Читать книгу Removing the Mysteries about Church Finance - Jerry L. Johnson - Страница 9

Point One - The point of the above comparison matrix shows this. It does not seem to matter whether the enterprise is managed by someone with training and education in the same discipline as the primary focus of the enterprise (i.e. attorney: law firm), or not (i.e. CPA: roofing company). The skills for managing an enterprise are not automatically conferred on the leader. The leader of the enterprise may have the technical knowledge required of the enterprise but be less skilled otherwise. Skills of a cobbler are not automatically conferred simply because someone buys a shoe lathe or stitchery.

Churches tend to view themselves as distinctly different from non-church enterprises, but there are more similarities in your operations than there are dissimilarities. The only difference is the product. The reason churches are often considered to have unique management needs comes from a lack of understanding what those management needs are (you don't know what you don't know).

Point Two - There are tasks required to be performed, regardless of the enterprise type or industry, and a great many of these tasks are the same type. An enterprise will experience difficulties when they believe their enterprise is unique and does not need the same business skills as other businesses. A task that is shown to be “required” may be ignored, but the task elements are still there, which could be part of the reason they got in trouble. The method of using these skills, can be quite varied, such as "Facilities Management."

Looking across the above matrix, you can see that the church needed the same type functions as the for-profits. The only obvious difference was the requirement for a board of directors. The church will have a board of elders, trustees, deacons, or another membership-based body to oversee the functions of the enterprise. This is not required for a privately-owned enterprise although it is recommended. For public companies, it is required; voluminous laws, regulations, and procedural guidance are enacted for the control of public companies. Law firms have a partner’s committee. They also engage in analysis of their competitors, which for churches might simply be a better understanding of what interferes with people attending church.

Basic Premise

Discussion throughout scripture about financial matters occurs more frequently than mention of mercy, love, healing, or prayer. It could be God knew that His Children would need much more directive on this subject than most any other. He wants us to use money but also knew that our weaknesses could cause us to place undue value on money. To start with, we will work from the basic premise that money is important. I think it is. When I spoke with the power company about the church’s overdue power bill, they would not barter. Their response was “No thanks, we don’t take milk, butter and eggs for payment. We want money, or we’ll have to turn your lights off.” So, there you have it.

Before going further let’s put it in perspective.

1 Timothy 6:10 states, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Creating wealth simply for the sake of having more is not sanctioned anywhere in scripture and there is ample caution against that. Proverbs 23:4-5 states: "Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” This scripture does not differentiate among any people, so let’s accept that it applies to us all.

Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

The blind pursuit of money can lead to serious consequences between a person and their faith (and, as we shall see, also the law). In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

This book encourages the love of God and wise use of money. It is the wise use and handling of money that will be the primary focus.

Jesus applauded and blessed the widow for her two pennies that she gave (Mark 12:41-44). He was equally passionate through his parable about the coin that was hidden under a rock and did not appreciate (Matthew 25:26). From this, I get the meaning that while we are expected to be generous in giving, there is an equal injunction to be wise. In Section 2 you will see where a church seemed to have unintentionally missed both the generous part and the wise part.

Using Multiplication

Jesus instructed using parables, to provide universal truth. However, those hearing the parables might not have understood at the time the reason for using parables. In Mark 4:11 “And he said unto them, ‘Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.'” He was not merely speaking to his immediate audience but reaching through the ages to teach us today.

Through another parable (Matthew 25:20-21) Jesus praised the faithful servant who multiplied his talents: “...Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ‘His Lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord’.” Multiplication! This and other examples reveal that Jesus supported multiplication, that he applauded the increase.

Throughout this financial management book, you will get more detail and be challenged to set aside preconceived notions of “how things have always been done” and look at church finances in a different way. There is one financial principle central to this book: live within your means.

When a church gets in serious financial debt, it is the culmination of wishes, wants and wrong thinking. This book will show you:

What was the goal that originally lured you into this debt?

