Church Executive Digital Edition Apirl 2013

larryBreyBrey

Passion For Potential | 10

HELPING LEADERS BECOME BETTER STEWARDS apriL 2013

SPeCiAL SeCtioN:

what’s nEXtiN MANAGeMeNt SoFtWAre | 16

eStABLiShiNG

FinanciaLCoNtroLS | 24

Mission triPsSAFety | 36

http://www.churchexecutive.com

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MANAGING RISK ON MISSION TRIPSBy Steve SummersDoes your church have a process in place to manage the congregation’s safety?

IN THE TRENCHES By Scott BrawnerChurches are advised to defi ne their own ‘theology of risk.’

RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP: Establishing Financial Controls

MEGACHURCH ANSWERS CALL TO FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY By Mark Zimmerman Eastview Christian Church instills fi nancial integrity and trust throughout the congregation.

CREATING A HEALTHY CONTROL ENVIRONMENTBy Cathi M. LinchAt LifeChurch.tv, risk management strategies are in place to protect assets.

4 | CHURCH EXECUTIVE | 04/2013

Church Executive ™ (Copyright 2013), Volume 12, Issue 4. Church Executive is published monthly by Power Trade Media LLC, a subsidiary of Friendship Publications Inc., 4742 N. 24th Street, Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85016.

Subscription Rates: United States and Mexico $39 (USD) one year, Canada $42 (USD) one year (GST) included, all other countries $75 one year, single issue United States $5 (USD), all other countries $6 (USD).

Reprints: All articles in Church Executive are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. For reprints of 100 or more, contact Valerie Valtierra at (602) 265-7600 ext. 203.

Copyright 2013 by Power Trade Media, LLC. No advertisement or description or reference to a product or service will be deemed as an endorsement, and no warranty is made or implied by Power Trade Media, LLC. Information is obtained from sources the editors believe reliable, accurate and timely, but no warranty is made or implied, and Power Trade Media, LLC is not responsible for errors or omissions.

EDITOR’S NOTES

NEWS UPDATE

WHAT WORKSCompiled by Rez Gopez-Sindac

FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS By Teresa Loker

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT By Mike Klockenbrink

RISK MANAGEMENT By Mark Mohler

MARKETPLACE

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

SPECIAL SECTION:

APRIL 2013

Helping Leaders Become Better Stewards.

MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

THE CE INTERV IEW

THE CMS WISH LISTBy RaeAnn SlaybaughPractical advice for evaluating and choosing the right management software for your church.

TRENDS AND TWISTS

CMS TOOLS UNDER ONE ROOF

MUST-HAVES FOR CMS USERS

102013

THE CE INTERV IEWBy Rez Gopez-Sindac

Larry Brey was a college professor and director of sports medicine at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC, when he decided he was created for more than what he had become.

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EditoriaL advisory panELStephen BriggsAssociate Pastor of AdministrationFirst Baptist Church | hendersonville, NC

denise CraigChief Financial offi cerAbba’s house | hixson, tN

Mike KlockenbrinkChief of StaffLakeside Church | Folsom, CA

dan Mikesexecutive vice PresidentBank of the West | San ramon, CA

John C. Mrazek iiiCeoBuilding Better Churches | Colorado Springs, Co

Sam S. rainer iiiSenior PastorFirst Baptist Church | Murray, Ky

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volume 12, No. 4



two yearly gatherings for church leaders top my list for the invaluable benefits they bring to the mission of Church Executive. these are the National Association of Church Business Admin-istration (NACBA) annual conference, now in its 57th year, and xPastor’s xP-Seminar, a peer-to-peer learning and networking designed for execu-tive pastors.

i’m blessed to have attended these confer-ences a few times. they afford me the priceless opportunity to personally meet many of our read-ers, editorial advisers and business partners; i can shake their hands and thank them for their support.

their loyalty is what has kept Church Execu-tive in publication for the past 12 years. to me, it means we can do what we believe we’re called to do only because people trust us with their time, ideas and advertising dol-

lars. it’s a favor that keeps me, as an editor, on my toes — and sends me to my knees.

From the get-go, our mission was clear: We’re a publication that celebrates the efforts of large churches to transform lives. We want to be a part of this exciting work by becoming the lead-ing resource for proven, practical and innovative solutions to business challenges church leaders face as they serve and lead their congregations and communities.

i must admit, i still sometimes shy away from mentioning “church” and “business” in the same breath. But, thanks to you — our readers and editorial partners — i continue to acknowledge an important perspective: For a local church to

function effectively as a people transformed by God and commissioned by God to transform the world, it needs to follow sound business principles and practices. Just as there must be order in the human body for it to work properly, so does a local church need good systems to ensure healthy growth and effective witness to the community.

that’s the challenge we bring to the forefront in every edition of Church Executive. We might even say we help fill a gap — that precarious intersection where “secular” and “biblical” find common ground. it’s precarious because a church obviously isn’t a business and has very different goals, but it can become a better steward with businesslike management.

