Your Church’s Bank Account is a Theological Statement

As Billy Graham is reported to have said, “Tell me what you think about money, and I will tell you what you think about God.”

I wonder what your church’s financial statements say regarding what your congregation thinks about God?

We begin by laying the foundation: How we spend money reveals what we actually believe, regardless of what our

mission statement says.

Many congregations do weekend retreats or extended envisioning statements to determine mission and vision statements, and perhaps even lists of core values. They may look at branding, how to express who they are to the community, and how to be more welcoming to visitors.

But do they start by looking at their financial statements to see who they really are, what they really believe about God, and how they really view God’s gifts to them?

Before engaging in a “spiritual gifts” retreat, or doing yet another envisioning session, try hosting a conversation with only your financial statements and the Bible as discussion fodder.

What does your balance sheet say you believe in?

Could a stranger describe your church’s call to mission and ministry adequately from your financial reports?

What would a visitor say is most important to you, only using the numbers?

In short, the gap between your stated values and your budget allocations is a spiritual diagnostic. Discipleship is about removing that gap.

In future blogs posts, we’re going to dig more deeply into this theme, but this is enough to get us started for now.

Recommended activity (for pastors, for finance committees, for trustees, for leadership, for congregations)

Look at the last 12 months of your church’s expenditures as if reading a statement of faith. What does your balance sheet say you should trust in?

Key takeaway:

The budget is not a financial document, it is a values document. What does your budget say your church values?