Creating the church budget for this upcoming year was more frustrating than usual. It's not because there wasn't a clear vision for the upcoming year or the vision didn't align with the mission. It wasn't because there was insufficient data to create a realistic income forecast based on giving and …

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These two words should send shivers down the spine of every church leader: fraud and embezzlement. While both crimes steal money and trust from the church, they are different. Fraud is when a bad actor intentionally deceives someone for financial gain. For example, fraud happens when someone …

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Like everyone else in this fast-paced, information-driven world, I need to consume a lot of information to stay on top of the news, compliance laws, and best practices that can help better operate the church. As you can imagine, an email subject line that read, "Embezzlement Hits One Out of Three …

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The moment the words "church budget" are uttered, there are two extreme responses: it's either met with eye-rolls, heavy sighs, or looks of resignation. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, people are opening up a spreadsheet in Excel, entering numbers and formulas before they know the goals the …

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Every retail organization, like Costco, Target, Amazon, etc., is vying for your year-end dollars. That's why walking down the aisle at this time of the year is so disorienting. There are all sorts of ghoulish decor, like giant skeletons, werewolves, costumes, and candy for the kids. But, on the next …

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As the fiscal year comes to a close, it's time for churches everywhere to start building the annual financial report for the congregation to review. As expected, this essential report should include basic financial information like donations by designation, donations vs. budget, spending vs. budget, …

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