How to get out of the debt pit,

How to stay out,

Why you do not want to go back.

Understanding that unmanaged debt is a prison, which can make the debtor a prisoner. No one is exempted from the consequences of unmanaged debt. The interest you pay on a debt is a penalty, the interest you earn and are paid is a reward. Rewards are always better than penalties.

When you believe that what your church is doing is not working, push for change, for examination. It may be that your church is working on the wrong things or the wrong priorities. When you realize your church has dug itself into a hole, stop digging.

Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Egos are bruised but need not be life threatening. When a church continues to plunge into debt, even after you understand more debt is not the answer, it is time to stop being pridefully stubborn. Improvement requires action and change. It is time to examine why your church was in so much debt, examine attitudes about debt.

Entrepreneurship and the Church

While the term “entrepreneurship” is not found in the Bible, there are plenty of references to such activities, along with the scriptural guidance to support it. Some of these will be addressed in various sections of this book. First, let’s think about who an entrepreneur is: a person who creates an enterprise by organizing activities, assuming risk, and creating benefits in excess of cost. The unnamed woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 is a model of organization, balancing faith, family and action. The Church does this, with various outcomes, as we will see.

Apostle Paul Was an Entrepreneur

When the Apostle Paul embarked on each of the three missionary journeys, he did so at great cost, enormous risk and peril to his own life. But his mission was clear to him: establish congregations, build churches, encourage and teach, and continue to inspire through letters, promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even after he moved on. This means the Church is not only an entrepreneur but also an enterprise. Its foundation is based on faith, as Paul’s was.

Cast thy bread

Preparation and generosity -

In Ecclesiastes 11, we are told: "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good."7

Simply put, prepare:

Be generous without an expectant reward.

Have a backup plan, if one fails maybe the other will succeed.

Prepare for more than one outcome.

Work with the conditions that you presently have, no wishing.

Don’t wait for perfect conditions; they may never come.

Don’t get paralysis through analysis, work.

You can’t know everything that awaits; there will be a surprise.

Perhaps all pursuits shall prosper. Prepare for success, but

most of all, trust God.

We are given God’s injunction to be active, both church and as an individual. Be enterprising, in the morning and in the evening (all the time). Not knowing what the weather will be tomorrow cannot be justification for doing nothing today.

I will show there are levels of devoutness that define a church’s preparation and readiness for a long life. Churches on the lowest level are struggling to maintain life. Rather than plan, they react like touching a hot stove, have forgotten the joys of youth, even as a young church. Churches on the high end of performance are strong, vibrant, a presence in the community, the congregation growing in faith, full of joy. The question is how does a church get to that level? The leadership of a church should know where their church stands and why. This is not simply referencing church size; congregations will follow devout leaders.

5The Crystal Cathedral Ministry, Garden Grove, California, founded in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller, filed for bankruptcy in 2010. The 2248 seat structure was sold in 2013. It was unable to overcome the debt burden of $55 million. Jesus paid our sin debt, but all other debt is paid by the people, the congregations, the leaders. Jesus paid our debt; he did not go into debt. One wonders about the plan that included a debt burden of $55 million, how it was formed, how it was justified.

Consider what God spoke in Exodus 14:14 “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” The Lord will fight for you, while you are moving in faith.

6As students of statistics know, the bell curve applies to virtually all groups, and that would include churches. A small percent will be in the lower three statistics; about sixty-eight percent in the middle, and a percent in the high performing end, equivalent to the percent of the lower performing three standard deviations, plus or minus. However, a church member, leader or pastor does not need statistics to understand if their church is not doing well.

Basic Assumptions

But sensing the church is not doing well is not enough. It has gradually morphed away from the shinning fresh church it once was, almost without specific notice. It is no longer vibrant, overflowing with praise for Jesus Christ, now moving by rote. Without being consciously aware, they assume this is the way it’s always been. This condition is not discussed (in church) because it is not recognized as something that should be confronted or changed.

