How do you choose leaders for your Finance Committee? While the United Methodist Discipline has many tasks and responsibilities for this team, it seems to me there are perhaps three major areas which you might consider when recruiting new leaders.
Importantly, the Finance Committee manages the money and pays the bills. Feel free to nominate someone familiar with accounting and bookkeeping—perhaps two someone’s. That is enough. If the church has investments it will help to have someone on board who understands this area.
More importantly, the Finance Committee raises the funding to underwrite the budget. That means you might ask one or two people who understand or have passion for stewardship, fund-raising, marketing, or communications. More money is raised when the mission and message match, and when it is communicated how much difference the church is making in people’s lives.
Most importantly, the Finance committee needs to grow the congregation’s spirit of generosity. We are trying to make disciples, not pay bills. Folks need to learn the art of generosity, because it makes their spirit as God’s Spirit. Leaders with a heart for discipleship, prayer, and spiritual growth are important to integrate the work of finance into the larger vision of the church. These people also serve as important guides when considering priorities in financial decision-making.
One of the advantages of the single council model is that it puts the above diversity on the task of finance by design. One of the disadvantages of this model is that there is usually a lot on the agenda that keeps stewardship and giving development at the bottom of the list. Many churches put together a separate stewardship and generosity team that reports to a Council or Finance Committee.
What matters is that someone is paying attention to making disciples whose discipleship includes giving and generosity. At your next leadership team meeting you might ask, “Who is paying attention in our church? Who would lead us well in this effort?”
Invite us for a chance to visit with your leadership team on developing stronger stewardship all throughout the year. You can reach me by clicking here or by calling 877-391-8811.
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Glenn Howell
Director of Development
United Methodist Foundation of Indiana
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