Money, Meetings and the Year

Let them see everything

Full access to all financials in the church.

The annual budget

Affirm budget annually. The Directional Leadership Team will work with staff and team leads to build an annual budget outside of personnel. We will also work with our accountant to make sure our annual budget stays within the margins of potential projections.

Decide ahead of time:

• Who builds the budget, and who affirms or approves it.
• What "affirm" means in your church. Is it a vote?
• What the group sees at each meeting: income, spending against budget, cash on hand, debt.
• What happens when giving falls short partway through the year.

The pastor's pay

Set the Lead Pastor's salary. The primary responsibility is to make sure the family is well provided for and that they are able to sustain in the context in which they are reaching and not feel the burden of finances.

• The pastor leaves the room when pay is discussed and decided.
• Anyone related to the pastor, or paid by the church, does not take part in that decision.
• Write down what you decided and how you got there.
• Clergy pay has its own tax rules. Ask a qualified accountant or your denomination. This kit does not cover them.

Financial controls

A new board member should be able to get a plain answer to each of these:

• Who counts the offering? Is it always more than one person?
• Who can sign checks or move money? Is that a different person from the one who keeps the books?
• Who looks at the bank statements each month?
• Does anyone outside the church review the books, and how often?
• Who can take on debt in the church's name?

If you cannot answer one of them, that is your next agenda item.

Groups I would point you to: CapinCrouse for financial controls and audits, and the church lenders The Solomon Foundation, CFR and CDF. Talk with them directly about what they offer.

Keep minutes

For every decision, write four lines:

1. Motion. What was proposed, and by whom.
2. Discussion. A sentence or two.
3. Second. Who seconded.
4. Vote. The result.

Also record the date, who was present and who was absent. Ask your lawyer or denomination what your bylaws and your state require you to keep, and for how long.

A regular meeting agenda

1. Pray.
2. The pastor's update: soul, family, church.
3. Questions for the pastor (Resource 4).
4. Money: the report, and anything needing a decision.
5. One matter of doctrine, health or direction.
6. Decisions, recorded as above.
7. Pray for the pastor's family, the church and the city.

The year at a glance

Meet once a quarter on Zoom. Meet once a year in person.

Whatever your rhythm, put these on the calendar once a year so none of them is skipped:

• Affirm or approve the budget.
• Review the pastor's pay.
• Review the pastor's health and rest.
• Review who is rotating off and who you are considering.
• Ask the succession question: if the pastor could not lead tomorrow, who does what?
• Read the charter and your bylaws out loud and fix what no longer matches.

Thank them

Thank you for serving our congregation and supporting our leadership.