IMPROVING CHURCH FINANCES IN THE FACE OF ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
Let’s face it, money matters – and the church ought to be talking about it.
Today, every church has trouble meeting its financial needs. Fund raising is increasingly becoming more difficult. In the nearest future, churches will have more demands placed upon them for social services, tragedy relief, outreach ministry, and local expenses even in the face of dwindling numerical strength of members and inadequate financial resources- unless they begin now to change the situation.
If your church is to fulfill its ministry, it must be fueled with adequate financial resources. We must come to terms with the reality that finances dictate program possibilities; affect staff needs, building needs, and outreach needs; determine growth incentives; have a dramatic effect on church morale; and limit Christian witness.
We have got to recognize the fact that raising money in the 21st century is vastly different than it was thirty years ago. People are generally no longer motivated to generous giving because of loyalty, guilt, pressure, sense of obligation, or exhortation. A whole new approach is required. It is time to evaluate what we are doing, make prescriptions for change, and develop a new strategy for funding ministry. If we fail to do this, we may be almost certain that churches may not survive the coming age.
Meanwhile, members sometimes protest, “Our church is becoming like the greedy Televangelists – always begging for money”. So, what do we do? There are some sound fundamental principles and strategies that can significantly improve any church’s financial condition, but it will involve a whole new understanding of church finance.
The good news, however, is that any church can increase its Financial resources.
It is worthy of note that most churches do not really have “money” problems; they only have “idea” problems, “communication” problems, and “stewardship” problems. All they require is admitting to these problems, summoning the courage to face it and the whole-hearted desire to solve it.
(1) Develop A Biblical Theology of Stewardship
It is crucial that churches lay a solid foundation by developing a theology of Christian stewardship that is biblically oriented. “Stewardship is foundational to everything a church does.” A Christian theology of stewardship will focus, not on our ownership but on God’s ownership; not on money but on ministry; not on what the church needs, but on what the believer needs to participate fully in the ministry of Christ, not on how much will you give to the church but on how are you doing in your relationship with Jesus Christ”. Interpreting the biblical and theological basis of stewardship to your congregation is crucial to the development of any real growth in Christian Discipleship. When a church makes real givers, it changes lives; when it simply receives a gift, it just postpones bankruptcy. Clergy and church leaders must equip their congregation to know what the Bible says about giving.
(2) Discover Your Current Reality
For congregations to increase their income, they must first analyze their present condition – the way things are. In most churches, because finances and attendance shrinks slowly, it is not so obvious and as such Church leaders and members are often tempted to either deny, ignore or trivialize current reality that even their own congregation’s statistics tell them about their future. Only when we are willing to see it as it is, and step out in faith to change it, will we ever achieve financial health.
You need to discover what is good about your church. “Why are we here? What is so good about our church that we hope it never changes? What are the three greatest strengths of our church? For what are we rightfully known? What do we really have going for us? What do we do best and not so well? Are we efficient in stewardship and evangelism?” (These questions can be asked by pastors at Parish Church Council meetings, congregational dinners/fellowships, and Parish Committee meetings)
(3) Create A Clear and Compelling Vision of Where You Want to Be
If you want people to give, offer them a compelling Vision of how their giving is going to further Christ’s kingdom. “People give to vision, not to need,”
Mission is “What we exist to do”; Vision is “What is God calling us to do in the immediate future?” Together Mission and Vision make a powerful means for church renewal. Vision develops out of the core values, history, cultural heritage, needs, assessment of congregational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, statistics, and trends of that congregation. A vision unites and energizes, a vision focuses priorities and raises sights, a vision invites and draws others. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18. KJV)
A Vision Statement must be directional, measurable, and inspirational.
There are two kinds of churches, (a) The “Pay the bills” church and (b) The “Live the Vision” church.
Pay the bills churches; here all you hear are “The church needs your support. The church has bills to be paid, and this is how much money we need.” The resulting feeling is one of struggle, challenge, and half-hearted support. Whereas in the “Live the Vision church”, the language is “Giving is an essential part of faithful daily Christian living, allowing God to be present in all aspects of one’s life.” This approach presents a clear vision to which God is calling the congregation and invites people to participate in that vision.
There is a saying that “The church that knows what God wants them to do (Vision) will have an easier time funding the ministry for which that church is called.”
(4) Dispel Myths
Unfortunately, there is almost a universal reluctance of pastors to take an active role in the raising of money or of money management in their congregation. To achieve any long-term growth in church finance, the Pastor must be willing to dispel Myths about his relation to money in the church. Myth 1: “The congregation wouldn’t want their Pastor talking to them about money.” Myth 2: “Talking about money in the church drives people away!” Well, I think it depends on how you do it.
Members simply want to know that their giving is going to make a true difference. They desire to make a significant contribution to a heroic cause. Money follows mission, not tired church budgets!
Pastors need to learn how to ask people for money. “We must stop viewing asking for money as “sales,” instead consider it as “evangelism.” If we genuinely believe that Jesus Christ, through the church, can change the world, why would we not want to invite everyone we care anything about to be a part of it? In the church, this means the pastor is the absolute best one to share the vision and ask for support for it.”
One of the distinguishing characteristics of a true leader is the ability to articulate and promote Vision.
Share the good news of what the church is accomplishing (Tell the story of how lives are being changed, or ministry is happening.); Appreciate the faithful for the commitment demonstrated through their weekly offering; Have people witness about how lives have been touched by their generous giving.
