Online Giving- Why Give Back to God?
Click HERE to register for online giving at Swiss Cove Christian Church. For answers to most Online Giving questions, click here.
Giving our tithes and offerings reflects a grateful heart that wants to give back to God a portion of what He has given us. In reality it is His already. This is our opportunity to show God that He is first in our lives. James 1:17 says that “every good and perfect gift is from above”, so we have an opportunity to tangibly show God He is the “owner” of our finances by giving back to Him the first of what he gives us.
Here are four reasons to give back to God ...
Giving is a Reflection of the heart:
Matthew 6:20-21 “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What is the most important thing to you? We see the way our culture encourages us to store up treasures on earth and exalts materialism to the point where debt has become so acceptable. As Christ-followers, however, we are called to free ourselves from the bondage of debt so that our resources are more available for his purposes."
Giving is a reflection of Priorities:
Long before tithing was a practice of the Israelite people, Cain and Abel the 2nd generation of the human race, brought an offering to the Lord. Abel brought the “firstborn of his flock,” while Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil.” The Lord blessed Abel’s offering, but rejected Cain’s. God wants to be first in our lives.
Deuteronomy 26:1-2 “When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and I have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land and present them to the LORD your God." (NIV)
Giving is a Privilege:
The 1st Century church modeled for us what it means for us to give generously and joyfully so that more and more people could find there way back to God.
2 Corinthians 8:2-4 “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in his service to the saints.” (NIV)
Giving is a blessing:
God uses the tithe as an investment where everyone involved gets a return. If we are blessed beyond our needs, it is not for the purpose of living more lavishly but to bless others. The church and the kingdom are blessed, and yet God’s nature is to also bless the giver.
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (NIV)
Online Giving
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Should I use a debit card, credit card or e-check?
A: At Swiss Cove Christian, we want you to give to God’s work through your regular income, not “charge it.”
Online giving is for your convenience, but you should be careful about giving to the church on credit, unless you plan on paying it off that month. E-checks are the preferred method of giving online since this results in the lowest cost to the church.
Q: What kind of cards are accepted?
A: Visa and MasterCard debit or credit cards.
Q: What will my debit/credit card statement show?
A: It will show a transaction line item for Swiss Cove Christian.
Q: How long will it take for my online gift to be reflected on my bank statement or credit card account?
A: E-checks should be charged to your bank account in 2-3 days. Credit and debit card transactions should post to your credit card account or bank account in 1-3 days.
Q: Is online giving secure?
A: Yes, our online giving system uses the 128 bit encryption, the strongest level of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) supported by web standards.
Q: Can I test this by giving only one time?
A: Yes, you may test Online Giving and give only once. Simply de-select “Setup a recurring payment” on the contributions page and your contribution will be considered a one-time gift.
Q: Can I give to the Building For Life building fund?
A: Yes, you have the option of designating your gift for the general fund or the Building For Life fund.
Q: Do I need to create a profile and login in order to participate in Online Giving?
A: No, but creating a personal profile will save you time when you return to the contributions page in the future.
Q: Will my gifts be included on my annual giving statements?
A: Yes, our finance department will send you a year-end statement of all online transactions and gifts made through our Swiss Cove Christian Church (SCCC) offering envelopes.
Q: How can I get a receipt of my online gift?
A: Once your online gift is completed, you will have the opportunity to print a receipt. However, you will automatically be sent an email confirmation.
Q: What about my SCCC offering envelopes?
A: Envelopes are available for any SCCC attendee in order to establish faithful patterns of giving. Envelopes are mailed to current attendees the last week in December and are available at the Connecting Point in the Atrium throughout the year for new attendees. Although not necessary, if you choose online Giving, you will have the opportunity to enter your envelope number on our contributions page. If you wish, you may continue to use your SCCC offering envelopes regularly, or for special occasions. For participants in Florida Christian College Matching funds, the SCCC offering envelopes should continue to be used for matching gifts. Also, the envelopes must be used for church approved mission trips to the Dominican Republic and the Ukraine.
New attendees may request envelopes to be mailed to them by contacting our Office Manager at 904-287-5795, ext 201.
