POS – Point Of Sales Terminals are now common sights in churches now while some accept its a method of money collection that would ease individuals of giving cash for offering, others think it is sinful and a way to force people out of their money.
The trend began when the Central Bank Of Nigeria came out with a policy that a private/individual account can only do a maximum cumulative cash transaction of N150,000 with a service charge of N100 per additional N1,000, while a corporate account can only do a maximum cash transaction of N1 million with a charge of N200 per extra N1,000. With this, the banks went out to businesses and religious institutions educating that on the need to use POS terminals. Some churches even allow the banks make presentations to their members and all.
Arguably this is a tradition that will need some getting used to in Nigeria as so many Nigerians have various opinions in the subject. For example on Stella Dimikoko blog, this post made for an interesting read in November 2013 –
Dear Stella,
“The church I attend just dedicated a POS machine on Sunday. They say the banks offered it to the church and since the world is going global, we should try and also fit in. They say its to ease the stress of looking for change every Sunday and for those who forget to even bring money to church. So all you have to do when you get to church is use your ATM card at the designated points, and collect your receipts! Its these receipts that you present at the alter as offering. Dear readers, what’s your take on this because I can still see the looks of bewilderment on the congregations faces when the announcement was made!”Churches should not concentrate on milking their congregation,giving should be free,no one forces anyone to use these machines,if you dont want to pay your tithe,keep it,the matter is between you and God.
Now the problem is what happens to people who do not have ATM cards and have only N5 to give GOD as offering?
Some of the comments to this post read…
Anonymous said…
its not compulsory to use the POS terminal. What of people who have billions but don’t have ATM cards? It’s a personal choice. If u have cash, fine. If its cheque, fine. If it’s via ATM on POS or bank transfer, fine. Like St Moritz will say, “choose your style and own it”. This should not be an object of debate. It’s only for convenience. If you can shop and pay via POS, you can also bless God with your offering via POS.
Another Anonymous said…
Very Lame comment
Moi said…
Hehehehehe…Church business is big business ?
amebonamywork said…
I used to SMH at churches that used POS, but when my tithes became bigger, I knew using cash wouldn’t make sense and I don’t like cheque books. I understand the need for the POS’ but me I just transfer money directly to my church’s bank account. It’s about convenience. As for those who only have N5, they can still give that the old fashioned way. See as far as motive, we can say what we want, but it’s only God that knows the heart truly.
nykky said…
All are mediums of transaction. People have been using cheques for offering long before now… If anyone feels comfortable using d POS they should, (wait) I thought POS means Point Of Sale? Do they now sell in the house of God?
And what can be said about online offering? Make we leave church matter o and do what is right.
LEGEND said...
I’m just waiting to see the day Pastors will be truthful to their ‘pastures’. That giving is not by force!
Memphis said...
I just hope they don’t make it a priority. It’s nobody’s business how much a person puts as offering. Someone who puts N5 could be more appreciated by GOD than the one who puts N5000.
Anonymous said…
Hahahahaha! We have one in our church too. It’s not for Sunday offering but for payment of donations made to the church, for tithe offering, for bazaar sales, project Sunday. And am a catholic. It made things easy. Some people are stingy with cash, but with POS u won’t feel it that much. Me I prefer POS to cash
Anonymous said…
You need to read clearly boys new article about church pastors doing stuffs in the name of God. Na only money them fit talk about. Draining their church people. we should be more concerned about using the money to print free devotionals and help d poor not using it to buy pos to generate more money. After now he’ll buy a second jet while some people donating d money don’t even have a good shoe
Queen Bee said…
419 churches! Because they must just collect that offering from the people and change or not having cash is not an excuse so they have resorted to POS machines! Things are really wrong in the house of God, smh. May God help us to make heaven!
Anonymous said…
The person who sent this to you is an idiot who just wants to make noise….let him tell us the name of the church so we know if the pastor told him that those who cannot give 5 naira offering are banned…churches now have POS to buy books etc.there is nothing wrong with the POS and it is meant for anyone who needs it…..i pay my tithe online so I do not need to bring cash….most churches give envelopes for offering so which offering at the altar are they talking about…nobody will force you to give offering so offering is not a debt you owe if you don’t have, a tithe or a pledge rather can be paid thru any means and if you use an atm the money would have gone to the church account anyway so what’s with the putting receipt on the altar….I don’t believe this story and for those who just come out with stuff like this and stories to ridicule the church are laughable…am sure this writer is lying about why they brought that POS..offering, tithes and giving generally are what you do as a believer and nobody needs to force you, so whether we like it or not the pastors who truly are doing God’s work must preach it…..if you like give if you don’t you are short changing yourself….God expects the pastors however to also let them preach salvation, repentance, righteousness etc….no Christian is mandated to be stagnant in life and poor, your life must continually make progress so if you are in a perpetual state of lack and poverty check your giving…..
Not only do you need Jesus you also need to be enlightened from you miserable ignorance. Must some of you people always term everything and anything as signs of end time or illuminati? What do you know about illuminati? Are you one?
Anonymous said…
Not necessarily greed. POS use is ok, much better than cash transactions. My problem is this: churches have become very innovative in ‘tithe’ and ‘offering’ collection(mind u tithing is biblical), however another very important aspect of the duties of the church is caring for the poor, widows and orphans, the church is seriously lacking in this area as did the early Christians Acts 2: 44-45. In so many verses our Lord Jesus spoke about help and justice for the poor. My heart grieves at the state of our churches. Some people argue it’s not the duty of the church to care for the less privileged, how wrong can they be? The church has a huge responsibility in this area. God help us.
Anonymous said…
We all know the steps the CBN has taken to enforce a cashless society. I know how much I’m charged for cash lodgments into my account; it’s a necessary tool for any organization that deals with cash.
Lets not get sanctimonious abeg, someone went as far as saying illuminati. Haba! On top cashless matter? We’re so used to dealing in cash that a modern tool like this is credited to the devil himself.
Go to the UK and make a purchase with a fifty pound note, the look you will get will have you wondering if you stole the money or if the note has been declared missing by the police.
POS is just technology, nothing more…..
Anonymous said…
I hate it when customers walk into my store and pay cash instead of using the POS. I have to send someone to the bank to pay it in, i become security conscious plus i have to pay cash handling charges. Hian!
Its no big deal and fast becoming a necessity..
Anonymous said…
The person who sent you this is silly. I live in the U.S and I rarely use cash. Even if my offering is $5, I write a check. Yesterday, I swiped 50 cents at Duane Reade. My personal reason for not using cash is I dislike getting coins back as change. There is nothing wrong with the church using a POS machine, it’s not by force to use it. If you have N5, drop it and go your way.
Anonymous said…
My dear, you don’t buy POS machine, it’s given free by your bank. You will even get a certain percent based on transactions made.Giving remains a prerogative of the giver. When, how and amount to be given are a decision he makes based on the level of his faith and walk with God. The bible did not insist it had to be cash. In fact, in bible times, people gave from the produce of their flock and farm. Its 2016 and cash is still very much being accepted in churches and will be for a long time to come but just so you are out of cash, POSs are available to make sure you do the needful. God does will not physically spend what we give. He looks at the heart and our willingness and obedience to the commandments and blesses us accordingly. Do not let us be distracted by irrelevances; POS terminals in churches is not a big deal.
What is your take on this ?
