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Churches Spend 97% on Those Who Give It
Do you think this is about right, or is it outrageous that, by one estimate, churches spend 96 percent of their money on the folks who give it? The writer of this column found it discouraging. The problem is that we have constructed massive organizations that require huge amounts of money to sustain. (Photo © […]
Year-Round Stewardship Calendar
We are accustomed to thinking of stewardship in terms of the annual “pledge drive.” It happens once a year, and mostly we endure it as a necessary evil to raise money to run the church. This calendar takes stewardship out of the “annual occurrence” category and places it where it should be – right in […]
Resources for Talking about Money
The Rocket Company offers several free stewardship and preaching resources for pastors including webinars and downloadable documents. Click here to access them. Click here to access their free e-book 39 Things Pastors Need to Know about Money. Photo by Robert Huffstutter. Thanks!
Building a Narrative Budget
This year while putting together your church’s budget, take a pass on the old “line item” approach. That old spreadsheet may tell your people about the numbers, but it doesn’t say much about the ministries. Take instead a “narrative budget” approach. This pdf from the Missouri United Methodist Foundation will get you started.
A Budget is a Statement of Faith
What does your church’s annual budget represent? Is it a proud menu of the hopes, dreams and missionary ministries your congregation wants to accomplish in the year to come? Or is it a life-support prescription for how the congregation expects to pay the staff, keep the lights burning, the sanctuary heated and the grass mowed? (Photo (c) Monkey Business, via Fotolia)
Build a family budget that actually works!
Making and keeping to a family budget is a lot like dieting: It’s easy start but hard to follow through. It’s one reason why so many people are overweight — and in debt! Here is an article with 10 tips for how to get your finances on track and keep them there! (Photo © Artur […]
Congregational Discernment and Stewardship
The spiritual practice of discernment may be a useful tool for congregations when it comes to matters of stewardship of money. Check out this article by spiritual director Teresa Blythe on the Patheos website. (Photo by hickory hardscrabble used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
The New Financial Reality
It is fact that our children are not destined to inherit our standard of living and financial ease. Trent Hamm, author and blogger, runs a series of numbers in response to a reader’s question that show the extent of how our financial situation has changed and the present and future generations face. The question is […]
The Seven Deadly Sins of Personal Finance
Here’s an engaging (and entertaining) look at the seven deadly sins of personal finance from award-winning financial blogger Len Penzo. In addition to linking these sins to personal finance, Penzo suggests “penance” for the repentant in the form of additional articles on financial management. (Photo by Muffet used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Endowment Funds: Hidden Miracle or Hidden Peril
By Duane Englehardt
How well do congregational endowment funds serve God? Can an endowment fund lead to “empowerment”? Many congregations have participated in wills emphasis programs, and the insurance industry has undertaken heavy promotions of gifts through life insurance.
