Working for a ministry can be challenging because of the many hats church employees wear and the limited resources available to help fulfill the church mission.
The good news is God’s word is full of encouragement for everyone, but especially those who are called into full-time ministry.
I pray that these scriptures are an encouragement to you today!
A church facility is where church happens.
And, churches need facilities that are well designed, equipped and maintained in order to fulfill its mission.
Managing church facilities requires budget dollars, planning and an organized process to maintain and plan for its facility use.
Many churches use a team of people to make this happen. A core group of employees and volunteers who have a passion for the church and its facility help to ensure that the campus is kept clean, maintained and aesthetically pleasing for members and visitors. Read the Full Article →
We all learned a lot about managing money since the Financial Crisis of 2007-08.
It was heartbreaking to see so many people lose jobs, homes and life savings in what seemed like a moment.
The bubble of prosperity popped and those who had no cushion fell – and they fell hard.
Banks were foreclosing on churches at an alarming rate just after the crisis creating uncertainty for congregations all over the country. Read the Full Article →
I was having lunch with a friend the other day whose church is contemplating merging with another church in their area.
Their pastor was approached by the leadership of the other church and was offered the invitation.
They have experienced significant church growth and have outgrown their current facility.
The other church has a larger facility which makes the merger appealing to them. Read the Full Article →
As long as there are offerings during a church service there will be cash on hand.
And how this cash is handled can determine the safety of those funds.
Detailed cash handling policies and procedures are critical to safeguarding church funds. And yes, churches are just as susceptible to embezzlement as any other organization.
The reason is – unsupervised access to cash is simply too tempting for many people, particularly people with a financial need. Read the Full Article →
Church families gather all the time. Whether it is the weekly service, volunteer training or special event – when members gather they are using the buildings.
And, when people are in the building they are using the restroom.
Have you ever gone into a restroom and thought – Yuk!
That is because using a restroom can either be a pleasant experience – or not. Read the Full Article →
Let’s be real. No one goes into ministry because they like to ask people to give money.
In fact if you ask, most pastors they will tell you that it is the least desirable part of their job.
However, churches need to have the financial resources to be able to sustain their existence and fulfill its mission and vision.
The church is no different from a business because, in order to achieve their goals, consistent cash flow is necessary. Read the Full Article →
The United States is experiencing yet another natural disaster in the form of Hurricane Harvey.
It is overwhelming to watch the news and see the unbelievable images of the flooding and devastation for the people in Texas.
It is difficult to turn on the news on any day and not see a report of some natural disaster or unexpected emergency.
Wild fires, tornadoes, flooding and hurricanes are just a few of the unpredictable disasters that can impact a community – and churches are not exempt from these unwelcomed tragedies.
Read the Full Article →One of the biggest issues facing our elected officials in Washington is health care.
And it is pretty clear that no one has a good answer for this very complex problem.
The cost of providing health care for employees has been a big ticket item for decades.
And while medical cost trends have decreased since 2007, health spending averages still hoover between 6 and 7 percent – with a projected 6.5 percent increase for 2018. Read the Full Article →
I recently had a reader ask about a sick leave policy.
This reader had a church employee who was unexpectedly dealing with a serious health issue that would require a lot of time away from work.
Since the church didn’t have an existing policy they were scrambling to write one to cover the sick leave.
Her story was not unlike a lot of churches – policies and procedures are written on the fly when the need for a policy arises. Read the Full Article →
