Progress does not always move in a steady, uphill trajectory.
At times, there are turning points that change the direction of a life, a ministry, a business.
I help churches, and non-profit ministries remember turning points and reflect on the significant lessons learned from those turning points.
I sense the Church is at one of those points.
Allow me to explain.
We have staffed this ministry with the teammates we need to lead the mission Jesus has given us to do. Yet, the financial revenue it takes to support that staff is not being raised. This has been a trend since 2008. God has always helped us find a way to continue moving forward. But, your staff has received numerous cuts in salary and benefits with one 5% raise since 2008.
Our funding of the mission is lagging behind the need. Through June (first 6 months) we are $20,000 behind our budgeted revenue and therefore, our actual expenditures. We need to stop this $3,333 monthly loss for the remaining months and make up the $20,000 deficit.
As good managers of the gifts entrusted to us then, we have been considering some or all of the following measures to either increase revenue, or cut expenses. Here are those measures:
- Cut one full-time staff member to ½ time.
- Institute an ALL STAFF 2-week Unpaid Furlough by the end of 2016
- Eliminate Staff continuing education for remainder of 2016
- Sell the Church van
- Conduct a Special Fundraising effort before the end of 2016
- Initiate and emphasize on-line and text-to-give opportunities
- Begin a special prayer emphasis
What can you do?
I can think of four things:
1) Pray
2) Be an answer to your prayers.
3) Evaluate the importance this ministry has in your life, and your neighbors’ lives.
4) Contribute accordingly.
5) Be a catalyst for creative participation in the midst of this challenge. What have we not thought of? What kind of new, innovative, creative measure to support this mission are you thinking of?
6) Invite someone else to join you in 1-5
