Why You Need To Be Thinking Money Right Now

It’s in the back of my mind…it’s not summer camps, curriculum or volunteer recruitment. It’s one of those important items that gets lost in the shuffle…BUDGETING.

Budgeting is one of those areas of ministry that we tend to forget about because there are so many other things to do. We put it off, get distracted and when it’s time to submit our budget we rush the process leaving us with sub-par results.

If you want a healthy ministry you need a strong budget. To have a strong budget you need to start thinking about it well before the fiscal year ends. For many of us that date is coming up, so starting thinking about your budget now by:

CREATING A WISH LIST OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT YEAR

Dream big. In fact, think about all the:

• Trips you want to take with teens
• Content and curriculum you want to provide them
• Resources that are going to amplify your message

Granted you might not get them all next year, but knowing what you want can help you create the goals your ministry needs to grow.

By knowing what you want to do you can better calculate the costs and make a plan that could lead to a fruitful conversation with your pastor or business manager.

DO THE RESEARCH ON WHAT YOUR YOUTH MINISTRY COSTS

To have an attractive plan that you can bring to staff leadership you need to know the costs. Not only do you need to know HOW MUCH, but you should know what you’ll get in return.

That means:

• Shopping around for the best deals
• Getting recommendations and feedback from others in your field
• Going back and looking at past expenditures and their return

Put that data together so that you can not only advocate what you need but how it will impact the church. Clarity will build confidence in your plan.

ADVOCATE YOUR MINISTRY’S VALUE

You could have a solid plan in place but if your church doesn’t have the money then you have to find other approaches. While fundraisers can boost your funds they can be a waste of time and energy (Read how to avoid fundraising HERE). 

Instead of losing hope start looking at raising givers for your ministry. That comes from:

Preaching about tithing and worship offering. If people see that the money they own is really God’s they’ll look at giving differently. Help them succeed by offering financial workshop classes and preaching about it from the pulpit. I recommend checking out Dave Ramsey’s resources HERE

Building relationships with people who can help your ministry grow. There are people who might not give to the church in general but are willing to fund a cause, program or specific student. To do that you need to make sure you are meeting people and sharing with them what you do.

In other words, your budget isn’t just going to grow over time. It’s going to require that people give more and they’ll need you to help them see why their financial support matters.

Don’t let another fiscal year come to an end without a plan. Start looking at what you spent in the past year, and dream about what you could do if you had X amount more dollars. Your budget is a tool that not only fuels your ministry but expands its reach.

What best practices do you offere when it comes to putting together a great budget?

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