Accountants and businesspeople love spreadsheets and line-item budgets, but regular folks in the pews have a hard time relating the numbers and categories to real-life . That’s why narrative budgets can be so helpful. They explain how the numbers connect to the lives and ministries of your church. The Center for Faith & Giving explains. […]
The Amish are best known for their plain clothing, simple living, and lack of modern technology. They’re also likely the only financial planner you’ll ever need, says this writer, who lifts up some very basic ideas that can drastically simplify your life and help you get onto sound financial footing. (Photo: “Amish” by PilotGirl, Creative […]
Both the Old and New Testament tell us a lot about wealth and money, but Christians through the ages have found different nuances that fit their time and contexts. This article from the Church History Institute gives a nice overview of how faithful people have understood money and its role in our lives and cultures. […]
How often do you thank those who give to your church? For most congregations the answer is, “Not nearly often enough!” It’s too bad, because saying thank you is one of the simplest and most effective ways to cultivate a climate of generosity. Check out these five creative suggestions! (Photo: Marco Verch Professional Photographer and […]
Designated funds are a curse for many congregations struggling to grow ministries but unable to touch some of the money they have on hand because of uncompromising restrictions placed by donors. In this article, church consultant Thom Rainer lists some of the most common pitfalls. (Photo © Borys Shevchuk – Fotolia)
Tired of all your stuff? Perhaps the antidote to endless, thoughtless consumption lies not in purging ourselves of the stuff we own, but rather, redefining our relationship with stuff altogether. Interesting reading from Canada’s Globe and Mail. (“sewing-2” by Pixelbertie is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 )
Realizing that it’s hard for God’s people to be generous (or happy) when they are bogged down with thousands of dollars in credit card debt, a Philadelphia congregation launched an “annihilation” campaign to help. Read about the results in Sojourners. (Photo (c) tanawatpontchour – fotolia.com)
Putting some simple stewardship practices into place can help your congregation both avoid the summer giving slump and prepare for strong fall season. Rich Birch of Unseminary shares his five best ideas that you can use or adapt for your context. (Photo: Joao Lavinha, Creative Commons)
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!)
Churches know they have to be very careful with finances, but even the sharpest can may fall into these two related traps related to who really wields spending power, says Karl Vaters of ChristianityToday. Does your congregation have a problem? (Photo: Tal Atlas, Creative Commons)
