Archive for 'Administration'
Show me the registration forms!
Posted on 16. Feb, 2009 by Kenny.
Hey people! I need your help. Last Sunday I picked up and looked at our “registration card” that first time visitors fill out. Embarrassingly, it was the first time I looked at this. I’ve got several new volunteers who are doing our data entry and I was overseeing their training. I tried to enter one of these cards into the database and found myself guessing and making assumptions. Unfortunately, our registration card causes you to guess who the cell phone belongs to and who the email belongs to. There are other things as well, but I won’t get into them.
So, I plan to revamp this sucker in the next few weeks. Here’s where I could really use your help. I love to look at how other churches do their cards.… Read the rest
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Budgets: Are you feeling a crunch this year?
Posted on 27. Oct, 2008 by Kenny.
I’m just curious and throwing this question out there. With the economy in the condition it is in at this time, is your church really feeling it? How has that affected your budget or your budget planning for next year?
I’m working on the 2009 budget this week and I think we’re anticipating things to get a little tight, but nothing to serious.
Anyone have to make budget cuts? What areas are seeing the cuts? What ways are you having to be creative to deal with shortfalls?… Read the rest
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Watching the numbers
Posted on 22. Sep, 2008 by Kenny.
Something I’ve found to be true is that our “feeling” often deceive us. Too many times we also make decisions without taking an honest look at the data. One of my biggest pet peeves is when church leadership makes big (sometimes life-altering) decisions before getting all the facts. Looking at the data, interpreting the data and then asking some questions will help any leader really understand what is going on.
Last Sunday was a pretty full house here at Gateway. We’ve instituted the off-site parking shuttles and all the other things you do to “make room.” One of the things I learned last Sunday is that things were not as I had assumed. I learned an important truth. Because our attendance surged so high this last weekend, I was able to see something I hadn’t seen before.… Read the rest
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Submitting to leadership (Ministry Budgets Part Six)
Posted on 08. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
In all of the things I’ve discussed the past 5 days, there was one element that brings it all together. It’s about submitting to the leadership God placed above you. I agree that generally speaking, children’s ministry budgets are under funded. I do believe that children’s pastors should present the need, present a vision and ask for what is appropriate. However, what leadership decides as a ministry budget needs to be accepted. Again, it comes back to loaves and fishes.
We have to remember that God will bless us when we make the best use of what he’s given us. He’s honored when we creatively expand the resources we’ve given. When we are faithful in these things, he will entrust us with more.… Read the rest
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When you don’t have enough (Ministry Budgets Part Five)
Posted on 07. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
There are times when there just isn’t enough money to do what you need to do. I’m going to make several suggestions, several things I’ve done at various churches I’ve been a part of. However, there is one major thing to consider that I will write about tomorrow. So, enjoy the ideas and dream about what options you have but let it be tempered by the information I’ll present tomorrow.
However, there may be times where you have to be creative and come up with new ways to fund your projects. These may be simple fundraiser’s to special partnerships with the business community. Here are some of the things I’ve done:
Fundraiser’s
I hate these things, but they’ve often allowed me to have some non-budgeted items over the years.… Read the rest
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When over spending is okay (Ministry Budgets Part Four)
Posted on 06. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
You have your budget. It’s your responsibility to stay on track and steward it well. However there are times when it’s okay to over spend. Huh? Yep, here’s when it’s okay.
- When your bottom line doesn’t change. Yeah, this one was kind of a trick. Typically the people you report to are going to be concerned that you stayed within your annual budget. The fact that you spent $100 more on cookies and $100 less on paper clips is something the finance department isn’t going to care about. If they do… I’d suggest a good hard look at where you’re at. To be honest, I like to spend what I need. If I didn’t budget enough for background checks this year, I don’t want to pay for the difference out of my curriculum account.
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Financial stewardship (Ministry Budgets Part Three)
Posted on 05. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
Fishes and loaves. It’s all about the fishes and loaves. Yon can only spend what you have available. From here you have to trust God to maximize your resources.
Ultimately, you are responsible to stay on budget. It’s a matter of integrity. I’ve managed budgets ranging from a few thousand dollars to more than a hundred thousand dollars. Regardless of size, it’s still our duty to keep our spending below the budget. Here are a few things to consider though (this may depend on how your church budgets).
- Just because you have a budget of X doesn’t mean you have X to spend. Many churches set a budget at the beginning of the year based on the previous year and growth trends.
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Sample budgets and event planing forms (Ministry Budgets Part Two)
Posted on 04. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
I thought I’d share some examples. I could talk all about budgeting and how I’ve done it, but let’s face it… you want to see some examples.… Read the rest
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Developing your annual ministry budget (Ministry Budgets Part One)
Posted on 03. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
Ministry budgets come in all sorts and sizes. In fact, many churches approach the budget concept from different angles. I’ve been at a church where there wasn’t a budget… just a big pot that all the money was in. If I needed money for something, I just asked the Senior Pastor if there was any money for it. I’ve been at churches where we had budgets, but I never saw it and just spent money within reason. I’ve also been at the church where the budget was an inflexible law where every pen I took from the supply cabinet and every copy from the copier was charged to my meager account. Some churches plan out a budget at the beginning of the year where others allocate percentages of the giving each weekend to the individual ministries.… Read the rest
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I heart my new web apps (part 2)
Posted on 16. Sep, 2007 by Kenny.
Okay, here is my favorite web app of all time right now. It it literally changing the way I prepare for church and even has some great application for personally use. The program is called Folder Share and it free. I think it used to be called file taxi or something, but Microsoft bought them out and they seem to be running the show (don’t let that scare you off yet, the application is really cool).… Read the rest
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