Your church management software is a treasure trove of actionable information … but only if you know how to mobilize it. What are the most important, yet often overlooked, ChMS data points? Gordon Proud: First, member management — who’s attending your church, how often and what classes or ministries they’re involved in. In addition, it’s […]
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By RaeAnn Slaybaugh By anyone’s standards, Tom Lunak, CFO of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, has extensive experience in the banking industry. In his career, he has held senior-level titles at, and done consulting work for, several banking institutions. So, it was a pleasant surprise when, a few years ago, he was asked to […]
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Red flags and best practices to better protect your religious organization They’re on the news on a regular basis: stories of church theft, fraud and embezzlement. Sometimes the culprit is the church accountant who intentionally misrepresents church spending. Sometimes it’s the church food pantry director, who purchases food for the church — and $30,000 in […]
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By Kristine Miller You might have already sensed the dramatic shift in the philanthropic landscape. The way in which donors are giving, the number of donors contributing, and the number of organizations donors are supporting are all in rapid flux. Changes to the tax code have given rise to donor-advised funds and other tools that […]
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By Patricia L. Hunter, CFP® What is the “sandwich generation”? This term refers to middle-aged individuals who are simultaneously caring for and supporting their children, as well as their aging parents. They have been given that label because these individuals are effectively “sandwiched” between the obligation to care for their aging parents — who might […]
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Whether you’re an established megachurch with multiple campuses or you’re a small local church in a tight-knit community, it’s equally important to provide a benefits program for full-time staff. But with rates going up by 10 to 20 percent every year, it can be a challenge for smaller churches to keep up. The result? Understaffed […]
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By Meaghan Kelly It’s no secret that church budgets can be tight. To do the most good with this money, church administrators and facility managers should develop a healthy, long-term financial plan before spending any funds. Here are five financial goals to strive for when creating and managing a church facilities budget. #1: Be realistic […]
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By Sharon C. Lincoln In the context of paying one’s taxes, the New Testament counsels the faithful in Matthew 22:21 to “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When it comes to taxation in the United States — for nearly all of this country’s history — […]
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APRIL 22, 2019 (Tulsa, Okla.) — Based in Tulsa, but operating nationwide, Master’s Plan Church Design and Construction is a new company founded and led by experienced leader in church design and construction Rodney James. Having grown up building buildings with his father — and serving for 20 years in ministry — James says he […]
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By Rich Poirier The church planting movement is growing across the country — but establishing a new religious organization and actually growing it into a thriving congregation are two different battles. There are a variety of legitimate reasons to consider planting a church. Respondents to a 2016 study by Barna Group and Cornerstone Knowledge Network […]
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