Elements Of A Healthy Financial System Pt. 5

Want to tell me. I know we did the first part of the first page, we didn't do the safeguards that we do the 20 ways to increase giving We did so well I'll quickly go through, 20 ways to increase, giving this kind of a overview of everything. We said, then we'll do the safeguards for the finances of the church in. And remember now all these want to fly to small churches, maybe some of these are more app for larger churches. and then the hand out that you got tonight, this is just kind of a theological way to look at this, the biblical nature of financial management and there's about a half a page on the backside this page here is basically Just the highlights of everything we've covered for the last five weeks. So, we'll will quickly go through that and we won't be here too long tonight. Well, this is what we doing. Elements of a healthy Financial system. This is lesson five. And of course we are thinking about being good stewards of God's resources cause he owns it all and in. So we want to make sure that we're doing the right things, not on the individually, but also as a church. So let's let's just jump right in to the 20 ways, to increase given we've already talked about most of these. I just kind of put it in a hand out here, so that be easy to see. This number one is talking about the pastor in the leadership, tithe, personally, So that the pastor doesn't eyes. He really can't get up and tell everybody else they off the top. So the pastor and the deacons need to be tithers number to pray about the church's generosity. And that's just something that we all can do. Not only pray for our own generosity but for the church as well, that will be a, a giving church and the church that recognizes when people are in need and we just don't pass by and just say, well, I hope I'll pray for you or something like that. You know, if we can do something, we need to do something, take your offering, slowly develop a script that's mainly for me, right before we take our offering on Sunday mornings, you know, I need to mention about how important it is and how actually the offering is a way that we worship God. So, you know, I'll just say something like that each and every

week, that was That was number. What number 3? Number 4 on the next page, write a quarterly. Thank you letter to the whole church. That includes Ministry results, and progress, from the previous quarter, a story of life, change this, someone maybe if you have someone in the church, that was not a giver. And they become a giver and, and God has blessed our life. Just share their testimony, reminder of the vision, that would be on me, what's coming in the next quarter. You could give the family's current giving record for the year.

A few designated giving opportunities that your current budget can't afford. So you come up on something where when we do have a budget that but maybe there's no money but you need it then that would be like we would have a special offering for that kind of like we're doing now up until Christmas, taking the offering or taking gifts for painting the church, beautify new Grace and I'll try if I can remember to email, Genie. So she can put that in the bulletin. We need to have that in the bulletin each and every week for people to remember that. So I will try to remember and do that this week. A link to your online giving site. We we have one of those and then some Churches have a postage for email in envelope. That would not, I don't think that would be for us at this time, but maybe a larger church, that would be something good to have number 52 annual Christmas offering this year, we were talking about beautifying, you Grace painting, but we could do something. We, I think we've done something for the Baptist children. We gave money to the tornado victims in Kentucky. I don't know if that was around Christmas or not, but but still each year, it'd be good to have something. And when we do have a budget, it would be good. Maybe you can look and plan for next year, where you may need something and you could hold an offering for whatever that may be. Number six, quarterly ask Nan givers to give something So, that just basically, if you quarterly have a sermon on finances or something like that, you know, there's there's not givers and there's givers, there's first-time givers, there's givers and then there's tithers and then there's tithers plus and so some people you know, in a church most time you'll have some of all. So you want to make sure that occasionally You say something to the nature of, you know, if you're not giving, please consider that the Lord says that he will bless us. When we give, we want to be a generous people, and so something like that. And then number seven, and I put that on there, cuz I got this from another church that I was talkin about quarterly ask givers to take the 90-day Tire challenge. I doubt, we'll do that here. That is just just time for 90 days and if the Lord has blessed you and you don't see any blessings will give you your money back. Well, we're not going to do that, but some Churches do that. And and most 95% 98% of people see that the Lord does blessed them so they never ask for the money back, but that's just something that a larger Church could do a number. Eight preacher annual series on financial management. Course, this is the first series that on Sunday morning that I'm preaching on on finances and tithing so we probably need to speak about it a little more than what I do. So at least two two times a year or something doesn't have to be an entire series but to preach on Financial Management. Number nine, offer Financial Peace University, couple of times a year. One time for a small Church would probably be good. You can get that.

