This is starting a series on the Art of Being Cheap. Hopefully you’ll learn a little about thinking like a cheap accountant in order to save money on things that are unnecessary. We’ll start with looking at church credit cards.
If I had three pieces of advise I could give to a Finance Committee heading into the budget season, this would be that advice. You’ll end up with a better budget that the church should be more willing to live by.
While there are times when a church may need a lawyer, all the time a church needs some diligent trustees who are watching out for the church. There’s a couple of things Trustees should watch for from a legal stand point.
How can you determine if you are paying church staff, including the pastor, a fair amount? What do you do if you find that you are underpaying or overpaying an employee?
Part of what always resonated with me about John Wesley was how methodical he was. His routines and rhythms and patterns shaped him into the person that would forever change the world. As his life inspired me, I hope my sharing of my life will help you in your own journey.
It’s hard to imagine that a bequest could ever become a curse instead of a blessing. It happens…often. Poorly managed bequests, memorials, and endowments can lead to infighting and backbiting. If your church is struggling with this, here’s some ideas on turning it back into a blessing.
The two people that worry the most about giving…probably the pastor and the treasurer. The pastor is hoping that the paycheck clears and the treasurer is hoping to be able to pay all the bills. Instead of worrying about giving, what if the Finance Committee focused on growing generous givers. There’s some simple things you can do that will make a big difference.