Regardless of what type of charter, leadership model or priorities a particular church has, they should put together a financial plan at the beginning of the year to support regular yearly functions, as well as any specific vision or goals held by the organization. Here are some questions to think about when creating a church budget:

I talk with church leaders about fundraising. The end-of-year holidays are one of the most strategic times for collecting donations. We call it the giving season. Every non-profit ministry in the country will make appeals to the members of their church for financial support. What makes these appeals successful?

In my work with church leaders, I see clearly the challenges facing church boards. Tasked with guiding and keeping the mission-driven activities on course, board members can lose touch with the day-to-day financial operations. The board's responsibility for the ongoing monitoring of the church's fiscal matters is, however, a fiduciary one. To do so, it must receive regular and accurate financial information.