Wednesday, October 18, 2017

"Leading Ideas: What are the True Costs of Church Programs? | Does Your Faith Community Live out of Memory or Imagination?" Lewis Center for Church Leadership from Wesley Theological Seminary of Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, 18 October 2017

"Leading Ideas: What are the True Costs of Church Programs? | Does Your Faith Community Live out of Memory or Imagination?" Lewis Center for Church Leadership from Wesley Theological Seminary of Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, 18 October 2017


Are key leaders in your church covering project costs out of their own pockets? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says owning up to the true costs of ministry prevents new leaders from being blindsided and helps the congregation embrace a stewardship model that funds all ministries -- not just those supported by particular donors.
One of the challenges many congregations face is determining the true cost of ministry. What often happens is the chair of an event or someone connected to the event donates money or goods, and these in-kind gifts are never reflected in the actual budget for the program. For instance, many congregations host Vacation Bible School and incur costs outside of the curriculum for food, decorations, and transportation. The church budget for Vacation Bible School will only reflect the cost for the curriculum if Mary and Sam fund the other expenses out of their pocket. The result is that most of the congregation do not know the true cost of running Vacation Bible School.
The goal should be for all vital ministries to flourish and not just those that have found willing sponsors.… Healthy stewardship is not about my ministry or your ministry but is about doing well whatever ministries God is calling us to do in our context.
This is not denigrating what Mary and Sam are doing to support ministry at the church. The reality is that without their support the congregation may not be able to host vacation Bible School. But what happens when Mary and Sam leave? The individual who takes over for them may not be in a position to support the ministry out of her pocket. She will quickly realize the budget and the actual cost of the ministry do not match. She will feel she is being placed in a compromising position because the true cost of the event was never communicated. The question is, “How do we avoid this situation?”
1. Turn in all receipts.
Even if you do not plan on getting reimbursed for the expenditure, it is important to turn in all the receipts so that there is a record of the true cost of the event. This way the financial person knows that the budget for the event and the cost for the event are not the same. It offers an opportunity for the congregation to rethink the amount needed for ministry when budgeting. For example, if a congregation is budgeting $10,000 a year for ministry when the actual cost is $15,000, the congregation can seek to raise the extra $5,000 that would otherwise be unreimbursed, out-of-pocket expenses for a few individuals.
2. Communicate clearly to new leaders that some event costs are not being covered by the budget.It is important to clearly communicate with a person taking over a ministry that the practice has been for the difference to be made up by in-kind donations. This allows the new leader to go into the position with eyes open and not get blindsided. Too often clear communication does not take place and it sours individuals on continuing to participate in leadership positions.
3. Help the congregation grow in their understanding of stewardship.While this point is last on this list, it really is the foundational point. The issue here is not having enough funds to do ministry, but the way in which people practice stewardship. Let’s say a congregation is budgeting $10,000 but it is really raising and spending $15,000 for ministry. The primary task is to help individuals give as a part of their pledge, or by whatever means the congregation uses, the total that is needed and spent by the church, instead of each giving financial support to a pet ministry. The goal should be for all vital ministries to flourish and not just those that have found willing sponsors. Although this can be a huge shift for a congregation, it will be an important move toward a healthier stewardship model.
Most congregations are interested in doing good ministry. The support of individuals is critical for this to happen. We have to calculate the true cost of doing ministry so we can pursue the goal of a healthier stewardship model. Healthy stewardship is not about my ministry or your ministry but is about doing well whatever ministries God is calling us to do in our context.
Related Resources
Does Your Faith Community Live out of Memory or Imagination? by Bill Wilson
Bill Wilson, director of the Center for Healthy Churches, says that while memories of the past are vital, they must be balanced with a creative and innovative vision for the future if your faith community is to remain vibrant and sustainable.
Some call it a battle. Others a wrestling match. Let’s go with something a bit less confrontational and call it a challenge that will impact whether or not you survive. I’m describing one of the foundational polarities every church must confront and manage. Simply put: will your life together be primarily shaped by your memories or by your imagination?
If your church constantly allows your memories to overrule your imaginations, you will die. It really is that simple. Inviting God’s creative Spirit to inhabit our minds and hearts is the first step toward vibrancy and sustainability.
No one questions whether both are important. Our memories and the past are a vital component of a healthy and vibrant faith and church. Our imaginations and the ability to innovate and adapt are a vital component of a healthy and vibrant church. Neither can exist in an appropriate way without the other.
However, the default position of the vast majority of congregations and parishes is to lean most heavily upon the familiar, the known, the former. Our imaginations grow weak from lack of use as we loop repeatedly back to what is comfortable and predictable.
Jesus confronted a religious system steeped in tradition and ritual. While honoring those who had gone before him, he also peeled back the layers of meaningless repetition to reveal the original intent and then breathed new life into that truth. Worship was not about Sabbath rules but about revering almighty God and offering one’s self wholly to God. Sin was not so much a matter of external habits as a habit of the heart. The love of neighbor was not limited to “people like us” but extended to those very different from “us”, even lepers and Samaritans!
