A few months ago, I sat down for coffee with a young executive pastor. He was technologically savvy, ambitious and full of positivity as his church had seen triple-digit growth in the last few years.
As soon as the topic of church software came up, his countenance changed.
Read More >
Depending on your role at the church, you’ll hear the word “audit” and come to one of two conclusions:
If you’re the finance manager, you understand the need for the substantiation of the integrity of the data — even though an audit can add to your already busy workload.
If you’re the pastor, it comes down to one word: “Why?” The financials are written in what appears to be a foreign language, and they don’t seem to help as you try to make good, mission-critical decisions, anyway.
Read More >
The statistics on Americans and retirement planning are staggering. More than half of us do not know how much we will need to live a comfortable retirement, and 60 percent have saved less than $25,000. For clergy, the economics of retirement can be even more challenging.
Read More >
For most of my professional career, I have been anti-performance and payment bond-oriented. To me, they seem like such a waste of money. In short, they’re just an insurance policy (although the Surety industry would say they are not “insurance” but rather a “guarantee” — semantics!) in the unlikely event the general contractor on a job is unable to complete the project (usually due to a bankruptcy or other major catastrophe related to the contractor). In theory, that sounds great. It almost feels like the proverbial “Get Out Of Jail” card. But is it really?
Read More >
Frankly, many churches have some form of online giving software already in place. So, the point isn’t just about having online giving or donation tools — it’s about maximizing all the benefits online giving can provide.
Read More >The Bible has a clear definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 — “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Simply put, the biblical definition of faith is “trusting in something you cannot explicitly prove.” As church leaders, we walk every day in faith. So, how do we marry faith and facts? The church has been put in our care, and we must be good stewards of what God has given us. So how do we care for the church?
Read More >
If you haven’t intentionally committed as much time in making it one of the most efficient and effective operational systems as you have developing your network and IT infrastructure, you have missed an incredible opportunity to impact the financial status of your church. Also, remember that your facilities will have one of (if not the longest) life cycle of any other component of your operational systems.
Read More >
In this insightful new eBook, Mark Kitts — a founding pastor prior to joining the software world — talks about how ChMS-enabled financial functions can truly support a church. He also details some of the most underused ChMS financial functions.
Read More >
In some ways, churches must run like businesses. However, houses of worship have specific needs that secular accounting software just can’t accommodate. In this insightful new eBook, ChMS expert Michael Jordan talks about those unique needs — and how the right ChMS meets them. Download this eBook now! And, keep an eye on your inbox for additional chapters, from giving / donation tools to first-time visitor engagement.
Read More >
In a valuable new eBook, “Finances & Administration for Church Leaders” Rev. Dr. Sara Day, CFP®, examines the value of a pastoral relations committee — among the most effective methods for strengthening the lines of communication between the pastor and the congregation.
Read More >