Changeup! How a 96-year-old church made a tough call in the “bottom of the ninth” of their $15-million building project — and emerged beautifully By RaeAnn Slaybaugh Fourteen years ago, Lead Pastor Shane Warren arrived at The Assembly, a 96-year-old church in West Monroe, La. Like many long-established congregations, the church was facing a season […]
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As a church leader, investing in a church bus probably isn’t something you do every day. Moreover, bus maintenance and operation procedures might not be the most familiar territory, either. That is why we enlisted a group of leading church transportation experts — from insurers, to dealers, to bus manufacturers — to help you select […]
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On Dec. 20, 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) which represents the most substantial overhaul of the tax code since the 1990s. The Act brings significant changes to individual and corporate income tax filers. How will the Act affect tax exempt organizations — and specifically, religious organizations? Churches and […]
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By Colin E. Nass, CFP®, AEP®, RICP® & James R. Cook, CFP® Retirement savings plans, such as the 403(b) plan, offer benefits to both employees and employers First, let’s look at how employees can make the most of a 403(b) plan. For many, saving for retirement is one of the largest goals we will need […]
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By RaeAnn Slaybaugh Sixteen years ago, when Collin Lucas joined the staff at Cornerstone Fellowship of Livermore, he worked in IT. However, he also brought with him extensive experience in the business management consulting realm. Now, as Cornerstone’s CFO, his secular business background has proven instrumental in helping build — and fund intelligently — the […]
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By Rev. Dr. Patricia L. Hunter, CFP® Making the decision to meet with a financial planner or advisor can help you focus on putting your own financial house in order and is an important step towards achieving financial wellness. A financial planner can work with you to help determine your long and short term goals […]
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By Rev. Dr. Perry Hopper & Rev. Dr. Sara Day The annual budget planning process can bring feelings of unease and concern for pastors and church leaders. The reality is that it costs money to do ministry effectively, and a carefully thought-out budget demonstrates a commitment to the missional goals of the church. We know […]
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By RaeAnn Slaybaugh In its early life, Sagebrush was a church on the move — for eight years, to be exact. “It’s a funny thing; sometimes in the church world, people want you to have a building to legitimize you,” says Administrative Pastor Bob Church. “And yeah, portability is kind of fun, because it’s pioneering. […]
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Due to the nature of their work, churches are held to a high standard of accountability by internal and external stakeholders. Without a financial solution designed to comply with non-profit accounting standards, it can be challenging to demonstrate transparency and fiscal responsibility to constituents. While commercial accounting software can be configured to meet basic financial […]
Read More >By Matthew Swain, RS For many years, a congregation in the central valley of California, the breadbasket of America, thrived by serving a cross-section of the American population — from migrant workers to white-collar business professionals and everyone in between. This particular parish was built back in the 1960s, outgrew existing spaces, and added buildings […]
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