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A lot of unhealthy practices and attitudes in church families revolve around money. Transformational leadership will involve gently and persistently replacing the games with a healthier culture.
The Game:
1. Strong leaders control the parish by controlling the purse. Sometimes known as "lay popes".
Remedy: The rector appoints one of the two wardens and the three together appoint the treasurer. Give gentle but firm messages that you want to work co-operatively but that the parish cannot be held hostage to any individual or clique
2. The true resources of the parish are concealed to protect the funds from reckless rectors and advisory boards.
Remedy: Ensure that regular financial reports fully disclose all resources such as: trust funds, term deposits, special funds, etc.
3. Special gifts are received and applied to projects so as to avoid and evade diocesan apportionment.
Remedy: Insist that all parish incomes show fairly in the statements. Consult with the diocesan treasurer where in doubt.
4. Often the rector is chased out on a "capital projects limb". Roof repairs and building projects and their special appeals can rob the parish of its necessary ongoing resources and programme resources for creative ministry.
Remedy: Insist that the parish does its budget realistically and that capital improvements are built into the ordinary budgeting procedures by appropriate amortization.
5. Today parishes get gripped by the "pay down the debt syndrome". Mission and ministry are often put on hold so that people can pay off a big mortgage quickly.
Remedy: Make sure the debts and capital improvements are amortized over an appropriate period so that these goals can be achieved but not at the expense of mission and ongoing needs.
6. Often treasurers will want to pay the diocese at the end of the year.
Remedy: All this achieves is to push up the interest costs to the diocese. When this is recovered from other parishes through apportionment that really becomes a grant from the other churches to yours. Insist that the parish covers its own interest costs for borrowing and late returns.
7. Incumbents have a few games as well: ignoring the budget, failing to insist that there is a budget, or failing to get authorization for expenditures beyond the budget.
Remedy: Each parish needs a clear sense of purpose and mission. All financial arrangements should be completely transparent. It should be a climate where people feel free to ask a question and get a straight answer at any time. People need to own and share in the spending decisions appropriately through the advisory board and annual meeting.
8. A few people do all of the stewing and worrying as the ship sinks.
Remedy: The whole body needs to be kept aware of the financial health of the family through properly developed stewardship information plan. The plan needs to develop a climate of abundance, sharing, and generosity rather than stinginess, control and mediocrity.
Item XIII
©1999 Ronald C. Ferris
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