Pastor and author Carol Howard Merritt believes the first rule of stewardship planning is to have fun. “Stewardship should be a time of great celebration, where we can tell the story about the church and have a party,” Merritt says. Read on for ideas on putting the fun in fund-raising. (Photo: Rona Proudfoot, Creative Commons. Thanks!)
Summer is just around the corner, and so is the possibility of a slump in your congregation’s giving. Check out these eight ideas from Tithe.ly to keep giving trending in the right direction. Don’t stick your head in the sand and hope it won’t happen. Plan now to avoid the summertime blues. (Photo: David Barrie, Creative Commons)
Author and expert in global philanthropy and member of the Lumbee Tribe, Edgar Villanueva believes it is time for churches to reimagine their relationship with money and step out in faith for the sake of the gospel. “Sunday is the most segregated day of the week, [but] by being mindful about money, the church can […]
Poor money management and an unwillingness to talk about money can put a serious damper on ministry, especially in small congregations. Karl Vaters gives three good reasons that money talk is essential in church culture. You’ll also find helpful links to other articles that he’s written. (Photo: Sultry, Creative Commons. Thanks!)
With so many moving parts to ministry — worship planning, visitation, keeping up the building and grounds, youth programs, Christian education, and on and on — it’s easy to lose track of the financial machinery that keeps everything moving. Here are some great tips on how your congregation can be money savvy. From Crosswalk.com. (Photo: […]
The end of the accounting year always means lots of work and headaches for the church finance team, but this article can help them get through it in accordance with legal and bookkeeping proficiency. From FreeChurchAccounting.com. (Photo: www.SeniorLiving.Org, used by permission)
Almost every day the news tells of another financial scandal, and the church is not lost in this situation. In today’s culture, the church cannot afford to be reactive, but remain proactive in managing its finances above reproach. The following golden rules, from LifeWay, can help churches maintain integrity and trust. (Photo: Anssi Koskinen, Creative […]
How does your treasurer keep the church books? Though few still use the old paper financial ledgers, some may be using computer programs that are obsolete, or clunky, or generations (in software terms) behind in innovation and ease of use. Time for a change? Capterra provides reviews of about two dozen of the most popular […]
You see the headlines with alarming regularity: Pastor X was using church money for personal uses. Or Treasurer Y was embezzling money from the congregation. Or even, Offering Collector Z was slipping loose bills from the plate into his pocket. Here are ways to prevent theft and fraud, from AG Financial Solutions. (Photo: Pongsajapan, Creative […]
Many churches have no safeguards for the money given for God’s work. This leaves our churches open to fraud or embezzlement that may go undetected for months or years. Money scandals can not ruin only a congregation’s finances, but it also can under mine the credibility and good faith that a church needs to minister […]