For about a hundred and some dollars. And you have like a facilitator, you know, say if I could leave that and then just walk you through that Dave Ramsey's.

Financial Peace University, I've never taken it but they say it's really, really really good and that's probably something that we also offer here at some point. Maybe sometime next year. for folks because they say in In a year's time, the people who take that save between 25 and $35,000 a year. Can you believe that? That is incredible. But it just shows you how to do a budget and all in. And they say it's really good, so we'll, we'll probably get that. Everybody could use a little help on finances. Probably. I know I could number 10 cast Vision regularly. I'll try to do that. Send a thank you note to each first time Giver. That's something that we could do for church starts growing. First time a first-time Giver

We would know you would know that wouldn't you Vicky. I mean who gives first time cuz people's not going to write it or this is my first time giving but you know if we keep up with the records and all we would know if we have some new folks. First time give her make, thank you calls for each large. Gift talk to your bored or deacons and staff, about tithing. That's number 13. Adopt a policy that tithing is required for all staff and board. Which I think that is a good thing. Number 15, set up online giving on your website. We've done that. 16 in lift more volunteers. I don't know if I've said anything about that but the more volunteers you have people doing things, the more likely the people who are volunteering will tithe if they feel like they're doing something and helping the church, they're more likely to give. If they're just sitting in a few and not doing anything sometimes, people won't get, but if they feel a part of the church, they'll they'll give and that's why I think it's important. When we do have new folks coming in that we in some way, in steal them and doing something if it's not, but greeting people, something like that. You know, especially if they're already saved. And if it's a nutrition of course, you wouldn't want them teaching Sunday school or teaching the Cypress ship class that you would have to take them through that. But even then baking, they can greet people or hand out bulletins or or something like something like that.

Schedule, timer testimonies number 17. I think that's a good thing to do for people who maybe didn't either and they started and they seen how they see how God has blessed them. A lot of people want to talk about that and that's a good thing. 18 is mainly for large, large churches, who have sponsors and I'll develop a relationship with your high capacity, givers created, brochures explains automated given. We wouldn't have to do that conduct automated giving campaign each spring. We probably wouldn't have to do that anytime too soon. So that's just some of the things that we can do. That's kind of what I call the offensive side of a finances. How we, how we get money? And really what it boils down to is just everybody do their part everybody. But come at either, basically what it boils down to. So let's go now to precautions or safeguards and that would be starting on the bottom of last week's, Paige, e, safe, guards. Everything we've talked about so far, focuses on improving the church's offense. Well, you have to play good defense to if you going to be a good, good team, I watch Carolina play the night basketball. They wouldn't really good on offense, but their defense look really good. I thought so you need to have both Now now this this Saturday night me and Craig's going to Winston-Salem to watch Carolina and Wake Forest play. and I was hoping that the game would start at 12 or 3:30 when I got the tickets but no it's at 7:30 So and you know Caroline has got a terrible defense in football so if they lose Luis I may be calling you. You may have to pray for me Sunday morning. I don't know if I'll show up or not specially if I get home at 2 in the morning but if they win I'll probably be here so but anyway you need a good offense and you need a good defense. And so this is what we want to talk about. We're going to have at some point, we need to sit down, Vicky me and you and maybe the deacons or maybe some other set down, and we need to do a budget if we can and just formulate and see what we're trying trying to do and we'll brainstorm or whatever we need to do. It's not like we have programs that we're going to have to get rid of cuz we really don't have any programs. So we're kind of starting from from scratch. Here you've all heard the stories about churches where people who took care of the money swindled money is here, is it from churches and you hear it from corporations in all. And that's why you have to have. Sometimes you have to have some safeguards set up again. All of these will not will not apply to all churches or to our church, but but some of them wheel. So let's look at these as we as we look at these safeguards number number one, what does your first one? Say never have one person? Does it start out like that? Okay, never have one person, collect, or store the offering. Just one person. Now course, we have a very small Church. Vicki, you do this by yourself. Is that right now?

Right, right. Okay.

so if, if possible never have one person, collect or store the offering number two, Never leave one person alone with the offering and this is just to protect that person. Not that you don't trust them if he doesn't trust them, you shouldn't have them in that position. Anyway, but this is just safeguards number three, Never have just one person, count the offering.

