SIGH - I think we set a record tonight at our annual budget meeting

You certainly hooked me with your title. I thought it was going to be a weary report of nitpicking. Congratulations ... I think. Yes if it means your budget committee did a fair job of creating the budget and a clear job of presenting it, and it is challenging but reachable.

But no orchids if this means that folks just don't care and don't intent to get behind it and support it. I have seen that about as much as I have seen the kind of meeting where (and I really did witness this) someone moved to cut the evangelism budget by $25.00 (no, the decimal is not in the wrong place) in order to "save money". So few dollars saved and so much said about souls that may not be saved!

 

Sorry to disappoint, but...........yes.

2 months ago, business meeting: 8 minutes. 5 of those minutes were reading the new members to be voted on.

But we once were the church known for the fights. Thank God He didn't give up on us! It feels good to be in unity.

 

Of course, ann, when a church reaches the size yours is, they tend to become much more leadership-driven. Having a democratic decision on every detail would grind a church of thousands to an absolute halt.

The trick is preserving the voice of the congregation on the items that are the most important.....but letting the carpet choice in the preschool be handled outside of a business meeting.

 

Voting on new members. I couldn't tell you how long it has been since I have voted on new members.

 

Vote on new members? I have no idea what that means. I suppose if I grew up in a Baptist church I would know what that means, but I didn't and I don't. Would somebody please be so kind as to explain what it means?

 

I don't have the energy or tact to explain it.

 

Excuse the interuption, but I got to tell you I found that really funny. :laugh:

 

anni,

Long Island -- what budget?! :laugh:

My wife and I visited East Hampton at the behest of a couple we met on cruise 16 years ago. Little did we know! Another "guest" was dating John Gotti's ex-girlfriend! Got her a "back door" discount on a real fur!

Howard Stern was the "don't miss" Saturday night viewing just before Christmas (I'd never seen him before). They all crowded into the living room like Brazilians on vacation in Uraguay trying to keep up with the "soaps" back home!

I hope (and pray) that you are reaching those folks for Christ!

skypair

 

In a church that large is it ok to have a business metting that last only 10 minutes? It seems to me the Pastor has too much authority. The Church seems to have no say. Maybe that just me.

 

When a church is very large, more decisions are made by church leadership (not necessarily paid staff). A "pure democracy" would shut a church of 1,000 down.

And some of our business meetings are longer than ten minutes; it's just that we no longer have the hour-long, unfocused, time-wasting "gripe sessions" that our particular church had become known for.

I know you're not advocating that...it's that we had gone to the extreme the other way.

Besides....some churches, IMO, should learn to trust their staff:

Case in point: When I arrived at my church, there was a rule that any expenditure over $25 (!) had to be PRE-APPROVED by the finance committee. Now, that rule was not being enforced, and in fact was buried in a document unknown to me at my hiring (don't ask). Never mind that I had been doing youth ministry for 14 years at that point, and had put together events with budgets in the thousands of dollars. If I followed that rule, my ministry would grind to a halt. And the folks finally realized that and excised that insane regulation. I mean, I could take your kid across 3 states for a week....but I couldn't be trusted to spend $25.01. Eight years, several hundred people, and a ton of work later.....we are no longer that church (thank God!)>

Accountability? Yep. Dictatorship? Nope. Common sense? Sure would be nice...

 

I'm all for not having the petty discussions. Our particular group leaders run their aspects of the budget, but isn't 10 minutes short? It just seems the congregation is saying yes to anything.

 

Our church principles in this area:

• By and large, a staff member oversees all budget line items. For instance....anything regarding the youth ministry, A/V budget, and van/transportation is my ballpark.
• We believe in financial transparency. If a church member wants to know about our finances at church, we'll tell them. Questions don't go "ignored" or unanswered.
• Extra-budgetary purchases, constitutional change, staff changes, purchasing land/buildings, incurring/restructuring debt, and missional/associational affiliations MUST be voted on. We also vote on candidates for membership (during business meeting; there's a process a bit too involved to go into here). For most every other issue, we inform the church, but we do not take a vote. If I want to spend $1,500 on a new projector, and the item is budgeted, then I go get it.
• Leadership teams/committees are the decision-makers for many items (or at least the official "recommenders.") Our deacons minister to the flock, help in service, take the lead in welcoming guests and new members, and lead our congregation's prayer life. They don't "administrate."