Main > Lesson 5 — Congregational economics The Whys and Hows of Money Leadership
A curriculum for pastors/leaders just getting started
by Mark Vincent, Lead Partner, Design for Ministry
  1. Evaluative Questions
  2. Background — Congregational economics
  3. Part 1:  Study/Reflect — Your congregation's narrative spending plan
  4. Part 2:  Your congregation's volunteer allotment
Background:
Much of the material covered in what remains of this curriculum was first developed under the auspices of The Giving Project, a five-year emphasis developed to discern Christian beliefs about money, then to build a model for how those beliefs can be embedded in a congregational system.

The model was developed around initiatives targeted to seven settings of congregational life.1 These settings work together to contribute to whatever beliefs and practices about money a congregation passes along. In money matters, congregations aren't usually attentive to whether they are congruent with Christian theology or not — they usually just act on conventional wisdom. The result is that whatever the congregation practices in these settings is the perspective that gets passed on. Three of those settings are of particular importance to this lesson:

  1. Spiritual leadership (usually preaching) on the subject of money.

  2. How the offering is conducted in the worship service.

  3. Congregational financial management.
These are the most public, the most consistent, and the most verbal actions of stewardship cultivation.2 Here, more than any other place, people will hear about a God who owns it all or they will be taught the need to control. Here they will find God's abundant universe, or will be taught to believe in scarcity. Here they will be given opportunity to bless God as an act of worship, or they will be taught they are a mere giving unit that helps to meet a budget. Whatever the congregation believes gets taught here.

With these connections to stewardship cultivation in mind, we can now take a step further in congregational financial management. In the previous lesson, we looked at good management tools for households and congregations. While it is important to have good cash flow and good financial statements, the critical factor is that congregations be exemplary in financial management — and to do so as a spiritual discipline. There is an additional reason for congregations to manage money well, however: it helps them actually do what they say they want to do.

Many congregations develop a mission statement. Perhaps they call it a vision statement, or even a statement of purpose. Doing so helps the congregation get in touch with what is most important to it in honoring God's call.

It helps the congregation determine how it will proceed with specific activities in doing God's will.

Continued

1 These settings are fully described with accompanying resources in Teaching a Christian view of money: celebrating God's generosity, by Mark L. Vincent, Herald Press, 1997.
2 The full list of seven settings are as follows: 1) Preaching and Teaching about money, 2) Dedication of offerings, 3) How the congregation does mercy ministry, 4) Connections between giver and receiver, 5) Firstfruits living, 6) Leadership transfer, and 7) Congregational Financial Management.