Digital payments are becoming popular in Ghana, with most people getting familiar with cashless transactions.
Mobile Money (MoMo) transactions, in particular, have soared as a result of the growth in mobile phone usage.
To keep abreast of technological trends, some churches have also adopted digital forms of payment, especially MoMo, as a means of collecting tithes, offerings and other donations from their congregants.
Just as offertory bowls are placed in front or passed around for people to drop their donations, the MoMo numbers and bank accounts are projected on screens (in addition to the bowls) for members who prefer to contribute digitally.
For instance, at the Prayer Palace International Ministry, off the Spintex Road in Accra, the inscription “Send your offering and tithes on MTN mobile money” is projected on all screens after the church’s official MoMo numbers have been displayed.
According to Lady Reverend Adaeze Ayoka, one of the leaders of the church, MoMo was a simple and convenient way to make contributions to the church.
“We stream live online and people participate in church activities via digital media and so MoMO allows them to make their financial contributions during the service,” she said.
She stated that globally, digital transactions were taking over the traditional payment method and the church should not be left out.
“Christianity does not mean we should stick with the old system. The world is changing; things are not like before so we have to be able to modify our practices to make things easier for people,” she noted.
She explained that the mobile money numbers displayed were registered in the name of the church with the church’s certificates and so contributions go into the church’s account.
“Before you will be able to register, you have to use the church certificate to confirm that the church is registered,” she explained.
