by Matthew Soper
In my thirty years as a preacher of four congregations and now in my work as an interim minister, I continue to stress the importance to church leaders of pursuing integrity and excellence in how finances are handled. This honors God, inspires confidence from the congregation, and contributes greatly to congregational health and well-being, including generosity.
Following are things I have practiced and found to be especially worthwhile. This is not an exclusive list but I can promise that these will get you 90% there!
1. Publish giving figures weekly in congregational communication (printed bulletin, e-newsletter), WITH the corresponding budget figure. The weekly giving figure itself means nothing to people unless it is juxtaposed with what is budgeted. Not all people look at this or care about it, but the ones who care, really care!
Never print ‘NA’ for a giving figure. Was the giving not counted? Why not? If the number wasn’t communicated and it is too late to do so, print an average figure and adjust it for the following week’s average. Few things communicate financial ineptitude like not being able to provide a giving figure.
2. Publish and make available quarterly financial statements showing income and expenses. [Present a full balance sheet at the end of the year). As above, the minority of people who will look at this are very interested in it!
Especially if your giving is trailing expenses, show what your cash reserve is. This assures people that the church is not operating week-to-week.
Don’t make the budget categories so vague that people can’t tell where the money is going. If ‘salaries’ is denoted, the figure and total % will look very large to people. Consider adding an asterisk with the explanation “a customary range in the local church for salaries is 40-60% of congregational expenses.” Not only is this rule of thumb accurate, it gives people important perspective. Most have no clue, understandably.
3. Make giving as easy as possible. Your church should have multiple ways to give and make it clear on congregational communication: cash or checks in offering plates, Pay Pal or a church app, using one’s checking account Bill Pay, etc. Make it easy to do give on your website. Have a button labeled “Give” on the front page. Always.
4. Make clear that the church can receive stock gifts and/or other assets (as you are willing). Set up a brokerage account for doing this. In one of my churches, we were offered a $100,000 stock gift. You can bet we set up a brokerage account that day and gratefully received it!
5. Institute and enforce clear, written counting and accounting procedures. The days of dumping the offering cash and coins on the conference table and one (or two) people counting it, stuffing it in a bag, and taking it to the bank after going to lunch at Luby’s should be over.
Most giving these days is electronic, but have a strict procedure for depositing cash and checks immediately after the worship service(s). NEVER let one person handle anything related to finances without oversight and close supervision. That’s a favor to them too! How many sad stories do we have to hear about one person succumbing to temptation and being unethical. Trust but verify.
6. Avoid Catch-Up Sundays. These just train the congregation to fall behind and then catch up, usually borne by a few heroic givers who then are counted on to always rescue the church’s giving.
7. Prepare for, enable, and encourage end-of-year giving (more in separate article).
8. Talk joyously and positively about money. Many preachers and church leaders are very uncomfortable talking about money and only do so when the church needs more. This anxiety and fear becomes part of the congregational DNA.
9. Thank the congregation for their giving so often you sound like a broken record. Trust me, no one gets tired of being thanked. Say things like, “We are a generous congregation” and “I/we are continually grateful for this congregation’s financial generosity which enables us to carry out Kingdom work.” They will live into this.
Yes, technically, Christians should give as a regular faith practice but so what? Don’t you enjoy and feel encouraged when people thank you even for something you do as a duty? Thanking people is a force multiplier. Let me say that again; thanking people is a force multiplier!
In my last congregation, a missional replant, our 75 regular people gave $9,000/week. We talked joyfully and positively about how powerful a tool money could be when managed faithfully and given generously. I am confident these nine practices contributed to that and will be a blessing to you.
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