In each case, Jesus paid homage to the memories and traditions, but landed most emphatically on the power of imagination to rethink and reframe an eternal truth in a new and innovative way. The resulting earthquake that rocked the established religious order still reverberates through the church that tries to follow his lead.
Imitating our forefathers and mothers, we calcify eternal truth by wrapping it in temporal traditions and practices. We too often cling to memories and set patterns rather than engage our imaginations and creative capacities.
For example:
When confronted with the challenges of a culture that no longer regards Sunday as sacred space to be set aside for religious activities, we whine and complain about Sunday attendance rather than adapt and adjust to the new lifestyles that we ourselves have adopted. What is valuable and timeless is the worship of God and the fellowship of faith. What is temporal and open to imaginative reframing is when, how and where that worship and fellowship takes place.
When confronted by a pluralistic and diverse community, we revert back to primitive thinking about race rather than see this new world as perfectly suited for Jesus’ message of inclusion and Christ-centered unity in the midst of diversity.
When facing dwindling financial resources and cumbersome facilities, we double down on guilt-laden stewardship and “clubhouse thinking” about our buildings rather than imaginatively exploring new streams of revenue and using our facilities as community assets rather than private quarters.
When hiring and assigning staff, we repeat patterns from earlier eras that no longer result in effective outcomes rather than reimagine new models of staffing positions and tasks that shift the church culture away from “paying for professional services” toward leading a focused team on a missional adventure that includes everyone taking part as God has gifted and called them.
If your church or faith community is going to have a future, and if you want that future to be more about thriving that simply surviving, then you must get this balance right. Are you going to be primarily driven by memory or imagination? You will need both.
Every church I served on staff was birthed in the 1800’s. I understand the power and value and place of memory. I have profound respect for and appreciation of traditions and past practices. I want to honor those who sacrificed mightily for me to have the privilege of ministering in the 21st century.
And yet, I know that a significant part of what got them through the challenges of previous eras was the willingness of those past leaders to engage their imaginations and push past the limitations of their memories. Like Jesus seeking to reform a tone-deaf religious machine that has lost its way, every generation must confront the temptations of our church to lean on what was and to lean away from what will be.
I’m sorry, but if your church constantly allows your memories to overrule your imaginations, you will die. It really is that simple. Inviting God’s creative Spirit to invade and inhabit our minds and hearts is the first step toward vibrancy and sustainability. Walking by faith and not by sight has always been our challenge.
This article is reprinted from the e-newsletter of the Center for Healthy Churches. Used by permission.
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The Right Question:
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
Sometimes churches feel the need to spend money for some purpose that, while not mandatory, seems important. Some questions to ask might include:
  • What specific outcome are we seeking with this expenditure?
  • Will this outcome advance our church's mission?
  • How likely is the outcome to happen?
  • How long will it take?
  • Are there other ways to use these funds that would advance our mission more directly or effectively?
Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders.
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50 Ways to Strengthen Adult Education
Vital churches provide ways for people of all ages to grow in faith through learning. These 50 Ways can help your congregation build a strong program of Christian education for adults.
Create a culture that supports adult study
  1. Communicate that learning is intrinsic to faith development. Lift up ongoing study, including adult education, as an essential function of any Christian community.
  2. Reinforce the expectation of study participation from the pulpit and with new members.
  3. Make Bible study a part of other church activities such as committee meetings and mission activities.
  4. Use scripture meaningfully in worship. Don’t assume your worshippers know the context of the passages read. Use sermons as an opportunity to teach the Bible.
Offer a variety of formats, schedules, and approaches
  1. Experiment with a variety of times — Sunday morning classes, weeknight groups, retreats, oneday events, and breakfast-hour or noon-time classes — depending on lifestyles in your congregation.
  2. Consider scheduling some classes or small groups in homes or other community locations. Christian education doesn’t happen only in church buildings.
  3. Start new studies and groups often. Despite their best intentions, ongoing groups have a tendency to become cliquish. Newcomers are far more likely to feel comfortable joining something new.
  4. Have as your goal a Bible study program that exposes church members to the entire biblical witness over time.
  5. Recognize different learning styles among individuals and age groups. Older folks tend to be most comfortable with traditional classroom structures. Boomers are inclined to question authority and enjoy discussion. Younger persons are more accustomed to media and technology and prefer a fast-paced, informal style.
  6. Make use of a variety of different approaches, including lectionary-based studies, topical studies, character studies, etc.
  7. Incorporate different learning strategies, such as role playing, dramatization, guided meditation, even memorization.
  8. Churches too small for a large number of groups can vary their approach by rotating different studies and curricula with groups.
  9. Don’t teach “about” the Bible in a way that doesn’t allow people to encounter the texts for themselves.Encourage individual reading or make it part of the group’s time together.
  10. Encourage active, discussion-based learning. Break into small conversation groups frequently.
  11. Allow for diversity in perspectives.
  12. Encourage the use of a variety of different biblical translations. Those less experienced in Bible study may find it helpful to read from a paraphrase, such as The Good News Bible or The Message.