At the recently concluded xP-Seminar, where i listened to and broke bread with new and sea-soned executive pastors, i was encouraged to know that what we do matters to our audience.

“i’m just glad that someone is talking about the business aspects of church,” said the pas-tor seated to my left. As the seminar came to a close, another church leader approached me and said, “i have a new appreciation for your maga-zine. i’ll never read it the same way again.”

that, in my book, is the good business we try to do at Church Executive.

Grateful to serve,

rez Gopez-Sindac, editor

Why we dowhat we do

Editor’s notEs


nEws updatE

INDIANAPOLIS — Effective fundraising and financial management are top-of-mind challenges for pastors and business administrators — espe-cially in the wake of a recession. A recent report by the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Indi-ana University School of Philanthropy aims to iden-tify the “success factors” behind churches that are adept at both.

The 2013 Congrega-tional Economic Impact Study (CEIS) surveyed more than 3,000 church leaders across a variety of denominations. It ana-lyzes how certain types of congregations have coped with recent economic

challenges and explores their financial and fund-raising practices, as well as how these churches are addressing gradual, long-term changes affecting the landscape of Ameri-can religious life.

In the end, they found that certain churches saw more positive fund-rais-ing results between the first half of 2011 and the first half of 2012. Among these congregations, two common characteristics emerged.1. Their clergy are aware of giving trends. William G. Enright, Ph.D., the Karen Lake Buttrey direc-tor of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, con-tends this study demon-

strates the criticality of clergy being versed in the congregation’s giving — along with their willing-ness to talk about finan-cial matters with members and attendees.2. Younger attendees translated to greater giving levels. The study found that congregations with a younger average-attendee age saw greater increases in fundraising receipts between 2010 and 2011 — as well as between the first half of 2011 and 2012 — com-pared with congregations with an older average-attendee age.

The study also found that congregations are “remarkably resilient”

in navigating the recent economic crisis, says Una Osili, Ph.D., director of research for the School of Philanthropy. He cites a few key CEIS findings: Almost 60 percent report-ed increases in pledges and dues payments received between 2010 and 2011; and 63 percent reported that fundraising receipts increased during the period.

The 2013 CIES was conducted in partner-ship with Alban Institute, National Association of Church Business Adminis-tration, Indianapolis Cen-ter for Congregations and MAXIMUM Generosity.

STUDY: KEYS TO FUNDRAISING, FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN CHURCHES

XPastor launches certification courses for church leadersDALLAS — XPastor, a peer-to-

peer learning network for execu-tive pastors and other church staff in similar roles, is launching a new program to help church leaders get the education and training they need in order to do their jobs more effectively.

“About half of new executive pastors come straight out of busi-ness,” said David Fletcher, Ph.D., founder of XPastor, speaking at the sold-out ninth annual XP-Seminar held Feb. 20-21, 2013 at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities hotel. The annual seminar is a time for church leaders to come together and learn from peers across the country.

Both new executive pastors and more seasoned ones benefit from the XP-Seminar, said Fletcher — himself an accomplished execu-tive pastor, professor of doctoral ministry and expert in church mar-keting, management and leader-

ship. “The ‘newbies’ need an orien-tation; they need a friend, and they need to get grounded,” he says. “So, we do that, and then, we chal-lenge the ‘old pros’ to grow.”

Although the number of churches hiring executive pastors has grown significantly in the past decade, Fletcher said no one is teaching leaders how to lead and manage the church. Thus, XPas-tor is launching XP-Certification, a program designed to deliver a world-class education in the essen-tials of church leadership and management.

“I would love to see a whole new level of standards for church leaders … because it’s really easy for someone in church leadership to get caught up in policies, practic-es and programs — and forget that Jesus is driving the whole thing,” he explained. “You can be a great leader and have a great passion for

Christ. That’s what I’d love for lead-ers to capture.”

The XP-Certification will pres-ent courses in three levels: Level 1 — Certification in Operations; Level 2 — Certification in Ministry Strat-egy; and Level 3 — Certification in Executive Functions.

Fletcher said church leaders from around the country will help teach the courses using Web semi-nars, books and practical assign-ments. Participants can take classes at any level and will be certified in the levels they complete. When an individual has completed all three levels, he or she will be cer-tified in “Church Leadership & Management.”

