Six tips to keep your church from getting financially burned by copier costs. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today “Buyer beware” doesn’t just apply to used-car sales. At some point, regardless of size, most churches will find themselves in the market for a copier — and the selection process can be downright complicated and stressful. Whether to lease or purchase? How to … Continue reading Let the buyer (and leaser) beware
Experts emphasize the unique rules and dynamics churches face. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today Jennifer Neal wanted to be successful — as a woman, as a mother, and as a financial controller at a multibillion-dollar company. “I was desperately trying to make my mark and have it all,” she said. What Neal didn’t intend was for Jesus, as she put it, … Continue reading Five tips for professionals joining a church staff
Six tips that will keep a church from breaking the bank on big-ticket fixes.
By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today
Several years ago, members of the Bridge Church in Fresno, California, committed millions of dollars to a special capital campaign to upgrade facilities and expand parking lots.
But the church didn’t make a plan to set aside the future funds needed to keep its facilities running well.
“There had been pretty serious deferred maintenance for a while prior to that date,” recalled Dave Cowin, who serves as chairman of the church’s elder board.
When Cowin joined the elder board of Bridge Church in 2012, he proposed creating a capital reserve fund as part of the church’s annual budgeting process. The board chose to go with Cowin’s proposal. It was a wise decision that safeguarded the church’s resources and saved thousands of dollars for other ministry priorities just a few years later.
Like Bridge Church, many churches spend valuable time, energy, and money getting a building, but then neglect to plan — and budget — for the expenses needed to keep those buildings operating.
“They are more than happy to raise the money to move into a building,” said Tim Cool, chief solutions officer and project facilitator for North Carolina-based-Cool Solutions Group. But after they move in, churches “fail to plan for the fact that everything in their buildings has a natural life of deterioration.”
This article appears on the November 2016 cover of Church Finance Today, a publication of Christianity Today.
E-tithing on the rise as more Christians contribute to the church online. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle When the collection plate is passed at the Figueroa Church of Christ in Los Angeles, it’s not unusual for minister James A. Maxwell to see members tapping on their smartphones. Don’t worry: These tech-savvy brothers and sisters aren’t distracted. Rather, they’re contributing what they’ve purposed in … Continue reading Giving from the heart — with a click or tap
The growing need for cyberliability insurance: How increased online and electronic activity exposes congregations to new risks.
In recent years, major data breaches involving millions of stolen credit card numbers have targeted national retailers such as Target and Home Depot. Experts warn, though, that smaller organizations — including churches — increasingly fall victim to cybercrimes and other online mishaps.
As congregations wade further into the world of technology usage, they handle rising volumes of sensitive personal data about staff, volunteers, and members — from payment information tied to “e-tithing” to Social Security numbers obtained to run background checks.
Churches also stream intellectual property on their websites, use email and social media to interact with both members and nonmembers, and publish or distribute prayer requests electronically that sometimes reveal private, confidential details of people’s lives.
All of this electronic activity potentially exposes congregations to greater liabilities, be it a copyright claim for a song distributed through online streaming or a libel claim after a disgruntled staff member uses a church-owned social media platform to reveal damaging information about someone.
Given these heightened liabilities, insurance carriers have responded by developing special “cyberliability” coverages — beyond prototypical general liability policies — to cover technology-related claims and damages.
This article appears online at ChurchLawandTax.com, a website of Christianity Today.
Continue reading “The growing need for cyberliability insurance”
Ministers and the student debt monster: Christian universities tout efforts to make theological training more affordable for preachers. Second in a series Abilene Christian University says it’s taking steps to crack down on the tens of thousands of dollars in debt accumulated by many ministry students. The Texas university implemented a 50 percent tuition discount for Bible majors two years ago. Now, the ACU Graduate … Continue reading Ministers and the student debt monster
Preacher, lay your debt burden down (reporting from Florence, Ala.): Heritage Christian University sets a goal of graduating every student with no loans to repay. First in a series FLORENCE, Ala. — Lucas Suddreth thought he’d rely on federal student loans to pay for his ministry education. Instead, Heritage Christian University gave him a full-tuition scholarship and helped arrange a part-time youth ministry position. “I’m extremely … Continue reading Preacher, lay your debt burden down
Get a Loan in the ‘New Economy’: Five tips that can help churches secure more favorable lending terms. An emphasis on changing its culture to reach a younger generation has helped the Copper Pointe Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, quadruple in size in recent years. The evangelical church — with ties to the Assemblies of God — has grown to more than 2,500 people at its … Continue reading Five tips that can help churches secure more favorable lending terms
Laying your church’s debt burden down: The benefits — and drawbacks — of debt-reduction campaigns. On a Sunday morning, two days before the September 11 terrorist attacks, Edmond Church of Christ—my home congregation in a growing, affluent suburb north of Oklahoma City—made a long-awaited pilgrimage. A thousand fellow Christians and I marched from our old building, hidden behind trees in a quiet residential neighborhood, to … Continue reading Laying your church’s debt burden down
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 