Eventually, they cobbled together a prototype that he set up at his church in early 2005.

Since then, the church has seen an 18 percent bump in donations — and an average gift of more than $100 each time a card is swiped.

The results encouraged Mr. Baker and his wife, Patty, to form a for-profit company, SecureGive, that sells the terminals for $2,000 to $5,000 apiece and charges a $50 monthly subscription fee. By the end of the year, they expect to have terminals in 15 spots across the country.

The kiosks are fairly easy to use. After typing in a phone number and a PIN, users swipe a credit or a debit card. The terminals allow people to give to a specific fund, such as a building drive or a mission. Afterward, they dispense a receipt.

At Stephens Creek, where services begin with flashy light shows and a Christian band jams out salvation songs, the embrace of technology has helped build a sense that this congregation is on the cutting edge.

“We’re real. We’re in today,” said Dorna Adams, a church volunteer. “We’re here where society is at.”