Look at number four. Never let. A non tither collect count or deposit. You know, that kind of goes back to the preacher and the deacons and the board or whatever. Leadership in the church, need to be tithers. Will you never want a non tie there to collect count or deposit? No matter how long they've been coming to church or or how often they come. If they don't tie, they shouldn't be around the financial system of the church. Number 5, Never let the person who makes deposits. Write the checks. Again, this would would be probably in larger churches, never let the people who writes Jack make deposits.

For large checks, have your bank required to Signature. Some Churches do that.

Two signatures. As soon as possible, to remove the pastor and wife from check signing. Well, I hadn't found any checks at the Winn-Dixie, give me when she pays me, so we don't have to worry about that.

Number nine. If you get by mail, have a process of safeguarding the opening a gift sent by mail. If you have any, if you ever have any money sent by mail have a process for accounting for online and direct deposit gifts. Number 11, have two people present when opening your lobby lock box again, a lot of big churches, have a lockbox in their Lobby and the lobby door is kind of kept open all the time it's unlocked. And if people forget their Tai, they can bring it back, anytime bring it by and throw it in the lock box, but I don't think we need a lock box that this time. I have one of your board members review your financials monthly.

if you keep petty cash reconcile, it monthly I have a bookkeeper review the church's credit card statement monthly. 15, have an outsider review or audit your books. Every two years. We never had an audit here at all.

A lot of churches needing all that. I'm not saying I heard of but a lot of churches, I was a member of the church one time it really needed and all that. And there was a lot of people who said, no, we don't need all that. And there's a reason why you going to say no, let's not having Holly something was going on and they didn't want it found out. But anyway, a larger church or whatever, you know, I think it would be be good to have an audit for large churches. Especially number 16. Have a written policy for your benevolence fund. Do we actually have a benevolence fund?

Right.

Okay. okay, so when you had the benevolence fund committee, was that money for people? In the church or outside.

Okay.

okay, rock and did you have a process about how you checked out did?

Okay, well, that's good. It's probably good to have a benevolence fund especially for someone if someone goes through a hard time, you know, I'm a member in church, maybe you know, medical condition or something like that. It's it's probably good to have that number 17. At least three people should be involved in benevolence fund. So that wouldn't be a problem, monitor cash flow, weekly, or monthly Compare monthly giving and spending to Prior year. So you always want to know or we increasing or we decreasing or and to me that would be very easy to find out. Do we have? Do you have another one on that sheet or was that it That's it. Okay 19. Is that right?

All right.

Alright, well, let's look at the, the sheet that I handed out tonight, this is just kind of an overview of everything, and let's just kind of go through that and I think that will take care of the financial system of the church. So, at the top, the nature of financial management stewardship is discipleship. Now, I've mentioned stewardship a lot on Sunday mornings and I'll continue to do that throughout this series. I've mentioned stewardship, I've mentioned sewing and I've mentioned sacrifice a lot and I'll continue to do that. But stewardship, being good, stewards of what God has given us. That really is Discipleship. It shows that we are.

Maturing in our faith. It's what it shows stewardship is discipleship. You can give without loving, but you can't love without, giving in the Bible says, where your treasure, is there, your heart is also Matthew 6:21. So, yes, you can give without loving, but you can't love without. I mean, that they're the word love, just It just means when you love you, give you have to be a giver. The Bible says for God so loved the world that he did what he gave his only begotten son. So he gave God is a giver, a giver of good and perfect gift for stewardship is discipleship, is it it shows that we're growing in our faith and we were touring. That's why. When we have discipleship classes here or when you take someone, that's a new believer or young believer through the next steps stewardship should always be included in any type of discipleship class that you have. People need to understand that you need to give. This is why you give. This is what God has promised if you would, if you will give. And it just shows that a person is maturing in their face when they become Jen, because just think about it before we were saying, who did we live for? Actually, we just live for ourselves and so everything we did and especially with the use of our money, it was just for us. So if you do, it takes, so it takes a while to do that. Number two, generosity is in our nature, and it's also against our nature. Well, all you have to do is just look, when a disaster happens, or hurricane or tornado, a lot of people go and help out. I mean a lot and I'm not talking about saving people. I'm talking about neighbors who are unsaved, if they see you in need, they'll help out most people. Are generous in their nature. They have a generous part of their nature, but it's also against our nature were made in the image of our heavenly father, who is a giving God, but we also inherited a self-centered bent from Adam. And growing in Grace means growing in generosity, is what it means. Again, if it's a sign that we are maturing, so stewardship is discipleship, generosity is in our nature, but it's also against our nature. Number three, humans are managers not owners of resources. Not have said that many times so far on Sunday morning, but a good manager, manages his master's resources. Well, And is able to account for the money save spent invested or whatever is done, you're able to account for that. That's what a good manager would do. And that's what we are. We are managers of the money that we have. And as I said before, even of our own children, we're managers.

