ChurchLink Offers Comprehensive Electronic Giving Solution
Covers overview of ChurchLink, a company offering a comprehensive solution to the problem facing churches and other nonprofit organizations with the sharp decline in check usage and the equally sharp incline in debit card usage.
Springfield, MO, August 23, 2007 --(PR.com)-- ChurchLink, a company based in Springfield, Missouri, recently launched its comprehensive giving solutions at the 2007 Assemblies of God General Council in Indianapolis, IN on August 8th, 2007, providing both an Onsite interactive giving kiosk to be placed in churches and an Online solution, which will integrate seamlessly with each church’s existing website. ChurchLink is a joint venture between Kurt Theobald and Erik Hansen, co-founders of Xponix, Inc., a self-service kiosk solutions company, and Paul Ebisch, the CFO of Assemblies of God Credit Union, both based in Springfield, Missouri. Ebisch approached Theobald and Hansen after seeing the stark declining trend of check usage and the explosion in debit card usage. Both parties saw the inevitable need for change in the nonprofit industry and developed a comprehensive electronic giving solution using in-house resources and staff.
The banking industry has seen an overwhelming trend unfold over the past ten years. Debit card usage has expanded at a rapid pace while check usage has declined at an equally rapid pace. Ebisch estimates that checks will be completely eliminated from our economy as quickly as three years from now. But regardless of the timeline, one thing is certain: Checks are on their way out, and ChurchLink is determined to protect churches and ministries from the effects of this change with its solutions. “ChurchLink provides the highest quality solutions for the best prices; that doesn’t happen very often,” said Theobald, the company’s CEO.
Both the Onsite and Online solutions provide many features and benefits not available elsewhere in the market. The interactive calendar allows users to view additional information about upcoming events, including rich media content such as video, dynamic graphics, sound, and even websites. The interactive bulletin provides one-touch access to important announcements, and the church map provides the helpful “You Are Here” symbol on a detailed church map. Special plug-ins can be added to these platforms to perform specific operations, depending on the needs and desires of the client.
Many helpful features are currently under development, including a “volunteer center,” where churches and ministries can display volunteer opportunities and users can easily sign up for volunteer activities, and a “what you see is what you get” form builder for administrators to collect information and payment, if applicable, from users for different purposes, including concerts, membership applications, retreats, mission trips, outreaches, camps, feedback, prayer requests/praise reports, etc. The flexibility and easy administration of the system make it possible for churches of all sizes to use it effectively and specifically for their needs.
The giving platform has numerous unique features unavailable anywhere else on the market. It provides the standard PIN-based and signature-based debit card and credit card transactions, but it also provides for ACH payments directly from the donor’s bank account. It is also unique in that it provides a fast and easy setup for recurring donations, which provide additional convenience for the user and a steady revenue base for the church or ministry. While recurring donations are currently available in other forms, ChurchLink’s solution provides the easiest recurring gift setup available on the market. “No one else has anything like it on the market,” said Hansen, ChurchLink’s COO. “The recurring gift setup feature is worth the investment all by itself.”
All features on the Onsite kiosk can be made available on the Online system as well. The primary difference is that some donors prefer to give while at church, while some prefer to give from the comfort of their home. ChurchLink is the first company to incorporate both an online and on on-site solution. “Our company is built to serve needs conveniently and cost-effectively,” said Ebisch, “so it was natural to offer both solutions to offer lower combined monthly costs while providing the convenience of a single service provider.” ChurchLink’s Onsite solution sells for under $5,000, while their Online solution has a $99 setup fee to integrate with the client’s existing website. Recurring monthly costs are at or below market standards, and ChurchLink offers a full parts and labor warranty on its kiosks. Phone and e-mail tech support is also included in the monthly cost.
“For many people, the only place they use checks anymore is at church on Sunday,” said Theobald, “and we’re concerned that churches will be caught unprepared when this change has taken full swing. It’s not a matter of if electronic giving will be adopted by churches and ministries, but when.”
