic fund transfers leave a paper trail.Large urban churches have been accepting credit cards for several years, tapping into the Generation P (for Plastic) aversion to carrying cash. Pastors like to tell jokes about parishioners collecting Frequent Flier points on the way to heaven. A recent Dallas Morning News poll found that 55% of 200 local churches accept credit and/or debit cards. Automatic checking account withdrawals are used by some churches, and more recently, ATM-like kiosks are now available in many church corridors and lobbies, where parishioners can swipe a card and receive a printed receipt, which they can either save for the IRS or plunk into the collection basket with a flourish, so pew mates will know they're not spiritual freeloaders. The card-swipe kiosks were a brainchild of Dr. Marty Baker, pastor of Stevens Creek Community Church in Augusta, Georgia. They were so successful in his own church that he now markets the devices privately and has placed them in 35 congregations across the U.S. "People don't carry cash," he says, noting that total income from contributions has increased 18% since the first kiosk was installed in 2005. Coins and paper money now account for less than 5% of that total. Touch screen technology doesn't suit everyone, of course. Administrators of the majestic Cathedral of St. Joseph in Baton Rouge, a presence on the Mississippi River bank since 1792, considered installing kiosks The Roman Catholic cathedral attracts many visitors, but the doors are often open when no employees are there, says Mark Blanchard, Stewardship Director for the diocese. "Many people do want to make donations," he said. But the kiosk received a thumbs down. "The Cathedral is more of a historical church and the current rector is not too anxious to incorporate ATMs," said a diocese staff member. "We are all aware that it will probably happen in the future, but for now, we are not interested in participating." When the evangelical website MondayMorningInsights.com — which boasts more than 12,000 pastors as readers — reported on the phenomenon, the story received 4,300 hits and generated highly emotional responses. "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. Yet MondayMorningInsights.com Editor Todd Rhoades precits that electronic giving will inevitably grow. "I often hear people say that the only check they still write each month is to the church," he says. "It seems that everything else has gone electronic; the church will follow." Source:http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1648022,00.html HAS ANYONE BEEN TO A CHURCH WITH ONE???? This give me another reason to not believe in god
when i go to church i normally donate 50 cents to $5 although they said its recommended to donate 10% of your total earing. With a ATM they will check your account balance and extort 10% of the total ammount. lol
Never seen this before either, if my church did this then i would leave it and find another. Then again, anything is possible in America. Jesus kicked the merchants and traders out of the temple of God and now they are bringing them back in, whether they be human or mechanical.
this must be a real small minority. or maybe just one church because it's just not possible to get an ATM in every church. with that being said my church doesn't have an ATM and so doesn't any of the other churches around the area.
$5 dollars will buy you a sin pass for a day, $10 = 3 days, and $20+ will cover you for the week. Praise the lawdah!
i went to this new church a few weeks ago it was jhuge, looked like they boght out a community college and during announcements they said they just started VBS and got 7000 kids i thought it was a joke, i found out later no then i went around the church exploring after service and found Bookstore ATM Coffee and sandwiche stand and their nomal sunday services were in a concert hall enought to fit almost 4000 people (the sfatety number was at the enterance) they also had escalators to the second floor
Thats super churches for you, its all been well documented. tithing is important though and we should all do it (Christians), luckily for me i personally know an Elder who is a family friend and is like an uncle to me, when i give to the church i usually give to him as i KNOW that it will be used for God' cause and not a Bently or villa in spain.
atm in the church lol! makes u donate evn though if u dont want to! sayin i dont hav money, and they would point over to the atm lol
im wouldn't be surprised if the pastor or some of the higher up management is driving a mercedes in a multimiliion dollar mansion.
people giving donations is out of their own free will. church have no right to set an amount for ppl to donate. and why do churches have all these stuff? shouldnt they donate moneys to those who needed it? in my church, the most expensive thing would probbaly the organ, which was oredi there ever since i was a baby.
