As we continue our discussion about church budgeting, "transparency" would be the next key word. Like all other areas of the church, you don't have to continually share all of the details that people don't care about; but when a member asks a question about church finances, there shouldn't be any secrets. Keeping people in-the-loop with regard to general financial issues is critical to maintaining the trust of the congregation. I've found that people will give freely, if they trust those overseeing the church finances. I can't remember one year during my pastorate that we ever experienced a budget shortfall. I feel it was because people were always informed and financial reports were readily available to any member who would simply ask. After saying that, let me clarify that I think it is unhealthy for the congregation to have to "vote" on every expenditure, but I also think there needs to be transparency and good communication from those spending the church's money.
The Bible does not say anything about the early church having expense reports, budgetary meetings, or finance committees. What it does reveal is a pattern in which the church entrusted a leader(s) with the finances, and then those leaders managed the finances. In Romans 15:25-28 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 we find accounts of churches taking up a collection and then giving the money to Paul and others for distribution. So, without explicit instructions, there is freedom of process; but we should require a high level of accountability. Churches have been plagued by embezzlement and fraud by staff and volunteers; and financial scandals have destroyed or damaged countless churches. These events may not have been 100% preventable, but most occurred due to lack of transparency and lack of accountability.
Peter J. Reilly states, "The strongest voice I have noted for church financial transparency is that of Reverend Frank Benson Jones. In his book 'Stop The Prosperity Preachers,' he argues that lack of transparency is one of the things that draws the wrong type of people into ministry. He believes that if the profits were removed, only prophets would remain." He goes on to say, "Most charities are subject to some level of transparency, but not churches. That leaves it up to the members to demand transparency. If you meet resistance from the leadership, maybe you might consider that rather than a sheep who is being fed, you are one that is being shorn." If you encounter leadership operating in secrecy, be sure there is a problem...they ARE covering something up!"
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