8. Failing To Have A Regular Financial Review/Audit
Obviously, embezzlement is not helpful toward ensuring a fully funded vision! A regular financial review or audit can ensure that your church finances are being managed well and with full integrity.
9. Acquiring Unmanageable Debt
Over the past several years, many churches made the mistake of borrowing everything a bank was willing to lend them. As a result, many ministries are facing the strangling hold of lenders and interest payments. Seek to restructure the debt to obtain the lowest interest rates possible and resolve to never again borrow an amount of money that would jeopardize the ministry.
10. Allowing the biggest giver to dictate what will and will not be funded
Sometimes a large donor will attempt to abscond with the vision by threatening to withhold their giving unless their “pet project” is funded – event when the leader knows that the project is not part of the vision. When a leader has a clear vision from God, it will give them the confidence to “offend man rather than offend God.”
BONUS: Asking for equal giving instead of equal sacrifice
Some leaders have looked at a major project – say it costs $1,000,000 – and then looked at their 500 members and did the math. “If every family would give $2,000, we would have a fully funded project,” the leader will proclaim. The math is correct, but the approach is not. The leader is asking for equal giving, not equal sacrifice. Consider the individual who possesses the gift of giving who would willingly give $50,000. If they were asked to give only $2,000, they might make the decision to only give $2,000. Be sure to ask for equal sacrifice, not equal giving.
This article about church financial mistakes is from the “I was broke but now I’m Not” website.
