Cutting Budgets
Yikes! Whether you blame it on the economy, apathy or poor communication, contributions are down. Something has to be cut from the church budget. What should you cut? Staff? Salaries? Programs? Technology?
Budgeting Effectively During Economic Uncertainty
The unknowns of the economic uncertainty we face—including a possible recession and higher interest rates—can create challenges as well as potential opportunities for church leaders as they work to develop an effective budget. Join [...]
Budgeting in Uncertain Economic Times
Churches, like all organizations, are being impacted by inflation and economic uncertainty. What will the effect be on your ministry’s revenues, expenses, and future opportunities? How can you budget effectively amid this uncertainty and [...]
Eight Tips for Addressing Inflation Creep
How does a church make a mid-course adjustment to the vision, facility drawings, funding and timeline of a project when costs have increased significantly? Believe it or not, this is a very real scenario that [...]
How to Budget Effectively in Changing Times
The current pandemic and economic circumstances create uncertainty regarding future revenues, expenses, opportunities, and challenges. This brings shifting priorities, strategies and tactics. Let’s see how to tie budgets to strategy, even in uncertain times. [...]
6 Key Considerations for Budgeting in Changing Times
There is still considerable uncertainty about the global COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term effects. What will the effect be on your ministry’s future revenues, expenses, and opportunities? How can you best manage continually shifting [...]
Staff Budgets Are Cut
Hey Fletch … I’m been on staff at our megachurch for many years. Every year, I have to worry about the budget for my area being cut in the middle of the year, sometimes twice [...]
What to Do with an 85% Decline in Church Attendance?
Friday, July 13, 2018 Hey Dr. Fletch … Hi! My church of 2,000 members has dwindled from over 2,000 members to barely 300. What should I do? DRF—Thanks for your note. There must be lots [...]
Limited Funds
Monday, July 2, 2018 Hey David … You told me that doing this church plant was going to be a challenge. And you were so right. Our funds are so limited. I can barely afford [...]
Percentages of Budget by Ministry Area
Monday, June 11, 2018 Hey Doc … You answered my question regarding the average percentage of General Fund that is allocated towards Creative Arts. Are there rough percentages of General Fund expenses for Youth, [...]
Is Deficit Budgeting an Act of Faith?
Saturday, April 14, 2018 Hey Fletch … Our church is barely keeping the payroll and bills paid and we enter the budget process in June. Our elders keep casting a vision that requires 10% [...]
Percentage of Overall Budget for Worship
Saturday, April 7, 2018 Hey Fletch … I doubt you remember me but I was part of a group in 2011. I am currently an XP of Operations. I serve under two Co-Lead Pastors...two [...]
Purposeful Budgeting Infographic
Virtually every church sets a budget. Is your budget aligned with your purpose and vision? Who can help you best define and set your budget? Kirk Morgan created this infographic using his class notes from [...]
How to Grow Ministry with Less Money
Recently I had the privilege of having David Fletcher talk with us on a NavXP webinar, “How to Grow Ministry with Less Money." He shared his wisdom, struggles, and stories of how vision clarity has been the guiding [...]
Budget Process Analysis
For a homework assignment in the XPastor Online Course, Operations 103—Finance, I chose to compare the budget process of First Assembly in Winston-Salem, Lakeside Church in Greensboro, Georgia, Berean Bible Church in Greene, New York [...]
How They Do It: 5 Churches Explain Their Budget Years
Most churches use the traditional calendar year---January 1 to December 31---for their budget years. But not all churches do. Some use a fiscal year---often July 1 to June 30---and those that do say it [...]
Budget Vision
People get nervous when preachers talk about money. These thoughts aren’t about giving, but about the stewardship of how a church uses what is given. A church budget is a vision document. It tells the story, [...]
Is Your Church Reaching Its Budget?
Would it surprise you to learn that, of the churches recently surveyed by Giving Rocket, only fourteen percent were meeting or exceeding budget? Knowing that churches rely entirely on donations to survive, not meeting the [...]
Doing More Ministry with Less—While Still Keeping Boundaries
Recently, Matt Branaugh of Christianity Today interviewed David Fletcher, asking a variety of questions for Executive Pastors, including his thoughts on compensation increases, health care coverage, giving trends, staff ratios, and the importance of [...]
Strategic Stewardship—So the Bucks Won’t Stop Here
It has been said that there are three kinds of leaders—the kind that makes things happen, the kind that watches things happen, and the kind that asks, “What just happened?” The shifting economy demands [...]
How to Budget in a Changing Economy
For years, budget planning followed the same pattern for many ministries: Review last year’s budget, gather all wish lists, and increase the budget accordingly. Then we were hit with the worst recession in decades, and [...]
Drain the Swamp: Your Finances in the Summer Slump
Let me give you four steps to prepare for the summer drain in finances. For many churches, perhaps even yours, there is a lull in giving during the summer. The drill runs something like this. [...]
Zero-Zero Based Budgets
I think David worked WAY too long, looking at WAY too many line items on WAY too many departmental budgets. Don't understand what I mean? Just read on, and be aware that his tongue was [...]
The Church and the Economic Crisis
As the French say, "the more things change, the more they stay the same." This article was written about a past economic crisis, but the principles are stay the same---Fletch The economy is on [...]
An Economic Impact on American Churches
Having been invited by David Fletcher to participate in a panel on the topic of the current economy’s impact on churches, I decided to pull together some up-to-date information from Executive Pastors around the country. [...]