Budgets and Cuts

It’s time to prepare your 2025 budget. Unlike most years, we’re in a unique phase in the economic cycle. Interest rates are beginning to fall, financial markets have been volatile, and it’s a presidential [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 helps [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget ... which meant laying off [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget ... which meant laying off [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget ... which meant laying off [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget ... which meant laying off [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget ... which meant laying [...]

With anguish in his voice, Bill said, “It’s budget time again at our church. I get so tired of working through these numbers. The pile of papers seems endless. How do I get off of [...]

Due to the failing economy and a decline in attendance numbers, The Chapel in Akron, Ohio needed to make budget cuts. They had to trim $760,000 from their staff budget … which meant laying [...]

One of the hardest experiences I have ever had as an executive pastor is coming to the reality that our church will have to lay off a staff member. The burden hurts beyond words. [...]