Number for the church, can do a dollars worth of ministry with a dollar. So the more money, the more dollars, the church has, the more Ministry you can do and then that goes right along with number five, when a church reduces its spending, it usually reduces its Ministry. And I put under there, it's better to raise more than to spend less than some times and circumstances you may have to Diminish a Ministry, you may have to do that. But if you do that, just so you can save money.

I think it's better to try. For people to become givers and Tyler's, then it is, well, we just going to get rid of this and spend less. Sometimes you have to do that, but I think a lot of churches do that. And what they do is they are just reducing their Ministry. Instead of really becoming generous givers, and then number 6, there's a limit on how much you can reduce spending and that's kind of what I'm talking about, you know, but there's very little limit to how much you can increase giving. So there's a correlation right there, so that's kind of why we do it, the Theology of it. And then lastly, the biblical nature of financial management. We talked about this sum on Sunday. The tithe is biblical, you find it in Leviticus 27, Malachi 3:9. We've already read that several times. Jesus affirm the tithe in Matthew 23. And so, if it is biblical, now you going to find some people says no, as that was just for the Jews who was under the law. We're on the grace, we don't have to tithe or anything like that, but if you go back and read your Bible carefully, you will see what number to says that. I predate the law Abraham tied to Mackenzie deck and Genesis 14 long before Moses ever describe what the tide was to the nation of Israel. So, God has always expected. Did his people to give a portion back to him? So it's the tithe is biblical in it. It's not just under the law, it predated the law. And the number 3, The Tide Is What's called the first fruits. The first fruit to seen in Genesis for 3 and that's why I went is talkin about Abel's offering. I was acceptable in Cannes wasn't the offering of first fruits and firstborn is best explained and we won't go look at it but it's in the Exodus 13. So what did Cain do? He just gave Mike. Some of the people were doing, we read in the scriptures other week, he just gave just any old thing. What in the best wooden the first fruits, it wouldn't off the top. He probably just gave a half healthy lamb or something like that. Whatever, it was or grain or whatever.

He didn't take it serious and God knew that and he didn't like it. Number for The Tide is a good place to start but a poor place to stop and I put here a lot of leaders teach graduated tithe as your income income increases the percentage of your offering should increase as well. So If it's a young person who just start working out of college and they make 40 $45,000 a year, they'll tie from that, but as they continue to work and get raises and go up in a company or whatever, as their salary goes up, the time she'd go up as well, but that's just not for young people. That's where everybody is for all of us, all right? On the back part. Number 5, the Bible speaks of tithes and offering remember and Malachi, bring the tie to the storehouse.

