Stevens Creek Church, a Church of God congregation in Augusta, Ga., has added a new way for their parishioners to donate this holiday season. The contemporary church introduced smart-phone giving through a mobile app provided by SecureGive. This is the first church donation app to hit the iTunes store.
Dr. Marty Baker, the church’s founding pastor, said, “In addition to traditional ways of receiving charitable donations, churches are now using Mobile Apps to make giving to their ministry accessible wherever they have their phone. In today’s economy, fewer and fewer people are carrying cash or checkbooks. Today, churches are forced to consider alternative ways of collecting money.”
The SecureGive App provides a quick and easy way for church-goers to donate using their mobile device. Contributors can set up a one-time or recurring donation and designate their gift up to eight different categories using their Bankcard or Bank Routing number. This App is available through the iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile device. Churches are also using QR Codes to allow people on any smart phone device to give through their mobile device. This concept was pioneered by Baker who said, “Our focus at Stevens Creek is to help people take their next step spiritually. Adding the opportunity for people to give through their mobile device makes it easier for people to take a step of faith and bring the Lord’s tithe to the church.”
SecureGive has continued their mission to develop revolutionary ways for churches and Non-profit Organizations to increase funding. This for-profit company (www.securegive.com) started in 2005 when Baker also become the first pastor to launch a giving kiosk in his church. Through the years, SecureGive has evolved to make kiosk giving, online giving, and now mobile giving easy for organizations everywhere. According to Baker, in only the first week of the app launch, more than 75 churches across the country partnered with SecureGive to make mobile app giving available to their congregation. “The economy affects all us,” said Pastor Baker. “Churches and non-profits have to consider new ways of collecting funds this holiday season. It’s time to embrace a new way to give.”
Stevens Creek Church (www.stevenscreekchurch.com) is a contemporary evangelical church in Augusta, Georgia. The church was started by Dr. Marty and Patty Baker in a borrowed living room with 24 people in 1987. Today, the congregation has over 2,000 parishioners and offers five Sunday morning worship experiences. The services at the church are geared to people who do not have a church background and they feature a Christian rock band, computerized light shows, theater-style seating, and a practical message from the Bible.
SecureGive (www.securegive.com) helps churches and non-profit organizations reach their fund-raising potential through digital giving means (kiosks, online, ACH and mobile) SecureGive partners with pastors, educators, humanitarians and philanthropists across the nation by providing easy-to-use software that assists in collecting donations online, on-site, and on the go.
For more information contact Marty Baker, D.Min. at Stevens Creek Church. Call 706-863-7002 or email: MartyBaker@StevensCreekChurch.com.