How to Adjust When Church Giving Decreases

Podcast Episode #293

Last week we discussed how to respond when church giving increases. Today, we look at the other side of the coin—decreased giving. Unfortunately, of these too scenarios, this one is far more common.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

You have to know why church giving has decreased before you can respond strategically.
Pastors, be transparent with the staff when facing financial decline in the church.
Don’t try to hide bad news when you’re pastoring a church.
There should be ongoing staff discussions throughout the year about budget spending.
When budgets get tight, you find out what’s essential and what’s not.
If you don’t make budget adjustments throughout the year, you’re likely to have a budget battle at the end of the year.
The #1 budget question to ask: what is best for the church moving forward?
Church budgets should be vision-driven.
The vision of the church should drive the budget of the church.

The seven responses to decreased giving that we cover today are:

Find out why
Determine if it is ongoing or temporary
Be transparent
Find out where unspent budget possibilities lie
Determine: essential, important, optional
Make adjustments before year end
Create an accurate next-year budget

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