Podcast Episode #293
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Last week we discussed how to respond when church giving increases. Today, we look at the other side of the coin—decreased giving. Unfortunately, of these too scenarios, this one is far more common.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- You have to know why church giving has decreased before you can respond strategically.
- Pastors, be transparent with the staff when facing financial decline in the church.
- Don’t try to hide bad news when you’re pastoring a church.
- There should be ongoing staff discussions throughout the year about budget spending.
- When budgets get tight, you find out what’s essential and what’s not.
- If you don’t make budget adjustments throughout the year, you’re likely to have a budget battle at the end of the year.
- The #1 budget question to ask: what is best for the church moving forward?
- Church budgets should be vision-driven.
- The vision of the church should drive the budget of the church.
The seven responses to decreased giving that we cover today are:
- Find out why
- Determine if it is ongoing or temporary
- Be transparent
- Find out where unspent budget possibilities lie
- Determine: essential, important, optional
- Make adjustments before year end
- Create an accurate next-year budget
Episode Sponsors
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Feedback
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Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
- BELAY Solutions (affiliate link)
1. Start with a realistic operations budget; e.g., base the budget on 50 weeks instead of 52 if snowfall cancels on-campus activities twice annually.
2. Budget for reserves; i.e., plan to save a percentage of annual revenue, for use as reserves when needed (do not have to spend 100% of annual receipts).
3. Previous SBC giving history: congregations’ weekly per cap rate of giving was $32 ($32 per person per week) by those attending both Bible study and worship on Sundays–but 50 cents (50 cents per person week) by those attending worship only; the solution then and now: move worshippers to Bible study participation also.
4. Consistently practice the six tasks assigned to Sunday School (or equivalent title); the same church-growing tasks are not assigned to any other ministry/program of the congregation, and so the church will not sustain the rate of its numerical–or financial–growth if the Sunday School does not accomplish its tasks. LifeWay can help.
5. Nothing seems to take as long to die as a local church; a study of SBC annual church profile reports shows that congregations decreasing in numerical growth can increase in financial growth, at least for a time–but it is not advised.