Budgeting for a Healthy Church: Aligning Finances with Biblical Priorities for Ministry (9Marks)

Many pastors conceive of the church budget as primarily a financial tool, but in fact it is primarily a pastoral tool. A church's philosophy of ministry is locked into its budget, and so the budget will either stifle or accelerate any attempts to move a congregation toward a biblical model of church health. As such, the church budget is a far more potent pastoral tool than many church leaders realize. Budgeting for a Healthy Church examines each section of the budget in light of Biblical principles to show how a church budget can lock in healthy approaches to ministry. Whereas most books on church budgeting are "how" books, explaining how the budgeting process should work, this is a "what" book, helping church leaders determine the pastoral implications of what they choose to fund in their budgets. Does your budget support or hinder healthy ministry? A church budget can accelerate -- or stifle -- a congregation's movement toward a biblical model of church health. Author Jamie Dunlop examines each section of the church budget in light of biblical principles and explains how the budget should function, showing that where and why dollars are allocated has direct implications for ministry. Budgeting for a Healthy Church takes readers past the status quo -- with its fixation on growth and numbers -- to show church leaders how to transition from program-focused, consumer-oriented ministry to a simpler, Scripture-based, relationship-focused model of ministry. - Back cover. Foreword / Tim Challies Series preface Introduction Why does God care about your church budget? Leadership : budgeting is pastoral work Income : aiming for faithfulness Staff : supporting servants of the Word Programs : equipping the congregation for ministry Missions and outreach : becoming a discriminating investor Operations : helping the church proclaim and portray Communication : using the budget as a pastoral tool Next steps Appendixes. Budget processes Language for a church's bylaws on congregational adoption of the church budget Annual questionnaire for supported workers The church budget is a far more potent pastoral tool than many church leaders realize. Budgeting for a Healthy Church examines each section of a church's budget in light of Biblical principles to show how a church budget can lock in healthy approaches to ministry