Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/84

Contributor - Murray Moerman

Title - Budgeting For Church Growth

Topic - Focusing on Church Growth

In October of each year most church fellowships begin the process of establishing an operating budget for the next year. How much will we spend on heat and light? How much on office supplies? How much on Sunday School? And so on - important questions every one.

Not many people in the congregation get excited about this process. Most years the new budget looks a lot like last year's budget, adjusted for inflation of course. Some will raise their eyebrows as the pastor's salary is discussed, some wondering if we shouldn't be doing more to help keep him humble and poor, yet glad their income is not on the overhead projector for all to see. But, all in all most church budgets are passed over rather quietly.

As your congregation embarks on this annual project this fall - permit me one suggestion: your budget is your statement of faith.

You may say, "No, my statement of faith is the Heidelberg Catechism." Certainly. But, your budget is also a statement of faith; a statement of what you believe in, a statement of what your priorities are, a statement of what you believe to be most important in life. Jesus said that where your treasure is, your heart is (Matthew 6:2 1), and that what you do with your money shows whom you serve (Matthew 6:24).

It is also a statement of faith in that either it stretches you, as an act of faith, or it is safe, and challenges no one. If, when the bottom line budget goal is announced, no one is seriously concerned that the goal is too challenging, then it is not a statement of faith. It is merely a conservative, secure, financial statement. The sons of this world take greater risks and show more faith. There will always be those who are sure that the congregations's budget goal cannot be reached. Pay them no mind; they are as certain to be there as ants at a picnic. A majority of the congregation may say: "I think this is too much for us. It is beyond our reach, we cannot do it. Yet it is not beyond the Lord's reach. Let's ask Him to do what is for us impossible." Then a budget becomes a statement of faith.

What does this have to do with church growth?

Two things:

1 . A church that expects to grow will have a growing budget. if you take your average income in 1984 and base your 1985 budget on projections based on those figures, you aye planning not to grow. A church that plans to grow will plan a budget based upon the giving of the people who are not yet a part of the church, but will be by the time that budget year is over. if you plan to grow by 10%, increase your budget by at least that much plus inflation. if you plan to grow by 25%, increase your budget by at least that much plus inflation. If you plan not to grow, keep your budget the same.

2. The church that expects to grow will have that priority reflected in their budget. To grow numerically you must plan to grow. Those plans require financing. Your budget must show what those plans will cost. To trust God for that extra money takes faith. So, the budget becomes a statement of faith. or, to put it in the vernacular, your budget will call on You to put your money where your mouth is.

If you plan to grow, your budget will reflect that desire in ways such as these:

- include a budget item to send your pastor for church growth training. Send him to the Institute for American Church Growth; 150 S. Los Robles, Pasadena, CA 91 1 0 1, or to Successful Church Leadership; 1214 Lewis Street, Garden Grove, CA 92640; or to something like Wimbey or Wagner; P.O. Box 1359 Placentia, CA 92670 or to something more local.

- Advertising. Set a fixed percentage of your budget for advertising. Dr. Schuller suggests 10%, you might begin with 5%. Don't give up, it takes time. Do it well.

- Set a budget category for special events designed to bring visitors to your church. Set aside money for a special film series (advertise it well), a weekend conference on a practical theme, Vacation Bible School, or series of special youth services with good music groups, or other events.

- Set aside money for lay-training such as a church growth workshop with the entire congregation, or a week-end of training for personal evangelism. You may want to set aside money for Evangelism Explosion training, Project Phillip or Lay Institute for Evangelism. Set specific dates for these lay-training events, finance them and prepare well.

- Your parking lot or nursery or educational space or worship sanctuary may not have room for additional growth and need to be expanded. Studies show that unless your parking lot has 20% empty spaces potential visitors will feel there is not room for them and will pass by. The same is true if there are not 20% empty seats in your sanctuary. If nursery space is inadequate young couples will not want to leave their children there. Do you need to expand to make growth possible? Budget for it!

See your budget preparation time as an opportunity for church growth planning. In fact, if you don't put it into you budget now, the money will not be available when you want to be involved in church growth opportunities later. Go ahead - write your statement of faith!

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.