Biblical Budgeting (2012)

Transcription

1 Biblical Budgeting (2012) A budget is simply an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time. In essence, a useful budget is a bridge between the dollars given to the church and the dollars used by the church. A useful budget bridges income and outgo, giving every dollar a name on its way in and out the door, keeping ants from walking off with it while in the storehouse. Just as every person counts, every dollar counts. Most budgets stop short of being useful, and are often relegated to an annual exercise of adopted futility. They suffer from a number of pitfalls including unrealistic projections, over complexity, too much detail, not enough useful information, lack of accountability, and absence of prioritization. Oral Roberts once said It takes money to do things! Jesus asked whose inscription was on a coin and was told it was Caesars (MT22:20). Let s face it. Though we may dream spiritual dreams, we live in a material world that requires financial prudence. A budget is not the end-all, be-all, but a means to the end of achieving God s vision in our midst (LK14:28). It is telling your money in advance what you purpose it to do, instead of wondering where it all went. A few things need to be said about finances in church life. First, the guidebook for budgeting principles is the Bible, not worldly wisdom (2CO1:12). The Bible is not silent on how we are to handle money. Unfortunately most church leaders of our time are influenced by business practices of the day instead of the unpopular and uncommon teachings found in the Old and New Testaments (RO12:2, ICO3:18-19). Second, not only is the Bible not silent on money, it is unquestionably LOUD! In the gospels, Jesus spoke about wealth more than any other single topic. He knew that where your treasure is there will your heart be also (LK12:34), and He wants His followers to understand that if you can be trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, you can be trusted with true riches (LK16:11). Third, money is amoral. It does not have standards, neither good nor bad. It is the love of money that is a root of evil (1TI6:10,EC5:10), and Jesus said you cannot serve two masters (LK16:13). Fourth, the concept of debt is addressed in the Bible (RO13:8) falling on deaf ears as debt is the most aggressively marketed product of our culture. In no place in Scripture does God use debt to bless his people; it is always a curse (JOB24:9, PR22:7, PR6:5, MT18:25). God provides by His own hand (EX 16:4, DT8:17-18) or sacrificial giving (MK12:43, AC2:45,10:4), never by line of credit, cosigner, nor bond program. Fifth, there is no separation between personal economic (microeconomic) and organizational economic (macroeconomic) principals (PR18:11). What works at home works at work, works for the National economy, and certainly works in the Church. The same principles apply because they are God s principles and they work at any level of economy. To the degree that people are discipled on God s truths for personal finance, the church can better embrace a Biblically sound organizational budget. And last, there are only three things that can be done with money: you can give it (PR18:16, MT22:21, 2CO9:7), save it (PR6:6-8, 21:20), or spend it (LK15:22-24). A budget--both personal and corporate--should reflect these three priorities and the church should see them lived out. --Mat & Mac 1

2 2 Recommended Percentages (2012) PERSONAL BUDGET GOAL CATEGORY MIN % MAX % GIVE 10% 15% SAVE SPEND 67% 122% Basic Necessities 47% 82% Food 5% 15% Shelter 30% 45% Clothing 2% 7% Transportation 10% 15% Discretionary 20% 40% Health Personal Recreation Debt TOTAL 82% 147% CHURCH BUDGET GOAL CATEGORY % GIVE 15% SAVE 10% SPEND 75% Fixed 50% Administrative Facility Staff Variable 25% Care Evangelism Marketing Ministry TOTAL 100%

