Weekly Word

Let The Giving Flow

“The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen…”    (Isaiah 43-20)

Donations can significantly decrease in the summer months due to vacation season, low attendance, and less Church activities. However, the operating expenses (rent, mortgage, insurance, maintenance, salary, etc.) remain constant! Pastors and Church leaders should consider doing the following to help meet their financial obligations:

Ø Encourage your members to sow electronically (on-line, EFT, text, website, etc.). Church leaders must establish various methods for people to donate, particularly electronically. Electronic giving is on the rise. Every Church, large or small, should evaluate their website and their communication to encourage donating electronically. Today people are more likely to give electronically than writing a check. This must be a priority issues to allow giving to flow. While members are on vacation, they can still sow their seed electronically. We highly suggest arranging members to authorize Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) to be made on a monthly basis. Although there are various methods to sow your tithe and offerings electronically, as mentioned earlier, the systematic and consistent method will help your Church’s finances the best. EFT will allow your Church to expect a set amount of funds on a particular date(s) per month. With receiving such set amount, your finance team can plan better to manage cash flow. EFT is a must for all Churches.

Ø Let your finance needs be known. “Yet you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). We need to let our financial needs be known to your constituents and members so they can help. Expressing your financial need will indicate to some people that you have identified your financial needs by knowing the amount needed along with the purpose. Good fiscal management requires good accountability. It is very challenging when people ask for help but not clear on their needs! Let your needs be known in order for people to respond accordingly.

Ø Pray for your donors and that their needs are met. Remember it is God that provides and ultimately meets all of our needs. Therefore, praying for donor’s health, career, finances, family matters, etc., shows that you care and how important they are to the Church. You should always pray for everyone and everything that is connected to your success. Donors are important to the success of your Church. Let them know you are praying for them.

Ø Defer financial spending and activities that are not financially self-sustaining until the fall. To help your cash flow during the summer months, evaluate your anticipated spending. Identify spending and activities that can be deferred until later in the year when cash flow improves. Pay particular attention to repairs that can be deferred, insurance bill that can be paid quarterly instead of one lump payment, freeze on hiring, and youth activities that are affordable.

Ø Reserve funds in winter season to plan for summer season. “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer” (Proverb 30:25). Ants are wise to prepare in season when there is harvest, but reserve the supplies until it is needed. This is how Church leaders should prepare for summer giving droughts. Reserve funds that you received in season when people sowing are large, which are in the months for December to May. The trend in giving typically goes down every year during summer months. Why not prepare for during the winter months? Adjust your budget for 2018 to anticipate the drought and plan accordingly.

Note: Infinity Financial Ministries, Inc. (IfmLord.org) is a tax exempt nonprofit organization. IFM provides workshops, seminars, counseling, etc. to Pastors and Church leaders. Abraham Alston Jr. CPA is also the principle owner of Alston & Company CPAs accounting firms (acocpa.com) that specialize in serving churches and nonprofit organizations. Providing accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, clergy tax preparation, audits, consultant services etc. Contact the firm today for more information.

Your donations IFM will be appreciated and blessing to help the ministry continue to provide workshops, consulting, and training to the body of Christ. Donation of any amount is greatly appreciated.