Top 10 Financial Mistakes Churches Make
1. No Vision
The Bible states in Proverbs 29:18 that “Where there is no vision, the people perish …” This is absolute truth. Churches that lack clear direction and vision are poorly funded because attenders have no clarity on how their sacrificial giving dollars will be used to accomplish the vision and build the Kingdom. Dr. John C. Maxwell has shared this incredible wisdom regarding this subject – “Where there is no vision, the people perish. And where there are no financial resources, the vision perishes.
2. No Margin
Churches that operate on the basis of “the miracle of the weekly offering” cannot prosper. The leadership must constantly have conversations focused on who is and who is not being paid and determining which projects can no longer be funded. Additionally, churches that operate with zero savings are highly susceptible to “God only knows” expenses. A church that operates with no margin can be completely derailed simply because the air conditional unit fails. Churches with a minimum of six week’s offerings in the bank will simply fix or replace the unit, and ministry efforts are unaffected
3. Too Many Designated Giving Options
When churches offer the opportunity to contribute to fifteen different designated “buckets”, it can lead to confusion for members and frustration for the leaders. A church could have thousands of dollars available in one fund while another important ministry objective barely survives – and it all happens because of stringent guidelines. Remember this one fact – “In the presence of many options, the consumer will usually choose none.”
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Joseph Sangl is the founder of I Was Broke. Now I’m Not., an organization that is passionate about “helping others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible.”
More from Joseph Sangl or visit Joseph at www.josephsangl.com
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