Church Management 101

Churches are more than simply a place of worship; they are also complex organizations with many moving parts that need managing. Pastors and other leaders also need to not only share the word of God but also learn how to the business side and manage their organization. Management of the church can include anything from finances to event coordination. So while leadership roles are challenging yet rewarding, weighing all the factors is essential. Here’s our comprehensive list of all that church management encompasses and tips for effective leadership within your religious community.

Finances

One of the most critical aspects of church management is financial planning. Since church funding relies heavily on member contributions, it is essential to not only be responsible with spending but also to offer full disclosure of its distribution.

• Proposed budget

How you divide your church’s income percentage-wise can vary based on numerous factors. Some details to consider include the average income you bring in, the size of ministries, and the number of staff on the payroll. Even though most budgets will not always be exact, it’s good stewardship to write down an estimate of the budget. For a healthy church budget, you want to ensure you’re investing in your community. Below is one example of how to divvy up the church’s income if you have a more extensive staff on your payroll:

50% Payroll

25% Ministries, fellowships, and missions

15% Operational Expenses- Building payments and upkeep

10% Savings

The numbers can always change based on your needs, but this example is a good starting point.

• Financial Statement

A financial statement differs from the proposed budget because it lists what was spent. Often leaders in the church will release these on a previously discussed schedule of monthly, quarterly, or any other appropriate time frame. The scheduled financial statement is significant for tithing members so they know where their money is going.

Leadership

A leader in the church needs to take care not only of the organization’s business side but also of the interpersonal relationships with community members. For this reason, running a church requires personality traits that help communicate and empower the community.

• Approachability

One of the most significant traits of pastors or ministry leaders that community members look for is how easy to approach they are. Congregants want to feel comfortable and safe in the house of worship, including bringing up ideas, asking questions, or expressing concerns to their leaders.

• Empathy

Since many situations within a church’s walls are delicate to discuss, proper management requires a high level of empathy. Your members will not only expect this trait in their communication with you but will also learn from you how to be a leader in their interactions with others outside of the church.

• Serves others

One of the core missions of the church is to serve God and all His disciples. These actions can look different based on the needs of each individual, but you always want to offer what you can. Whether you simply offer a prayer or connections to other resources, all that matters is that you keep reaching out your hand.

• Transparent

Like anyone else, your congregation will appreciate honesty from you. Offering your full disclosure of finances and any challenges you face in loving and serving God can go a long way. Make sure to provide complete transparency in any way you can.

• Influencing

As a pastor or other leader in the church, you need to be willing to preach the word of the Lord and be good at it. Learn how to speak and carry yourself to help influence others to do right by themselves and the mission of God.

Ministry and Volunteer Coordination

One of the biggest tasks of church management is ensuring you have a healthy stream of ministries catered to people of all backgrounds. To do this effectively, you must know your people and what’s best for them. Some factors to consider are the size of your congregation, the interests of the majority, and how many volunteers you may have in your arsenal to run the ministries.

If you are running a bigger church, you will need more hands to help you. For this reason, you should advertise leadership opportunities for those who want to run ministries. Preach about it in your weekly sermons, distribute flyers, and communicate word of mouth as much as possible to attract volunteers.

Get to know your members and find common hobbies and interests that could become a ministry. Adding pastimes to the church presents much-needed enrichment that brings people back into the building. There needs to be a balance between worship and other life enjoyment.

In general, effective church management requires a lot of planning and maintenance. Still, if you do it right, you can have an incredibly satisfying and rewarding career, all while serving the Lord and His people.