3 3 Budget Narrative (2012) The church budget summary is broken up into four top level categories: INCOME, GIVE, SAVE, and SPEND (FIXED and VARIABLE). The budget is zero-based, meaning that income minus expenses (GIVE, SAVE, SPEND) equals ZERO. The church utilizes double entry bookkeeping, and does not operate on deficit spending. Below is a description of the subcategories contained within. INCOME (KNOW) The church has three sources of INCOME by which we KNOW God will supply our needs: Partners, Supporters, and General Offering. For 2010, Partner income was 51% of the church s overall revenue stream and included national, state, and local Southern Baptist agencies, as well as several churches. Additional funds are given by individual Supporters who are helping with salary needs. The General Offering is our internal giving source that constitutes tithes and offerings by church members, attenders, and guests. GIVE (SHOW) The church is committed to cooperate with outside agencies and missionaries to SHOW Christ to the Acts 1:8 world. We GIVE 15% of our General Offering to missions in three distinct areas: Mission Partnerships (10%), Mission Offerings (2.5%), and Mission Opportunities (2.5%). The first area, Mission Partnerships (10%), is divided into 7% for global partners (Cooperative Program giving), and 3% for local partners (White River associational support). Mission Offerings (2.5%) will go directly to three separate mission funds: Annie Armstrong (1%) supports US missionaries, Lottie Moon (1%) supports foreign missionaries, and State Missions Offering (0.5%) supports Church planting in Indiana. The final GIVE category is Mission Opportunities (2.5%) which includes support for other missions causes including local missions. SAVE (GROW) The church will maintain a strong cash position by retaining 10% of its General Offering. Cash Reserves will be used as an emergency fund for unforeseen expenses, as a buffer against economic uncertainty, and to move on God given opportunities on a cash basis. Saving for the future is one way the church can GROW for tomorrow. SPENDING (GO: KNOW, GROW, SHOW) As with a household budget, spending can be broken down into fixed expenses (necessities) and discretionary spending (variable). The types of fixed expenses include administrative (infrastructure, professional services, legal), facility (rent, maintenance and insurance), and staff (salary, housing, taxes, insurance, retirement, expense accounts, education). These fixed expenditures we KNOW are necessary for the church to be viable. Variable spending needs include ministry areas that facilitate GROWth, such as Creative Arts, Groups, Fellowship, Kids, and Seminars. Other types of variable spending are areas that let us SHOW Christ to each other and the world, such as care based (appreciation, benevolence, hospitality), evangelism (canvasing, mission trips, seed), and marketing (communications).

4 4 Budget Summary (Go) (2012) INCOME (KNOW) Partners Salary 2012 Partners General Budget Supporters General Offering GIVE (SHOW) Mission Partnerships (10%)* Mission Offerings (2.5%)* Mission Opportunities (2.5%)* SAVE (GROW) Cash Reserves (10%)* SPEND (GO) KNOW Administrative Facility Staff GROW Creative Arts Groups Fellowship Kids Seminars SHOW Appreciation Benevolence Canvas Communications (5%)* Hospitality Mission Trips Seed (3%)* ($116,321) ($9,693) (100.0%) ($29,221) ($2,435) (25.1%) ($6,600) ($550) (5.7%) ($18,500) ($1,542) (15.9%) ($62,000) ($5,167) (53.3%) $9,300 $ % $1,550 $ % $1,550 $ % $90,811 $7, % $17,000 $1, % $71,411 $5, % $3,600 $ % $400 $33 0.3% $600 $50 0.5% $6,410 $ % $3,100 $ % $1,200 $ % $1,860 $ % TOTAL *percent of G.O. $0 $0 0.0%

5 5 Budget Detail (Go) (2012) INCOME (KNOW) PARTNERS SALARY $29,221 $2, % NAMB/SCBI $23,221 $1, % White River Association $6,000 $ % PARTNERS GENERAL BUDGET $6,600 $ % Victory Baptist $600 $50 0.5% Unknown $6,000 $ % SUPPORTERS $18,500 $1, % GENERAL OFFERING $62,000 $5, % TOTAL $116,321 $9, % GIVE 15% (SHOW) MISSION PARTNERSHIPS (10%)* Global (7%)* $4,340 $ % Local (3%)* $1,860 $ % MISSION OFFERING (2.5%)* $1,550 $ % Annie Armstrong (1%)* $620 $52 0.5% Lottie Moon (1%)* $620 $52 0.5% State Missions Offering (.5%)* $310 $26 0.3% MISSION OPPORTUNITIES (2.5%)* $1,550 $ % *percent of G.O. $9,300 $ % SAVE 10% (GROW) CASH RESERVES (10%)* *percent of G.O.

6 6 SPEND (GO) KNOW $90,811 $7, % Administrative Facility $17,000 $1, % Staff $71,411 $5, % Personnel $43,865 $3, % Housing Lead Pastor $17,460 $1, % Housing Assoc. Pastor $10,086 $ % GROW $3,600 $ % Creative Arts Groups $400 $33 0.3% Fellowship Kids $600 $50 0.5% Seminars SHOW $6,410 $ % Appreciation Benevolence Canvas Communications (5%)* $3,100 $ % Hospitality $1,200 $ % Mission Trips Seed (3%)* $1,860 $ % *percent of G.O. $100,821 $8, %