PREPARE FINANCIALLY FOR THE FUTURE #4

            During the last few weeks, I’ve written about basing your Ministry Spending Plan (a/k/a your budget) on the vision of your church; about making a plan of sustaining ministry, based on ministry today and tomorrow; and about high-capacity donors.

            Our conversation about preparing financially for the future continues. Some of you have experienced financial mistakes in your churches, and some of you will. Mistakes don’t mean lack of financial health. No matter how healthy your church is, I think it’s vital that you spend time doing a financial analysis. This is different from the annual church audit (which is mandatory). A financial analysis will look at ratios, at generosity, at leadership, at use of assets (personal, financial, fixed, etc.) and at financial practices.

            While financial analysis work is important, it, of course, seems to focus on the past. And it does help you determine what has worked and what has not worked in the past. But it can also help you better focus on the future. We have to learn from the past, but not be bogged down in it. We have to stop focusing on what happened “back then” so much that we lose sight of what’s coming down the road.

            Don’t become so attached to the past that you can’t see the future.

            Learn from the past but stay future-focused. There are going to be rough waters ahead, some financially. Consider these questions to keep you focused on what’s important:

·         Where is God leading you?

·         What are you being asked to do?

·         What is your church called to be?

Stay focused on the future; and learn from the past. Each is important to the other.

 

Please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or susanranous@unyumc.org if you’d like to talk about doing a financial analysis of your church, please let me know and I’d be happy to discuss the various components of a financial analysis.

 

 

                         PREPARE FINANCIALLY FOR THE FUTURE #3

            During the last two weeks, I’ve written about basing your Ministry Spending Plan (a/k/a your budget) on the vision of your church, and about making a plan of sustaining ministry, based on ministry today and tomorrow.

            This week I want to take that a step further, and discuss high-capacity donors. I know, often when I speak of stewardship, I speak about ALL the nuances of stewardship, not just on money. But, of course, generosity and giving is a spiritual discipline. Is it part of your intentional discipleship plan? I hope so, because disciples can’t be maturing disciples if they are not giving back to God.

            When I talk about high-capacity donors, I am not necessarily talking about the people giving the biggest checks. I’m talking about financial leaders, leaders in ministry, high capacity.

            But the check isn’t the point, and it shouldn’t be the end result. We need to identify, engage and disciple them. What if you cultivated the desire of folks to give and give generously by being intentional about building a financial leader ministry?

            It is about building authentic relationships with those donors. Don’t be surprised if when you’ve formed those relationships, you find that giving to the church isn’t at the top of their list. And that’s all on us!

            Work on those discipleship plans and on nurturing maturing disciples!

 

Please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or susanranous@unyumc.org if you’d like to discuss linking stewardship and discipleship.

 

                        PREPARE FINANCIALLY FOR THE FUTURE #2

            Last week I wrote about basing your Ministry Spending Plan (a/k/a your budget) on the vision of your church.

            This week I want to talk about the differences in doing things the “same old way” by looking backward instead of forward.  What if we made a plan? What if the plan was all around sustaining ministry? What if the plan of sustaining ministry was based on minsitry today AND tomorrow?

            Too often our ministry and our plans are pretty short-sighted. It seems too easy to allow money to cloud our eyesight, and we focus on how much, or how little we have. Of course, there are sometimes financial challenges in church, just as there are in “life”, so instead of worrying about them coming, focusing on them when they do come, what if we prepared for them?

            Instead of a knee-jerk reaction to anything:

·         We don’t have enough money, so let’s cut staffing!

·         What if something happens later in the year, let’s hold back on paying ministry shares for a while!

·         Every group and team needs to spend less, let’s slash expenses!

What if we create Ministry Spending Plans that include setting aside some unallocated funds, over time, so there is a reserve. The amount to set aside would be based on what it would take to support your church for six months or so.

If the church already has debt, deal with that first, so you are fee from debt service and able to devote more toward ministry

Don’t react! Plan for the future!

 

Please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or susanranous@unyumc.org if you’d like to discuss planning for your church’s financial future.