Our Services - Introduction

2010-08-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Administrative Support

I will be your Administrator and Financial Advisor until your non-profit church organization has the resources to hire the expertise you need. Through the internet you will have immediate access to reports and documents that churches need to meet compliance with the IRS, to protect your church resources and congregation. You, your paid staff or your volunteers will have the ability to email me with all your most difficult questions and I will respond within 48 hours giving you solutions to your complex issues. There are no limits to the number of questions or resolutions to situations on behalf of your ministry. You will have access to get answers to the most complex situations with answers that you will understand.

I have conversations with senior pastors, executive pastors, church treasurers and other staff members to ensure their ministry operates with the highest level of character and integrity. This service will be limited to a fixed number of clients to ensure that you will have individualized service from me. This service is available with a one year membership fee. Most churches do not have access to an Executive Pastor of Finance & Administration with a CPA and MBA who understands the challenges of a growing church.

This service includes an initial one hour consultation to understand the dynamics of your ministry.

Membership fee is $79.95 per month with a one year subscription commitment.

On-Site Consulting

I am available to visit your ministry and conduct an evaluation to determine an action plan to ensure your church meet compliance and stewardship standards. This visit will be tailored to your church’s requirements to evaluate areas that need attention. I will also provide a detailed plan to resolve any findings. Every church has non-compliance issues. Your staff may need training to ensure they are meeting reporting timetables, compliance issues and safeguarding the church assets.
Contact Us to schedule your On-Site Consultation.

Consulting Fee based on church size and needs.

Seminars

I will speak to pastors, your staff and your volunteers in group meetings about administrative and financial issues affecting your church. I will come to your ministry and conduct a one or two day training session. It is important for senior pastors to have church leadership that can oversee the business side of ministry. I will help your key leaders expand in their gifting to be an armor bearer to the pastor. With my experience, your leaders will grow and become self-sufficient to handle the business, finance and minister tax issues for your church. Contact Us to schedule your Seminar.

Consulting Fee based on church size and needs.

Selection of Topics Covered

Through administrative support, on-sight consultation and group seminars, I will work with you and your staff to solve your church administration and financial issues. Some samples of the topics I can address include the following:

Compensation Study for Ministers
Compliance with IRS minister tax issues including housing allowances and self-employment status of ministers.
Annual and Quarterly Church reporting requirements
Starting a Financial Stewardship Ministry at your church
Properly set Senior Pastor and staff compensation
Church polices that will protect your church from potential lawsuits
Significance of having a church board and accountability structure
How to protect your church board
How to properly handle charitable gifts
Help get additional contributions into your ministry
Setting up proper procedures for the collection and counting of tithes and offerings
Developing a church personnel and procedures manual
Creating a church chart of accounts
Risk management and insurance issues for churches
Set-up system for accountability of church business expenses
Look at requirements for purchasing and building facilities
Determine the staffing requirements for your church
Compliance with Payroll and Human Resource requirements
How to prepare the church infrastructure both administratively and financially to grow the church
Why and how to screen for volunteers

Financial Reporting for Churches

2010-05-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

By Darrell W. Mims

There are many stakeholders who rely on the relevant financial information produced by churches. This information is needed for church leadership to make critical decisions in the future operation of their ministry. The stakeholders who rely on the financial information include the senior church leadership, church members/attendees, contributors, elders, staff, creditors and government entities. The information that they receive must be timely, accurate and easily understood by the audience that is relying on them.

The information that most stakeholders want to know is the following:

1) How much is received in donations?
2) How much is being spent?
3) Are the expenses greater or less than the operating budget?
4) How much money is in the bank?
5) What are the future vision of the church and the financial impact of attaining the vision?

Financial information that is communicated to the stakeholders will be different depending on who the stakeholders are. The more sophisticated stakeholders will require much more detail and explanation of the financial results. They also may have some specific requirements based on loan or credit agreement requirements. The general congregation and contributors may only require a verbal explanation and vision casting. It is the responsibility of senior leadership to determine the correct level of communication to the selected audience. Meaningful financial reporting should contain the following components:

1) Information that is easily comprehensible so that anyone who reads them can understand.

2) The information needs to be concise so that the reader does not get lost in the details.

3) The information should include all accounts, departments and financial activities of the church. Nothing should be omitted.

4) The actual information should be available to compare to current month budget, year-to-date budget and to the previous year.

5) The reports must be completed on a timely basis.

6) All financial information must be presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.