Connect Stripe and Configure Online Giving

BlessChurch Give allows your church to accept and organize online donations using Stripe.

Before you begin

You will need:

• Permission to manage your church’s Give settings
• An authorized church representative
• Church contact and legal information
• A bank account for receiving payouts
• Access to the email address used for the Stripe account

1. Open the Give module

1. Sign in to BlessChurch.
2. Select Give from the application menu.
3. Open the Settings tab.

2. Connect Stripe

1. Select the option to connect or finish setting up Stripe.
2. BlessChurch will send you to Stripe’s secure onboarding process.
3. Sign in to an existing Stripe account or create one.
4. Enter the requested church, representative, and bank information.
5. Complete Stripe’s verification process.
6. Return to BlessChurch when onboarding is complete.

3. Confirm the connection

Return to the Give settings and verify that Stripe shows as connected.

If Stripe requests additional information, complete it before accepting live donations. Payouts may remain restricted until verification is finished.

4. Create giving funds

Funds help your church organize donations by purpose. Examples include:

• Tithes
• General Offering
• Missions
• Building Fund
• Youth Ministry
• Other

Use clear names so donors understand where their contribution will be assigned.

5. Review the public giving experience

Open the public giving page and confirm:

• The church name and logo are correct
• The available funds are correct
• The donation form works on desktop and mobile
• The confirmation message is clear
• The page uses HTTPS

6. Perform a controlled test

Before sharing the giving page publicly, make a small authorized donation and verify that it appears in BlessChurch and Stripe.

Also confirm the donor receipt and the destination bank account.

7. Review donations and donors

Use the Overview, Donors, and Funds tabs to review activity and organize giving records.

Stripe remains the source of record for payment processing, verification, disputes, and payouts.

Security requirements

• Never send Stripe passwords, verification codes, or secret API keys through email or chat.
• Never paste secret Stripe credentials into a public website field.
• Enable two-factor authentication on the church’s Stripe account.
• Give financial access only to authorized church leaders.
• Confirm payout changes directly inside Stripe.

Fees, refunds, and disputes

Stripe processing fees may apply to donations. Refunds and disputes can affect the church’s Stripe balance and financial reports.

Review Stripe’s current pricing and policies for the church’s country before launching online giving.

Troubleshooting

If Stripe remains disconnected, sign back into BlessChurch, reopen Give settings, and continue the Stripe onboarding process. Also check whether Stripe is requesting additional verification documents.

Important note

BlessChurch helps churches organize online giving, but it does not provide legal, accounting, or tax advice. Your church should follow the financial and charitable-contribution requirements that apply in its location.