Basic Business Principles For Growing Churches

Pastors are schooled in theology and ministry, but few receive training in the fine points of church administration. Learning how to handle a congregation's finances "on the job" can be a harrowing experience. Yet efficiently managing your church's business affairs is a key element in keeping current members satisfied with their pastoral leadership -- and in attracting the new members you need for your church to grow in size and influence. In Basic Business Principles For Growing Churches, Arnold Cirtin shares expertise gained from more than four decades of corporate and academic experience. He provides a clear and helpful primer for pastors with limited training in business administration on such practical topics as accounting, fiscal management, and marketing. This is an indispensable book for pastors of small- and medium-sized churches (who typically are also their congregations' principal financial officers), as well as for church treasurers, trustees, and other financial board members. When you follow the guidelines in Basic Business Principles For Growing Churches, your church will be fiscally responsible, managed efficiently, and able to maximize its growing stewardship of God's resources. Arnold Cirtin is professor emeritus of accounting at Ball State University, and is a certified public accountant (CPA) in the states of Indiana and California. Cirtin is the author of Principles of Accounting Study Guide, as well as numerous articles in professional journals.

This book presents a unique approach to church growth. It is written mainly to help churches that are declining, but will help all churches. The underlying premise is that churches do not grow and reach new people because they do not know how, or because they are so poorly structured and organized that they spend most of their time and efforts in conflict. This disrupts the fellowship and leaves very little time and energy for reaching new people. The subtitle could be, "Fifteen Essential Steps To Growth"- Basic growth and administrative principles. The combining of these areas makes this a unique book. Young has brought together these basic elements, from over 40 years of experience. . The book is a practical guide for a local church to follow to function efficiently and effectively, and reach people for Christ. When the steps are followed, and in the proper order, the church can pretty well be assured of growth and effective ministry. Dr. Robert A. Young is currently President of Samuelite Corp., Church Outreach and Consulting. He served as Associate Pastor/Administration of Walnut Street Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, and Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, TX, and President of the National Association of Church Business Administration. He has conducted "Total Church Consultations" and Capital Fund Campaigns for churches of all sizes and denominations. He is now available to serve churches as a consultant in these areas. He is also the author of "The Development of A Church Manual of Administrative Policies".

The church is the 21st-Century is facing multiple challenges no other generation has faced. Current research documents decline in most congregations. In recent years "101" packaged programs, developed mostly by Mega-churches or academics, have been applied by smaller congregations which did not have the same dynamics; thus they didn't and don't work. This book is a plea to call congregations back to their roots of being God's redemptive force in the world. In order to accomplish this there must be a return to the 4-fold mission of the church. With the attitude of Christ, "We must be about our Father's business", which involves us with helping Christ grow His business. In six lesson this brief book will help return congregations to the basic we see in Scripture; especially in the Book of Acts. Every member of God's partnership needs this book. It is a WAKE UP call for all kingdom business partners.

Well Done provides any business leader insights on how to strive for excellence in building their business and ordering their life. Although the phrase “Well Done” has a noble connotation to it, many business leaders, including Ken Gosnell, have a difficult time describing and defining what those words look like in the life of a business that is led by a person of faith. In Well Done, Ken describes the twelve biblical business principles that can help any leader who desires to grow their business and its Kingdom impact. These principles help to create a strategic roadmap for leaders to hear the words “Well Done” at the end of their journey. Every leader deserves to hear the words Well Done. Life is too short, and business is too difficult to work throughout life and miss what matters most.

Believing that a church or mission should be managed according to a structured module based on Biblical principles, Church Management Basics provides leadership and management with some basic ideas to help the reader become more accountable and responsible in their work. Not only are general topics, such as Finance, Administration and Human Resources discussed, but they are also examined more fully where appropriate. Hands-on examples are used to illustrate the application of solutions offered, and further tools and samples add to the innovative ingredients to make this book a must read for all church leaders, workers in missions and employees of other non-profit organizations. Areas of business covered in Church Management Basics include: Management and Leadership, sharing the vision and keeping the vibrancy going, finance and basic accounting for non-profit organizations, document management, administration, time management, project management, IT-Systems, Human Resources Management in churches and how not to lose the main focus of God's Church on earth while doing all the day to day tasks. For more information, please visit http://ferdinandburger.netfirms.com or contact the author per email: [email protected]

The author of this work, Isaac Ojutalayo, has done his research on the subject of leadership and church growth. The contents of this book are the written evidence. The eleven chapters embrace some of the most important and necessary things that leaders should learn and practise, whether they are ordained ministers or lay workers in the church. The principles he has written about can also be applied in circular organisation. This book reveals Dr Isaac Ojutalayo’s academic achievement and experimental development. He has divided each chapter into readable sections that can be easily discussed and studied. The book is suitable for individuals and groups who are called by God to lead His people. Dr Isaac Ojutalayo is passionate that leaders be men and women of excellence, whether the congregation they lead is large or small. He stresses communication, generosity, honesty, and continuing education with the highest level of trust, all essential elements of church growth. He points out repeatedly that the church and the world community are suffering from a crisis of leadership, that bold and honest leaders are needed in the church and in the marketplace, as well as in the home. In my analysis he has called for transformational leaders to rise up and effect change. It is very clear that he is saying that many leaders work within situations. Transformational leaders change what can be talked about, whereas many other leaders talk about pay-offs. Transformational leaders talk about goals. Many leaders bargain, whereas transformational leaders appeal to a common vision. Dr Isaac Ojutalayo argues that desperately needed Christians and transformational leadership will not emerge until we have a model of a transforming leader. I believe that Jesus Christ was and is the most effective leader the world has ever known. It is with unreserved joy that I recommend this publication to those who are interested in church leadership. Professor Clinton L. Ryan, ThD

This book is about leadership, management, and organizational structure as it applies to the church. This book is based on the author’s observation and surveys from some of the members of four churches. It is an evaluation of how leadership and management, or the lack of the same, affect the operation of the church. It is this author’s belief that church is not a business and should never be mistaken for a business. However, the paraphernalia of business such as leadership, management, and organizational principles, should be a part of every pastor’s tool bag. Chapter one looks at the Bible example of leadership, management, and organizational principles. The Bible has several examples of God’s leader engaging the principles used in business to accomplish the work of God. This author would never suggest that church and business should be operated the same. However, the church as marketed by Bible examples, should employ the principles of leadership. Chapter two is the results of an evaluation of four churches. The churches are named First Church, Second Church, Third Church, and Fourth Church. The results are based on surveys and the observations of this author. The information was collected and charted to give a picture of the leadership, management, and organizational principles found in each church. Chapter three looks at leadership and some of the factors that affect it. This chapter combines the information gather with the principles of leadership in order to determine the effectiveness of each organization studied. Chapter four looks at management. This chapter covers management issues such as budgeting and resources. It also looks at forecasting and directing. Chapter five looks at organizational structure and how it affects the operation of the church. It looks at the leadership structure and the authority of the pastor. It is a discussion on the proper use of delegation and communication.