Financial Controls for the Local Church
Introduction
Within recent years, the rise of the new "Religious Right" has given a greater need for scrutiny of the financial principles and procedures in local churches across America. The lack of material dealing with the subject has left uniformity of church financial controls up to anyone's imagination. Even some of the most educated ministers will readily admit that they know very little or nothing about church financial controls. Ignorance of church financial controls is never the handmaiden of solvent or prosperous church growth. Church leaders must acquaint themselves in the area of church financial controls if they are to maintain their prominent status in the present political climate. If they do not excel above reproach in the area of church finances then they will begin to look at themselves and see a dark reflection as the legislative pendulum will swing the other way. Inevitably the public sector will call for new state and federal regulations to be enacted to protect those who have been financially hurt by church ministries.
In our day of super churches, multimillion dollar buildings, and private Christian day schools, ministers must give heed to solid financial controls as well as scriptural principles. Technical business controls are a necessity when we consider that many church budgets are in excess of $100,000.00 annually. Financial controls are the basis of good accounting records in the local church. Today the average minister graduating from one of the nation's leading seminaries may be grounded in theology, but is quite ignorant of financial controls for the local church.
Since most of those who deal with the subject of church financial controls are not accountants, but are people unacquainted with financial terms, this paper must be limited to the basic and more obvious controls and procedures. The purpose of this paper is to acquaint ministers and lay people with basic controls and procedures. As financial wisdom is gained from the following sample of controls, churches can become examples to the business community rather than institutions that alienate it because of weak stewardship.
Robert F.Vallier
Copyright 2002