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For additional information, including pictures, interviews, or a sample copy, contact:
Kurt Theobald
ChurchLink
417.866.7108
kurt.theobald@churchlink.biz
http://www.churchlink.biz
Company History
ChurchLink was formed by Kurt Theobald and Erik Hansen, co-founders of Xponix, Inc., a self-service solutions company, and Paul Ebisch, the CFO of Assemblies of God Credit Union in August of 2007. The company was publicly launched at the Assemblies of God General Council in Indianapolis, Indiana in early August, 2007.
The banking industry has seen an overwhelming trend unfold over the past ten years. Debit card usage has expanded at a rapid pace while check usage has declined at an equally rapid pace. Ebisch estimates that checks will be completely eliminated from our economy as quickly as three years from now. But regardless of the timeline, one thing is certain: Checks are on their way out, and ChurchLink is determined to protect churches and ministries from the effects of this change with its solutions. “ChurchLink provides the highest quality solutions for the best prices; that doesn’t happen very often,” said Theobald, the company’s CEO.
Both the Onsite and Online solutions provide many features and benefits not available elsewhere in the market. The interactive calendar allows users to view additional information about upcoming events, including rich media content such as video, dynamic graphics, sound, and even websites. The interactive bulletin provides one-touch access to important announcements, and the church map provides the helpful “You Are Here” symbol on a detailed church map. Special plug-ins can be added to these platforms to perform specific operations, depending on the needs and desires of the client.
Many helpful features are currently under development, including a “volunteer center,” where churches and ministries can display volunteer opportunities and users can easily sign up for volunteer activities, and a “what you see is what you get” form builder for administrators to collect information and payment, if applicable, from users for different purposes, including concerts, membership applications, retreats, mission trips, outreaches, camps, feedback, prayer requests/praise reports, etc. The flexibility and easy administration of the system make it possible for churches of all sizes to use it effectively and specifically for their needs.
The giving platform has numerous unique features unavailable anywhere else on the market. It provides the standard PIN-based and signature-based debit card and credit card transactions, but it also provides for ACH payments directly from the donor’s bank account. It is also unique in that it provides a fast and easy setup for recurring donations, which provide additional convenience for the user and a steady revenue base for the church or ministry. While recurring donations are currently available in other forms, ChurchLink’s solution provides the easiest recurring gift setup available on the market. “No one else has anything like it on the market,” said Hansen, ChurchLink’s COO. “The recurring gift setup feature is worth the investment all by itself.”
All features on the Onsite kiosk can be made available on the Online system as well. The primary difference is that some donors prefer to give while at church, while some prefer to give from the comfort of their home. ChurchLink is the first company to incorporate both an online and on on-site solution. “Our company is built to serve needs conveniently and cost-effectively,” said Ebisch, “so it was natural to offer both solutions to offer lower combined monthly costs while providing the convenience of a single service provider.” ChurchLink’s Onsite solution sells for under $5,000, while their Online solution has a $99 setup fee to integrate with the client’s existing website. Recurring monthly costs are at or below market standards, and ChurchLink offers a full parts and labor warranty on its kiosks. Phone and e-mail tech support is also included in the monthly cost.
“For many people, the only place they use checks anymore is at church on Sunday,” said Theobald, “and we’re concerned that churches will be caught unprepared when this change has taken full swing. It’s not a matter of if electronic giving will be adopted by churches and ministries, but when.”
###
For additional information, including pictures, interviews, or a sample copy, contact:
Kurt Theobald
ChurchLink
417.866.7108
kurt.theobald@churchlink.biz
http://www.churchlink.biz
Company History
ChurchLink was formed by Kurt Theobald and Erik Hansen, co-founders of Xponix, Inc., a self-service solutions company, and Paul Ebisch, the CFO of Assemblies of God Credit Union in August of 2007. The company was publicly launched at the Assemblies of God General Council in Indianapolis, Indiana in early August, 2007.
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ChurchLink
Kurt Theobald
417.866.9898
churchlink.biz
Kurt Theobald
417.866.9898
churchlink.biz
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