(5) Involve members in the work of Ministry
Identify ways to motivate Lay persons to become more dramatically involved in ministry, both for their own spiritual growth and for the growth of Christ’s Kingdom.
It is our duty as Priests to teach and encourage the congregation to do ministry. We are to help individuals recognize their gifts and use them in ministry, with emphasis that every member is expected to participate in some form of ministry (laity as well as clergy.) Virtually every church is experiencing a reduced commitment to give time, participation, and energy. What is needed is a workable plan that recruits, trains, and employs volunteer lay workers in meaningful ministry.
Every role and task in your church should have a ministry description, if you want to see effective lay ministry become a reality in your church. Churches that have a large percentage of their members involved in some form of ministry have larger attendance, larger income, less tension, less backbiting, less apathy, and burnout. People who are involved in some ministry for which they are gifted, are enormously more likely than pew sitters to share their faith and invite people to involvement in the church. The secret of the growth of the church is the involvement of the laity in meaningful ministry. Emphasis needs to be placed on the teaching that “ministry” belongs to the whole congregation, not simply the pastor, and these can be achieved through sermons, organizational structure, little blurbs in Sunday bulletins, newsletters, and style of leadership.
If you want to raise the attendance level of your congregation, then begin to work slowly and strategically on “commitment.” The pastor could preach a sermon or series of sermons on “commitment”
(6) Repackage your Sermon
Whether we admit it or not, our world is changing, and we cannot keep doing things the same way. Preaching needs to become increasingly “seeker” oriented, and deal with the day- to- day problems of people. We need to deal more with “real life issues” and communicate on the experiences of faith and practice that shape core values, challenges, and handles on how to live out these core values in ministry. What people need today are a fewer “ought-to” sermons and more “how-to” sermons.
“Nowadays when people come to church activities, they expect their problems to be addressed. They are willing to get involved in church, but only if doing so will help answer their personal cries for help. Every week there are people sitting in church drowning in debt, in sin, in life. They do not need a little homily. They need help. The church has been entrusted with the source of help and hope, the gospel of Jesus Christ. People need to be confronted with the gospel and asked to accept it. The preaching that is reaching people today is a preaching that is practical, relevant, biblically sound, well delivered, intellectually developed, visually accentuated, and generally Topical.
(7) Re-engineer your Parish Church Council
The Parish Church Council (P.C.C.) plays a strategic role in the financial and numerical Growth of the Church.
“What issues and questions dominate the agenda of your P.C.C. meetings?”
Mostly, our P.C.C. meetings consist of listening to reports from various individuals and committees and then go home without ever considering the important questions of: Identity, Purpose, Vision and Making Disciples. We are so preoccupied with “making decisions” rather than “making disciples.” Membership growth or decline is the most important factor in church finance in the future. Thus, it is strategic that the P.C.C. begin now to think and develop specific growth goals in membership and worship attendance. The P.C.C. must re-engineer itself to focus on the responsibility of ensuring that an adequate Stewardship Development structure is in place.
Could we possibly consider replacing our committees with ministry teams, thereby enabling members to see that everyone is to be in ministry?
Our approach to proposed projects must change from the usual first questions of “How much will it cost” and “Where will we get the money?” to questions such as “Would it be a great thing for furthering the work of Christ. Would it help people who are hurting?” Once it is established that the proposal would fill a real human need, or solve a problem, or bring about fruitful improvements, or contribute growth – then the question may be asked, “How can we obtain the needed funds.”
(8) Teach Courses on Christian Family Money Management
To tackle issues from the roots and develop increased income for your church, a course on “Christian Family Money Management” can be provided. There are categories of people who would want to help the poor, feed the hungry, and support religious institutions, however, due to poor choices made as regards to money, coupled with poor economy and rising inflation, are now unfortunately trapped in spirals of indebtedness that makes noble ambitions hard to fulfill. There is a need for better stewardship of personal and family income.
A church that has a course in “Christian Family Money Management” for its members will be meeting an important need that would attract people and thus reap a fantastic harvest.
(9) Ignite your Passion for Evangelism
Evangelism is the main business (top priority) of a “growing and financially sustainable” church. Vibrant, fruitful, growing congregations practice radical hospitality. Their members focus on those outside their congregation with as much passion as they attend to the nurture and growth of those who already belong to the family of faith. We need to invite, welcome, receive and care for those who are strangers so that they can find a spiritual home and discover for themselves the unending riches of life in Christ.
Whatever your definition for evangelism, it must include a concern for reaching out to new people, sharing the story of what God has done for each of us, and inviting them into a life of Christian Discipleship. Until a church begins to take seriously its responsibility to “Go out and make Disciples”, it will always be a “dying” church (numerically and financially).
Our passion for evangelism must be borne out of convictions that it is God’s will that His church grows and that all people are lost without the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This principle must be exhibited and guide our thinking, planning and program.
(10) Establish an Endowment Fund
Establish an endowment fund with well-defined purposes so that church members have the opportunity to fund ongoing ministries through bequests, gifts and donations. The endowment fund can be invested to stabling a long-term source of income to support programs and ministries.
Conclusion
Every congregation needs to ask itself, “Are we focused more on mission, maintenance, or survival?”
Your church Can have Increased Income!
If you believe, pray, plan and work for it!