Church members have a natural tendency to accept things as they are. They choose to say nothing that might be perceived as provocative or criticizing the leadership of the church. That is easier and safer. Some churches are fortunate to have in their congregation a contrarian. This will be the person who will bring up things most others are reluctant or silently constrained to bring up. There are times when this person will be irritating to your own views. This person will cause other church members to recoil at the idea that anything is amiss with their church. Bless the contrarian. We should be tempted to reread Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. We also should not forget how provocative Jesus was.

What, you may ask, does being a contrarian have to do with church finances, the main theme for this book. Glad you asked. Low performing churches, those that are failing or sliding in that direction have achieved complacency.

Contrarians may ask questions that others (1) Have not thought of. (2) Have thought of the questions but had their own reasons to remain silent. (3) Afraid (there's that word) it will affect their friendship of others who are silent. (4) Assume that if it has not be brought up already, it must be of little importance. Well, now!

Why not acknowledge there can be contrarian thoughts or questions that are not heretical or blasphemous or antibiblical, but simply seeing a bird in flight, disagree with , others as to how high it is flying, or how fast. Many years ago, I sat close to such a man in church who had contrarian views about some things, that were often ridiculed, or at best ignored. He was considered a nuisance by many, wasting time in meetings. As it turns out, many of his insights were very helpful but sad to say I think he passed on without the congregation acknowledging his worth. He was not a troublemaker, but he did disturb one's thinking.

A little book from a few decades ago with the very bland title of 7“Who moved my cheese” (by Spencer Johnson, M.D.) illustrated the ease by which two little mice, used to living with an abundance of cheese, slipped into complacency and when the abundance dried up, they were shocked to realize they had to forage.

Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Complacency is at the heart of average people and comfort is at the heart of failure. On a continuum of performance, complacency resides at the very lowest level, slightly more positive than actions that are actively detrimental to the church. Try to defend complacency, that is not easy without bringing specific people to mind.

A church, a social club, or any other that depends on drawing members into it, can become complacent, going through their rituals with stiff motions. Joy is something that can only be felt, it is not an intellectual activity, as Psalm 30 sings, "Joy comes in the morning." Joy and complacency do not share the same space, the same spirit.

Business Models

Individual churches have their own business models, different from many other churches and from non-church organizations. The business model depends on numerous factors, with each affecting the outcome to some degree. Their business model tells the story about how their enterprise functions. It answers questions about who your customer is, (yes, churches have customers; they are also called church members), what that customer values, and how the church delivers to the customer the sought-after services at an acceptable cost (you will learn about cost per person). The business model describes how the church will respond to events and circumstances. This will be defined by church age, size, traditional responses, and internal mechanisms in place. The church must respond to many events, such as the COVID pandemic, exogenous events outside the church to control or prevent. You can only respond.

There may be disagreement that a church should have a business model, contending that the church is not a business, therefore a business model is unnecessary. Please keep reading.

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1 Schein, Edgar H, Organizational Culture and Leadership, San Francisco: Jossy-Bass, 2004

2 Wilfred Bion, 8 Sep1897 - 28 Aug 1979, Identified three Basic Assumptions: Dependency, Flight-Fight, Pairiing.

3 Why People Fail to Recognize their own incompetence; Dunning, David; Johnson, Kerri; Ehrlinger, Joyce; Vol 12, Number 3, June 2003, Current Directions in Psychological Science

4 The three enterprise above were clients of the author who later was business manager (the first) for the church.

5 Wikipedia article, Christ Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA

6 The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life is a 1994 book by psychologist Richard J. Herrnstein and political scientist Charles Murray, in which the authors argue that human intelligence is substantially influenced by both inherited and environmental factors and that it is a better predictor of many personal outcomes, including financial income, job performance, birth out of wedlock, and involvement in crime than are an individual's parental socioeconomic status.

7 Johnson, Spencer MD, Who Moved my Cheese, Putnam Adult, Sept 7, 1998 (32 pages)