Digital Tithing Revolutionizes Church Giving in West Africa
Like many American church goers, Christians in Ghana, Africa believe in tithing -- giving a tenth of their income to their church. A new app will now help them do that electronically. A company called "Asoriba" has developed an application that allows church members to tithe their money directly from their phone.
The word Asoriba is Ghanaian for "church member." The app was created by young Ghanaian entrepreneurs to make it more convenient for those who want to give money to their church. Christians make up 71 percent of Ghana's population of 26 million, giving the Asoriba app an excellent environment in which to flourish.
According to CNN, Nana Prempeh, Asoriba's co-founder, says "churches are among the richest organizations in the country." So much so that they sometimes need to use vans to transport their money to the bank on Sundays, Prempeh told CNN. But with the Asoriba app, funds transfer to the church's bank account instantly.
The app also gives them the option to receive daily devotionals, sermons, events notices and other information pertaining to their church.
It's also interactive. Members can share testimonies, comment on content, and get information about other members all from their cell phones.
"We want people to express themselves, and we want to make it possible to have these conversations," said co-founder Prempeh.
While digital tithing is different from being physically present in church, co-founder Prempeh says the app doesn't take away from one's Christian faith. "You can never replace your real life connections. However, you can enhance the physical connections and go beyond," Prempeh told CNN.