And offerings may be given to any crisis center called inside or outside the church, but the Bible speaks of that number 6, some Believers are gifted with the spiritual gift of giving out. One of the things that I've noticed about people who have the spiritual gift of giving, Is that many times those same people have the gift of serving. if you are a giver, More than likely, you are a server. You like to serve other people because you give give of your time give of yourself, give up your money. A lot of times people with the gift of giving also have the gift of of serving as well. But they are spiritual gifts, the spiritual gift of giving. If we ever studied spiritual gifts in here, have I done that. I have idea probably when we went through Ephesians, maybe. Yeah, pretty covid. But that would be a good series to do sometime spiritual gifts because a lot of people say to me, quite often, why don't know why Lord left me on this Earth. I guess there's some purpose. We guess there's a purpose. And matter fact, the moment you were saved the Holy Spirit gave you at least one spiritual gift. Spiritual gift to be used inside the church. Now is what I'm talking about and that and being able to sing or play an instrumental piano is not a spiritual GFS Ocala, there's a difference between talent and a spiritual gifts, spiritual gift is something that is to be used inside. I mean, you can sing and play music inside the church, but spiritual gifts are different than Tyler. So that'll that'll be a good series. Sometime number 7, Again, this goes back to the leadership. Tied and followers will not go where the leaders have not gone. In other words, every pasture staff Deacon all to be at either because we're leaders and if you want to lead you going to have to do what you say. Number eight. And I've already mentioned this giving is an indication of spiritual maturity. And I put under here the lead, Pastor should know what his people give. I don't know. And I'm not sure that I have to know, I understand what is being said. Here that well, at the pastor knows that a family over here gives, but a family over here done. Well, then he can help move that family from a non give her to a giver or two at either or whatever. So I understand that but there's another side of it, where I've heard Pastor, I've heard David Jeremiah say he's pastoring for 56 years. He's never. He has never known what anyone in his church has ever given. So I think what he does is he preaches on it and he tells people to become if you are not give her but yet, give her that either or regular give her whatever he preaches on it and he lets it. Go at that. There's other Pastor who keep up with what people give not because they think they know what the 10% is, but they just want to know if a person is maturing in their faith and one way you can tell that is if their regular the other give Resort either, so some pastors fall on either side of that, but it is an indication of spiritual maturity.

Thanksgiving is a spiritual discipline? Those who give should be thanked? For those who give to the church to God, whatever you want to call it, they should be. They should be thanked for doing that. And then 10 we are never more like God than when we give. God. So loved the world that he gave. So that is the financial system of the church. Anybody have any comments or

To say anything about what we've covered the last 5 weeks.

I'll talk more about it. We're finished with this system here but we'll, we'll talk more about it cuz we got, we are taking a Christmas offering and we'll talk more about it. How many have you tonight? I know we don't have that many here. How many of you tonight think that you might like to do the Financial Peace University? Dave, Ramsey, was anybody here ever done? You did.

So, anyway, that would be something if our church grows. You have new people coming in. I think Church off to help people with their finances, if they needed if they can, you know, the teacher on, you know, how to do and what to do. And then I think that would be a good thing. All right, any anyting else about what we've covered. I don't know what we're going to do next.

System. We've done the Outreach. We've done this simulation. What I'm going to do is I'm going to probably make a sheet with some highlights of each one of those and give those to you. Cuz I don't think I did that when we went over them. And for some reason to me, it seems like it's been a year ago since I went over those and it's only been a month or so but it just seems like it's just been forever and so I'll make some highlights of those as well. And it, maybe we can start putting that into practice toward the first of next year. Also, I was thinking maybe the first of next year sometime in January or February. I think I'm going to do a series on.

The Holy Spirit, I'm going to call it. God in you. Cuz that's what he is. He's God, he's in us, but a lot of people don't understand the Holy Spirit. and and I think I'm gonna, if I don't start out the year doing it'll be the next thing we do probably leading up to Easter, so So, we'll probably do that sometime next year. The first of the year. Any other comments, any other? Alright. Well let's pray then. Father, we thank you and praise you and love you that we've been able to get through this financial system, Lord and Lord, just help us all to, to be tithers. And and to be good stewards of the things that you've given us whether as money or time or a vocation or children or whatever it is, our talents and Gifts. Lord, we just pray that would be good stewards that we would be able to understand that when we come here and when we give back to you, that is an act of worship. And Lord, we need to understand that before we get to heaven so that we can practice down here on Earth, what we'll be doing in heaven because will give it will be giving you praise and honor and glory and Heaven continuously and Norwegians thank you for everything that you've done. I think you for each one to send this church Lord I Thank you for each person that gives in this church. Lord I thank you for that. They help this ministry to continue and largest help us to reach out to two more people in this community. Lord we want to see you fill this place up and we want to see why I've changed and transformed forcing Christ's name. I pray. Amen.