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.