Giving is a vital part of spiritual formation and maturity.  It requires two things of us:

1. FAITH - Giving is an active expression of my faith and obedience. It recognizes God as my True Provider. It affirms my confidence in His ability to supply all I need. It is an act of gratitude and dependence. And, it allows me to partner with God and His work through my local church and in the world through missions.
   
   
2. FAITHFULNESS - Giving requires the highest standard of personal integrity and discipline. It is not a casual or occasional thing. In 2 Corinthians 8-9, the Bible teaches we are to give willingly, generously, and cheerfully. And our pattern should reflect a regular and systematic plan. In Malachi 3:10, we learn God's standard of the tithe or first tenth being set apart in all of my earnings as a gift to God. Through our tithes and offerings, we prove faithful in the stewardship of all God has provided for us.

With these two principles in mind, a new opportunity for giving is being provided through the ministry of First Alpharetta. It is called "online" giving. It is a new and simple way to prioritize and expedite your personal plan for giving.

• You can prioritize giving in your budget. The Bible indicates giving is to be a "first" and not a last or leftover matter in my life. Read Proverbs 3:9-10. It is easy to let our standards and intentions be compromised by the pressure of expenses and billing cycles.
  
• You can increase your faithfulness. Have you ever forgotten your gift, left it at home or pledged to double it in the future? Have you had times where you have fallen behind because of travel and other schedule interruptions? Online giving provides a way to strengthen your faithfulness.
  
  
• You can help your church. Through online giving, you expedite your gift, simplify our accounting, and strengthen our base of regular support.
  
  
• You can encourage faith and faithfulness in the lives of fellow believers. As you plan and prioritize your giving, you will lead the way for others to grow and mature in their spiritual stewardship. Being a forerunner in this new area of planned giving, you can provide personal testimony and example for others to follow.

Our Online Giving has 128-bit encryption.

WHAT 128-BIT ENCRYPTION MEANS FOR YOUR SECURITY

What is 128-bit encryption?
Encryption is a process that scrambles information into a format that unauthorized parties can not decode or utilize; 128-bit encryption is the strongest, most secure form of encryption generally utilized in Internet browsers in North America.

What's the difference between 128- and 40-bit encryption?
The primary difference between the two types of VeriSign Server IDs is the strength of the SSL session that each enable. SSL comes in two strengths, 40-bit and 128-bit, which refer to the length of the "session key" generated by every encrypted transaction. The longer the key, the more difficult it is to break the encryption code. 128-bit SSL encryption is the world's strongest: according to RSA Labs, it would take a trillion-trillion years to crack using today's technology.

128-bit encryption provides a significantly greater amount of cryptographic protection than 40-bit encryption.
The number of bits refers to the size of the key used to encrypt the message. Roughly speaking, 128-bit encryption is 309, 485, 009, 821, 345, 068, 724, 781, 056 times stronger than 40-bit encryption. The larger the key, the more secure your personal information.

Who should give online?
Anyone who is looking for a simpler way to assure their giving. Anyone who would like to give to the ministry of FBC Alpharetta either one time or on a recurring basis.

Is online giving secure?
Yes it is! See our page about security, where we describe the features of 128 bit encryption.

Can I give automatically every week or month?

1. Option #1 -Yes. Each transaction is implemented by you. When you click the "give now button", you have an option to give one time or to "repeat" giving. We have reoccurring payments for those who choose to select this option.
   
2. Option #2 -Yes. You may set up with your bank (online bill pay) a reoccurring transaction or a simple one time transaction in which you submit each time.

When are gifts processed?

1. Option #1 -Good Shepherd's Bank processes transactions and submits the transaction immediately.
   
2. Option #2 -Your Bank will withdraw funds by the value date you submit.

What if I'm not an FBC Alpharetta member, but I want to make a donation? How would I be able to get a statement for tax purposes?
We are happy to receive your gift. Online giving is an excellent way for you to give. All givers receive a contribution statement regardless of membership status, assuming we have all of their correct address information.

What if I want to cancel or change my online giving?
No problem. Online giving is a one time transaction unless you set up your bank account (through your bank) to send automatically. If you have any questions, you may contact us at onlinegiving@fbca.com 770.475.6556.

Will my online gifts be included on my Statement of Contributions?
Yes, they will be included.

Can I view my past giving history online?
At this time, your past giving history is not available online. You will continue to receive your Statements of Contribution as in the past, and these gifts will be included on those statements.

How can I keep track of my giving status?
You may call 770.475.6556 and ask for a current status or email us to ask for it.

How can I get a receipt of my online gift?
You may print out your confirmation screen as your receipt, or you may also print out the confirmation email which is sent to you. Either is considered a valid receipt. But remember, your gift WILL appear on your regular statement of contributions as well!

What about my offering envelopes?
Envelopes are provided for each FBC Alpharetta member to assist in establishing faithful patterns of giving and for providing records of gifts. If you choose online giving, you may still use your envelope to return during a service of worship as a testimony and reminder of your faith and faithfulness to God. Simply write "online gift" on the outside of the envelope. This will signal our accounting office and yet provide a way for you, if you so desire, to participate during services of worship. The key is not how we give—giving can be done in a variety of ways today—but rather, Who (How many of us?), What (Am I faithful?), and Why (Am I obedient and thankful for all God has done for me?).

What are the benefits of online giving?
You can prioritize giving in your budget. The Bible indicates giving is to be a "first" and not a last or leftover matter in my life. Read Proverbs 3:9-10. It is easy to let our standards and intentions be compromised by the press of expenses and billing cycles. You can increase your faithfulness. Have you ever forgotten your gift, left it at home or pledged to double it in the future? Have you had times where you have fallen behind because of travel and other schedule interruptions? Online giving provides a way to strengthen your faithfulness. You can help your church. Through online giving, you expedite your gift, simplify our accounting, and strengthen our base of regular support. You can encourage faith and faithfulness in the lives of fellow believers. As you plan and prioritize your giving, you will lead the way for others to grow and mature in their spiritual stewardship. Being a forerunner in this new area of planned giving, you can provide personal testimony and example for others to follow.

My question is not listed here, now what?
Please email questions to onlinegiving@fbca.com or call us at 770.475.6556.