Budget Your Values

[Ryan Pugh]

I think I'll post this here. If it should move or would be better for another forum (such as theology) that's fine with me.

Budget Your Values (http://6foot4.net/church-branding/2012/01/31/budget-your-values/)

Not to give anything away, but here's what I consider the most important:


What if the church began to make some serious changes starting with their budgets. What if the church survived off 25% of the tithe instead of 80%? Things would drastically change with the staffing and building opportunities, but only when you are forced to live on less do you even realize that you can. Think of how your church could impact the greater community and world if you had 75% to give away. People in your community would begin to see not only where your values are, but they would find great value in your existence. If a church who was giving 75% back into the community disappeared, the community would feel the loss. If your church disappeared, would anyone in the community care?

[Ryan Scott]

What if the tithe went 100% to help the poor and needy (as the original tithe did)?

If you read Nehemiah 10, there is listed the many different offerings brought to the temple and the various uses of each. The tithe is the last thing listed, after all of the needs of the building and priests were taken care of through other means.

[Ryan Pugh]

What if the tithe went 100% to help the poor and needy (as the original tithe did)?

That'd be good by me.

[Billy Cox]

I think I'll post this here. If it should move or would be better for another forum (such as theology) that's fine with me.

Budget Your Values (http://6foot4.net/church-branding/2012/01/31/budget-your-values/)

Not to give anything away, but here's what I consider the most important:

What if the sum total of the incarnational presence of Jesus in a given community is manifested by the availability of a member of the professional clergy and a building exclusively reserved for religious activity and observance?

I'm not saying it's bold or transformational, but I can certainly understand it being par for the course.

Do we really want a church to look at the end of year finances and say, "we raised and spent $100,000 this year and saw three people born again and/or recommitted to Christ. So the cost for each convert is $33,000. We could probably do much better than that." Just think about the church that sees no conversions. How many other non-profits would operate year after year while delivering no return on investment?