MISSION : ACCOMPLISHED
Leading during disruption : 2020
No one was — or could have been — prepared for what was coming with COVID-19 . But , for better or worse , there ’ s no substitute for experience .
In this spirit , we asked several church executives who have graced our cover in the past few years to reflect on leading during disruption . How have they and their teams navigated the unprecedented challenges of a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic ?
Their roles vary , from pastoral leadership , to operations , to facilities management . Accordingly , so do their experiences .
But one truth emerges time throughout : opportunity lies in adversity .
What lessons did 2020 — and the Coronavirus , uniquely — teach you about church budgeting and spending ?
Sarah Taylor : Ultimately , [ 2020 ] has been a reminder that God is the source . As we began the lockdown , there was concern about tithes if our members lost jobs or had hours reduced . But as the year progressed , we saw church members give generously to help others . Additionally , it has given us an opportunity to reevaluate what ’ s most important in the budget . We have been able to continue to bless our members in need , our community , and our global missions commitments .
Dr . Jimmy D . Pritchard : We anticipated a significant drop in income ; however , that didn ’ t occur . Though our giving was somewhat less than the previous year , we managed our spending well . Our 2021 budget is less than 2020 , and it looks like we ’ ll emerge from the pandemic in good shape .
Heidi Coughran : This pandemic and economic volatility has prompted us to closely evaluate our budget , reduce unnecessary spending , and more closely monitor expenses . Any funds that have been freed up as a result of cancelled ministry programs are evaluated to be used towards ministry opportunities that we haven ’ t had before . For example , although we already had livestream services in place before COVID-19 , we invested more into our technology to provide a better online experience to the growing virtual congregation .
Matt Kautzky : It ’ s nearly impossible to accurately budget with so many unknowns — when in-person Sunday services will resume , increased cleaning standards , new ministry needs , and so on . We have donned an approach of budgeting on less giving than the prior year and managing expenses to a bottom line . Gone are the days of being within a percent or two on each line item ; we lead with a balanced perspective , focusing on what ’ s needed right now while reserving contributions for the future knowns and unknowns . There ’ s a lot of gray area with budgets , and large amounts of grace are needed among all active parties .
Jeff Wilson : A key takeaway has been to plan but be flexible . Help the church see what their money is doing to change lives . Cast a vision for them to give to . Share the needs and the “ why .” Show the church how we are , as a church , “ living within our means ” and trusting God during the disruption . Don ’ t forget to celebrate the wins with the church .
4 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | JAN / FEB 2021