I recently read a post about the Millennial Giver and how the Church’s approach to engaging and enticing them to give needs to change, and I couldn’t agree more.

So much so, that it could seem that Gyve was made with these concepts in mind.

Three Ways to Engage the Millennial Giver in Your Church.

The generational switch

Each generation comes into adulthood with their own viewpoints and past-history shaping experiences. These defining shifts are what causes generations to be classified in the first place. According to techtarget.com, the millennials classification revolves mainly around the “electronics-filled and increasingly online and socially networked world” they grew up in. But that isn’t the only differentiation between the millennials and their predecessors. Millennials grew up in a world of ethnic diversity, tolerance, optimism and the true feeling that they are special and can change the world. These are amazing qualities and should be nurtured, encouraged and properly unlocked. The millennials have always been allowed to feel their feelings, and how they feel about something dictates their actions.

What are they feeling?

The Millennials care more about social justice and tolerance, political independence, and a proper work-life balance than the generations before them. They are less likely to keep a job or tolerate an unpleasant situation for a paycheck or a future “something”.  They are reliant upon results and they want immediate action.

Although, the majority of Millennials do not claim a certain religious faith organization, they do show an increasing number that claim to have faith or an absolute belief in the existence of a god. It is the institution that the millennials are straying from, not the relationship.

THEIR TIME IS NOW

The Millennials are not the future of the church or the world. It’s their time. Young people are bold and passionate. They are moving and change is happening. This is not to say that people from Generation X to the Greatest Generation are obsolete, rather, we all need to embrace our differences (thanks for the lesson, Millennials) and work together to make sure that the change is leading people to Jesus and to real relationship not simply away from establishment.

“While there is urgency, there is also hope. Though increasingly disconnected with the church, [Millennials] are still the fastest-growing demographic in [the] church, and their generosity and desire as a generation to connect with and give to causes they care about demonstrates their potential to connect — and give — to you. The 2015 Millennial Impact Report found that 84 percent of employed Millennials donated to a charity in 2014.” – blog.generis.com

In the post previously mentioned, Three Ways to Engage the Millennial Giver in Your Church, three principles were given to help churches refocus and realign their efforts to engage the Millennial giver. The Gyve platform has seamlessly aligned itself with these concepts and is on mission to engage givers and help people live more generously.

#1: Cause

“It’s imperative for Millennials to know what their financial gifts support directly… Churches must share where money goes once it leaves the offering plate. Transparency cultivates trust. It also harnesses the Millennial desire to make an immediate difference.”

“CAUSE TIP: Marinate your church in stories about life change from your ministries. Mission statements and budgets fail to capture the heart. Without a heart-capture, generous giving (from any generation) is unlikely. Demonstrate concrete life results through your project and church.”

This is exactly what the Gyve platform does for you. Gyve is creating a generosity movement, and we are doing it by sharing the impact of generosity through videos and social media. Our system is a full customer relationship manager, which means it can communicate between giver and receiver, cultivate the relationship between the organization and the donor, and grow the giver. The shared testimonies will illustrate how an individual gift is multiplied into an abundant gift. The Millennial donor will have the instant gratification of seeing the impact of their donation. It will trigger emotion and inspire them to continue to desire to be a part of something bigger.

#2: Convenience

“Digital lifestyle is increasingly normal for everyone, but it is ALL this generation has ever known…Services that can help automate spending and giving are a huge help. They allow budgets to stay steady and encourage giving to be a normal, expected part of life. Incidentally, recurring giving is one of the most convenient things for your admin and finance teams, too.

Apps, online giving portals and text-to-give options might seem radical to a traditional church. But when checks became the norm instead of cash, people were leery until they became status quo. Then, we began using little plastic cards to pay for items. Now, the center has shifted again; the majority is marching to a digital drummer.”

Again, this is exactly what Gyve is offering. With Gyve, we help faith based organizations accrue and track all recurring, one time and round up giving, electronically. Our system helps encourage the first- time giver by offering a roundup option. This option allows a consumer to round their change to the nearest dollar and donate that change to their charity of choice – YOU. On average, this option brings in $20/month per user. But since it allows people to give, without feeling the financial stress of giving, many first-time givers are willing to participate. When you start multiplying $20/month by your congregation, it adds up quickly. The recurring option allows people to set up their weekly and monthly gifts and commit to regular giving. This option allows intention to give to become a reality.

#3: Conviction

“Now, we’re at the heart of the issue. To truly engage the Millennial giver, we must ensure they know the One to whom we are giving. As Andy Stanley, founder of North Point Ministries, says, We talk about money not because of what we want from you, but because of what we want for you.’

Leading Millennials to be generous should be an overflow of their pursuit to know and follow Jesus. Giving to the church is a result of a heart that wants to be aligned with what the Father wants. To develop a generous culture, churches must disciple young believers to know the generous ways and commands of Jesus. Do your messages communicate that giving is an act of worship, a way to be used by God in the lives of others and demonstration of a grateful heart?”

The primary goal of developing a generous spirit among Millennials in your church is developing their spiritual maturity. The secondary goal is to financially resource your church mission. If we treat Millennial’s hearts like a caring shepherd (the first goal), engaging them in funding the mission actually comes more easily (the second goal).

Our main goal at Gyve is to create a shift in our culture and a change of perspective.

We want to create that neighborhood feel in a digital world. We want to draw people together and reinvent the idea that our brother’s need is our need, and we created this platform to help make that goal a reality. Our company is dedicated to donating 10% of profits earned back into our communities. Yes, we are doing this so we can start a wave of generosity. Yes, we are doing this to inspire others. But we are also doing this to maintain our own hearts. If you have ever been on the sacrificial side of something, you know that it changes you. This project has changed us. It is more than a company, it is our movement, and we want you to be a part of it.

Know how generous your church is today to know how life-changing it can be tomorrow.


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