Digital Tithing

Filed under: Article Reviews, Ponderings

27 Dec

So this morning CNN published an article about churches turning to digital collection baskets. This has been a topic of discussion on the LDS tech forums as long as they have been around (see here and here). I know there are a growing number of people out there paying their tithing in some sort of digital way. The church has always been on the cutting edge of technology… so why do they wait to do this one?

Well… I have one idea. There is something special about actions. My father taught me to “fake it till you make it.” If you don’t understand a gospel principle or want to find out if it is true, live it for a while and you will gain an understanding of the principle. Yes, you are still paying your tithing when you pay it online. But sitting down and writing out that check and filling out the envelope requires an extra step… a VERY small sacrifice.¹

I also usually also give one of my children the opportunity to give the tithing envelope to the bishop or one of his counselors. I hope that it allows them to trust the bishop more and know that their parents pay their tithing. We would certainly lose that one.

What about you? Do you, or would you pay tithing online if you had the chance? Why or why not?

Footnotes:

Matthew 19:16-22; “Praise to the Man“-4th Verse; Sacrifice[↩]

Does God Prosper the Righteous?

Technology and Spiritual Education

Digital Spiritual Learners

Called to Blog!

How to Read Easier Online - Speed Reading Programs

3 Responses for "Digital Tithing"

Bryan Hinton December 27th, 2007 at 12:10 pm 1
I go back and forth on this one. The Tithing check I write is basically the only check I write anymore and it is much more convenient to pay things online etc.., but your example at the end is also something I have thought of as well. Not just for kids, but that interaction however small forces us as adults to interact with our Church leaders and in our ever impersonal world personal interaction is important.

That said I believe the time will come when many will pay tithing online (you can already do that, but it isn’t publicized etc…). From a management standpoint/cost standpoint/financial control standpoint there is a lot better control the online way then in the current distributed way.

It will be interesting to see how it is done though - in my short time working for the Church one of the themes that has echoed time and time again is that just because something seems to make temporal sense doesn’t mean we will rush out and do it.
Jeff December 27th, 2007 at 12:24 pm 2
Brian, those are some really interesting thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I didn’t think about how much easier it would be to track tithing when it was already all done electronically. At one time I was an executive secretary and had the chance to do tithing several times… not an easy process… not to mention all the money that has to pass hands.

Great last line though… good words to live by… “just because something seems to make temporal sense doesn’t mean we rush out and do it!” Good stuff! Thanks!
Andy E. Wold February 7th, 2008 at 2:49 am 3
It’s been difficult in the past for me to set aside tithing money, or run to the bank before it closes to have a Teller Check made for my tithing (I work grave shift) and don’t have a checkbook (although I do have a checking account.)

One thing I’ve started doing is having my tithing check automatically created by my bank with their online BillPay system. I just create a new Payee (my Home Ward’s name as the company), and enter my own mailing address to have the check sent to.

When I receive notice that my paycheck has been automatically deposited, I go online, and a couple of clicks and my tithing check is created and on its way to me in the mail. A few days later the check arrives at my home, and I just fill out the Tithing donation slip and insert the check. When Sunday rolls around, I hand over my tithing envelope to the Bishopric — pretty simple now.