Comments on: swipe your card for jesus http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/ a work in progress Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:26:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: brad richert http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-78 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:46:50 +0000 http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-78 There you have it. Marty Baker is the Paster of Steven's Creek Community Church. It is always helpful to have both sides of the story. Being heavily involved in church politics and finances myself, I know that there principles within churches are often a fuzzy area. I am personally sensitive to the profiteering, no matter how miniscule, within churches. The article which I read did make SecureGive out to be a for-profit company, not merely a non-profit tool. The article also quoted Mr. Baker's wife, Patty, saying that if they got rich from the new idea, they would give a considerable sum to the church. The fear of technology as a critique, however, is unfortunate. I think the key for the Bakers is to make sure they are aware of the Biblical ramifications of their actions. There you have it. Marty Baker is the Paster of Steven’s Creek Community Church. It is always helpful to have both sides of the story. Being heavily involved in church politics and finances myself, I know that there principles within churches are often a fuzzy area. I am personally sensitive to the profiteering, no matter how miniscule, within churches. The article which I read did make SecureGive out to be a for-profit company, not merely a non-profit tool. The article also quoted Mr. Baker’s wife, Patty, saying that if they got rich from the new idea, they would give a considerable sum to the church.

The fear of technology as a critique, however, is unfortunate. I think the key for the Bakers is to make sure they are aware of the Biblical ramifications of their actions.

]]> by: Marty Baker http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-77 Sat, 30 Sep 2006 22:27:12 +0000 http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-77 Brad, Thanks for mentioning SecureGive.com. As you know the media cannot tell the whole story, but overall the L.A. Times was very fair and accurate. About profiting from the percentage: Yes when a peson uses a credit card a few pennies will flow to SecureGive. What most of our installations have opted for is Debit Card Giving. With a debit card, the church would pay approimately a dollar for the donation regardless of the size. A thousand dollar tithe would cost a dollar to process. Yesterday we paid the US Post Office 1.04 postage on the "Business Reply" envelopes we send out to members. Those types of fees are part of the business of the church. Here's what the article cannot say and that is: Stevens Creek has a heart for people in our community. This summer alone we have baptized 50 individuals. The church started with 24 people in a borrowed living room in 1987 and today it has over 1100 regular attenders. God is doing a work. We consider SecureGive a tool that will help other church reach their stewardship potential. I cringed when they called it "ATM for Jesus". We call it a giving kiosk. We are not trying to embrace the world, just reach them for Christ. Keep blogging and may the Lord bless you. -- Marty Brad,
Thanks for mentioning SecureGive.com. As you know the media cannot tell the whole story, but overall the L.A. Times was very fair and accurate. About profiting from the percentage: Yes when a peson uses a credit card a few pennies will flow to SecureGive. What most of our installations have opted for is Debit Card Giving. With a debit card, the church would pay approimately a dollar for the donation regardless of the size. A thousand dollar tithe would cost a dollar to process. Yesterday we paid the US Post Office 1.04 postage on the “Business Reply” envelopes we send out to members. Those types of fees are part of the business of the church.

Here’s what the article cannot say and that is: Stevens Creek has a heart for people in our community. This summer alone we have baptized 50 individuals. The church started with 24 people in a borrowed living room in 1987 and today it has over 1100 regular attenders. God is doing a work.

We consider SecureGive a tool that will help other church reach their stewardship potential. I cringed when they called it “ATM for Jesus”. We call it a giving kiosk. We are not trying to embrace the world, just reach them for Christ.

Keep blogging and may the Lord bless you.

– Marty

]]> by: khalidmir http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-76 Sat, 30 Sep 2006 07:47:14 +0000 http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-76 Brad, didn't know whther to laugh or cry reading that. I've got some similar reflections on my blog. 'Other side of the Pond': http://bagginsandco.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html A freind just came back from Ital and herad an american kid standing outside the leaning tower of pisa say: "Is that another Chuch..'cos if it is, I's telling ya i aints gonna go, hell no..even if sweet Mary-mother-of-jesus comes down herself I ain't seeing no more god-damned chuches" I kid thee not. Brad, didn’t know whther to laugh or cry reading that.
I’ve got some similar reflections on my blog. ‘Other side of the Pond’:
http://bagginsandco.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

A freind just came back from Ital and herad an american kid standing outside the leaning tower of pisa say:

“Is that another Chuch..’cos if it is, I’s telling ya i aints gonna go, hell no..even if sweet Mary-mother-of-jesus comes down herself I ain’t seeing no more god-damned chuches”

I kid thee not.

]]> by: brad richert http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-75 Sat, 30 Sep 2006 00:33:12 +0000 http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-75 Yes, it was sarcasm. Many Christians believe that they can disregard many of Jesus' teachings because they were in response to Jewish laws. Yes, the story happens in the New Testament, but Jesus' actions were in response to theviolation of Jewish teachings against selling and money changing within the Temple courts. Yes, it was sarcasm. Many Christians believe that they can disregard many of Jesus’ teachings because they were in response to Jewish laws. Yes, the story happens in the New Testament, but Jesus’ actions were in response to theviolation of Jewish teachings against selling and money changing within the Temple courts.

]]> by: aliveagain http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-74 Fri, 29 Sep 2006 20:01:56 +0000 http://blog.bradleyrichert.com/2006/09/28/swipe-your-card-for-jesus/#comment-74 There is something slightly creepy to me about ATM's being used to collect an offering, but I do stop by one on the way to church most Sundays to get some cash for the plate. Obviously, the card processer is going to charge a percentage, so I guess it makes sense that this guy would want to make a percentage, too. Still, something about it just doesn't sit well with me. I don't understand your comment about Jesus being American. Maybe it was sarcasm? The story you are referring to from the Bible actually appears in the New Testament, which Jews apparently don't believe in. There is something slightly creepy to me about ATM’s being used to collect an offering, but I do stop by one on the way to church most Sundays to get some cash for the plate.

Obviously, the card processer is going to charge a percentage, so I guess it makes sense that this guy would want to make a percentage, too.

Still, something about it just doesn’t sit well with me.

I don’t understand your comment about Jesus being American. Maybe it was sarcasm? The story you are referring to from the Bible actually appears in the New Testament, which Jews apparently don’t believe in.

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