Transparency in Budgeting
Posted on December 26th, 2007 by catalyst into the Things Dougie wouldn't do categoryA reader sends in this link to a church budget.
The Evergreen Community, a church in Portland, Oregon, posted their entire 2008 budget on the website.
As the readers says, "utterly refreshing".
But I would also add, "extremely effective". The pastor breaks it down to show that every adult pays $16 a month to support the church. If I was a member, I suspect I might chip in $20 next month, just to help them out a little more.
In my opinion, trust is a more effective form of fundraising than guilt or fear.
Update: I guess the $16 isn't what the church makes per congregation member, but is instead what the pastor is looking for in an increase. Still, knowing that the church is being completely open with their financing somehow makes me much more comfortable giving them my money.
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December 26th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Just for the record-
A Portland Church, and $16 an adult was the increase we were looking for
We’re a small church, about 130 people…
December 27th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Thanks, bob. This is why I will never be a journalist. Attention to detail is not my strong point.
Still, I do appreciate the openness. If City Bible operated like this, it would negate the need for this blog.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I moved to San Diego in 2004 from the East Coast and started attending the City Church plant in San Diego. I left with my husband in July of 2006, leaving my 2 teenage girls there because they were so involved with Generation Church. I went back in April of 2007 to be supportive of my girls, but left about one month ago because I felt they were in grave error. You don’t know how many times I read the posts on this blog to confirm what I always thought about the City Church. I would not post while I was attending there because I felt that would be unfair to church or my kids. I really wanted to go back with the right attitude and give it another try which I felt I really did. I have a question regarding the pastor’s salaries. Those pastors in a church plant, are thier salaries paid by the mother church in Seattle? Do any of these MFI churches ever reveal the church’s finances to the body of believers? My general opinion of all MFI churchs are that they are are a dusted-off, revived version of the 1970s discipleship movement of the Charismatic movement. Also, is there anyone else out there who has left the church only to leave teenagers behind in Generation Church?
December 27th, 2007 at 9:00 am
[…] We get questions, lots and lots of questions: I moved to San Diego in 2004 from the East Coast and started attending the City Church plant in San Diego. I left with my husband in July of 2006, leaving my 2 teenage girls there because they were so involved with Generation Church. I went back in April of 2007 to be supportive of my girls, but left about one month ago because I felt they were in grave error. […]
December 27th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Ya but it’s not a christian church, they meet in a bar.