After you calculate the bottom line…how much income your church can expect to receive, the next step is to tackle the fixed costs: Personnel, Property, and Denominational Dues. In a typical church, these costs account for 75-85% of the operating budget…so it makes sense to tackle them first.
One thing to keep in mind is that these costs are not necessarily set in stone. As the church’s strategy for ministry changes, this often affects the staffing and property needs. But, for the most part, these are pretty stable from year to year. The most difficult part of this section is the decision on giving raises to church staff. Are they being paid a competitive rate…or even a legal rate? If we can’t afford a large raise, is there anything else that churches can do to tangibly show their appreciation?
Useful Links
- Inflation (CPI) Calculator: https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl
- Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment: https://www.ssa.gov/cola/
- Richard Hammar’s Compensation Survey: https://www.churchlawandtax.com/salary/
- Apportionment Video: http://jctaccounting.com/2019/12/31/apportionments/