A colleague asked me how staff and lay members can help the church’s Finance Office. Here is my top ten list; yours may be different – let me know what I left out.
8. Forms are not evil
- Most forms from the Finance Office are required by a Federal or State agency (IRS, Dept. of Labor, etc.) or by good accounting principles adopted by the Finance Committee.
- If you don’t know how to read a form, the Finance Office staff can help you since we deal with these forms every day and you probably don’t see them very often. Please ask for help.
- Turn in your paid time off (sick, vacation, etc.) forms regularly. Do NOT wait till the end of the year or quarter to do that.
9. Learn to read financial statements and read them regularly
- You need to know what is being spent from your budget.
- Some expenses are charged to your budget without your prior knowledge such as expenses for the copiers and postage meter – that’s another good reason to read financial statements.
- Knowing the financial status of your ministry area will help you lead your lay member teams better, too.
10. Consider all payments you make to be open for others to see
- When you spend church money, always ask yourself “Can I explain this expense to the average church member?”
- All expenses should be for things that advance the cause and mission of the church. Anything less is poor stewardship.
A concluding note: The Finance Office does make mistakes, but we try to keep these to a minimum. Please help us by reviewing your pay stubs to ensure you’re getting paid correctly, reading your financial statements, and meticulously doing anything and everything related to finances.
Lead On!