Meet people where they are
  1. Acknowledge biblical illiteracy among many adult church-goers — even the well-educated — and strive for methods that straddle this paradox.
  2. Recognize that some beginners will be turned off by “homework.” Use videos, in-class readings, dramatizations, or audio tapes as alternative ways of getting everyone “on the same page” and ready for discussion, all the while encouraging the habit of daily scripture reading.
  3. Provide short-term classes for those who won’t commit to a long-term study or ongoing class, but make these short-term learning experiences “stepping stones” toward greater involvement.
  4. Conduct “taster” classes for those who want to try out the experience before they commit to it. Select topics that will appeal to those new to Bible study.
  5. Break an ongoing class into shorter, defined segments, each with a clearly identified focus. With each new segment, take the opportunity to publicize the topic and invite newcomers.
  6. Teach stewardship of time to counteract “busyness.” Just as with financial stewardship, persons need to be encouraged to make Christian education a priority. Encourage “first fruits” commitments of time.
  7. Be clear about expectations with regard to attendance, participation, and preparation.
Promote participation effectively
  1. Link group study topics to sermon series and encourage participation from the pulpit.
  2. Emphasize study during Lent. Select a topic or curriculum for church-wide study during this period and encourage all to take part. Tie the topic into preaching and worship.
  3. Lift up study leaders and participants. Celebrate every time a new group starts or completes a study program. Use the newsletter, a photo board, or a dedication service in worship.
  4. Ask class members to write a newsletter article or testify about the significance of their learning experiences.
  5. Remember that personal invitations are usually the most effective way of getting someone involved in any activity.
  6. Capitalize on the current popularity of book clubs and films by creating opportunities for those who enjoy these activities.
Foster strong leadership
  1. Recruit leaders as the first step toward forming groups. Groups will often form around a gifted leader.
  2. Stress the group leader’s role as facilitator, rather than teacher. Setting up one person as “the expert” creates a poor group dynamic and discourages new people from stepping into leadership. Thinking of group leaders as facilitators allows Scripture and the Holy Spirit to do the teaching.
  3. Expect your pastor to model the importance of ongoing adult education by leading and participating in study, but don’t reinforce the notion that only the ordained can lead study groups.
  4. Take advantage of the leader training opportunities provided in conjunction with many popular study curricula.
  5. Provide orientation and ongoing support for group leaders.
  6. Train leaders in group process so they can keep their groups on track, being sensitive to the need to keep more outspoken participants in check and draw out the more reserved using phrases like, “Let’s hear from some of the others,” or “You look like you have something to say.”
  7. Emphasize the importance of leader preparation, especially mapping out discussion questions in advance.
  8. Encourage team leadership. Experienced leaders should invite a newer person to pair with them in leading groups to develop the less experienced leader.
  9. Rotate the leadership responsibility within a group so that all participants get experience leading sessions.
  10. Know that Sunday School classes and small groups are one of the best places to develop lay leaders and lay relationships that strengthen the church.
Use resources effectively
  1. Stay abreast of new resources, including those available from other denominations or traditions and the secular press.
  2. Don’t be afraid to introduce ideas and resources from a variety of theological perspectives. Trust the discernment abilities of individuals and the group.
  3. Use workbook-style studies creatively. Nothing is more boring than a lesson read straight out of a leader’s manual. Find ways to make pre-packaged lesson plans come alive.
  4. Use videos to bring expert perspectives to bear and to get everyone “on the same page” for discussion. But avoid class sessions that are no more than viewing a video, or participants will soon wonder why they shouldn’t stay home and watch their own TV.
  5. Create a resource center with reference materials, maps, and other items to support your leaders and participants.
  6. Don’t allow your church library to become a museum. Update the collection. Offer books and resources linked to sermon topics and congregational study themes.
  7. Consider a book sales kiosk and stock it with things you’d like your congregants to be reading. Many busy people would rather buy a book than worry about due dates and library fines.
Stress spiritual formation
  1. Remember, the goal is formation, not information. Every class should be deliberate in helping members accept God’s grace, grow in faith, deepen their relationship to the Christian community, and answer Christ’s call to discipleship.
  2. Include prayer as part of every study session and encourage group members to pray for one another daily.
  3. Encourage a covenantal relationship within study groups.
  4. Nurture a sense of Christian community and connectedness within groups. A Sunday School class or small group can be a “home” for individuals within a larger church.

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Quotable Leadership:
The church budget is this: What is God calling us to do, and what does it cost? (Howard Anderson)
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Our basic responsibility as Christian stewards is to manage our personal financial resources so that we can care for ourselves and our families and still marshal the resources needed to respond to God's call to generous giving. This is especially true for clergy who are expected to teach and model faithful stewardship within congregations. Mastering personal finances is both a personal and a pastoral responsibility. The Lewis Center and Wesley Theological Seminary have gathered resources to help pastors better understand and manage their personal finances.
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Editor: Dr. Ann A. Michel 
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