For more information about XP-Certification, log on to www.xpastor.org/xp-certification or email Fletcher directly at drfletcher@ xpastor.org.

By rez GoPez-SiNdAC


04/2013 | ChurCh exeCutive | 98 | ChurCh exeCutive | 04/2013

http://www.onecallnow.com/religion-integration.pdf


thE cE intErviEw

By rez GoPez-SiNdAC

Larry Brey was a college professor and director of sports medicine at gardner-webb university in Boiling springs, nc, when he decided he was created for more than what he had become. against all logic, he joined a group of eight families to follow a young, passionate pastor who wanted to change the world.

C a m p u s P a s t o r | e l e v a t i o n C h u r c h | C h a r l o t t e , N C

Larry BrEy



elevation Church in Charlotte, NC, would soon become one of America’s megachurches under the leadership of that young, pas-sionate pastor: Steven Furtick. “explosive” was how people described elevation’s growth. in its first year, weekly attendance grew to more than 1,800.

Now, in its seventh year, elevation welcomes 12,000 people each weekend across seven campuses.

“i think everyone [on the core team] knew very early on that God was going to do something big through elevation; we just didn’t think it would be that fast,” says Brey.

But, fast didn’t mean easy. the year leading up to the church launch saw the core team wrestling with every imaginable curve ball, as well as some serious setbacks. on Feb. 5, 2006, when elevation finally held its first Sunday experience in the auditorium of Providence high School, 121 people showed up. Brey, who took the attendance that Sunday, recalls the rundown: 98 adults, 23 kids.

today, Brey serves as the campus pastor at elevation’s university City location — and for the past seven years has been seeing people who are far from God raised into life in Christ.

what did the early days of Elevation church look like? what was your role back then?

those early days through the launch of the church were very hard. None of us were from Charlotte, and we had very few contacts in the city. Churches were starting left and right. People really didn’t want to be a part of something that didn’t exist yet.

As with any new church, everyone carried multiple roles. My official title was assimilation pastor, but you name it and i did it. i took care of facility rentals, volunteer scheduling, first-time guest follow-up, setting up mail and phone service, pulling trailers, and setting up our sound system until we launched. My biggest role revolved around creating a great guest experience and driving our first-time-guest follow-up processes.

When we started elevation, we didn’t think of it becoming a multi-site church; that came out of the rapid growth, and because we ran out of seats. When we launched a campus, we didn’t hire additional staff; we reallocated our current leadership staff and gave them additional duties. As we opened additional campuses, my role was to help launch the campus with the right structure and systems and to ensure that it operated with the right culture and dNA.

how does your role as campus pastor impact the entire Elevation movement?

As campus pastors, our primary role is to create an incredible weekend worship experience. it begins in the parking lot with an honoring and engaging experience from our guest services teams, and then flows through a seamless children’s-check-in experience, and continues through an amazing worship experience where guests feel like they’re in great hands because they know what’s coming next and are free from distractions. the impact is one life at a time. When we can create a place where people feel loved and welcomed, where everything that happens makes sense, and where the sermon is engag-ing and applicable, lives will be transformed. We see it every weekend as God changes countless lives.

what does Elevation look for in a campus pastor?We’re always looking for the best and the brightest leaders. the

kind of people who would make great campus pas-tors are the ones who’ve been transformed by the church the most; the ones who “get” the vision and heart of the house. the ones who aren’t looking for a stepping stone to the next thing, but are called to make an impact for a greater thing. People who are likeable and who make everyone around them better. they need to have the capacity to communicate in a compelling manner and multiply the culture/vision of elevation in everyone who walks through the doors.

is there competition among Elevation cam-pus pastors?

i think anyone who’s a successful leader is competitive. the hard part is harnessing that spirit of competition into one that makes everyone better and raises the level of excellence. Pastor Steven is a fantastic leader in leveraging that spirit of competi-tion. he has learned how to make us all better by fostering a healthy competition on our staff.

often in a competition, there’s a winner and a loser. that’s divisive competition because it puts people on different teams. When that happens, people work against each other.

healthy competition is when we recognize we’re teammates and we’re working for the same thing — to create the best possible worship experience, where people can meet Jesus. And if you have a bet-ter idea to accomplish that, and you’re getting better results, there’s something i need to learn from you!

your weekly worship gathering happens at a ymca facility. in this setting, what opera-tional issues do you often have to address?

We have two permanent campuses and five portable campuses. the campus i oversee meets at a yMCA in the gymnasium. it’s by far our most portable campus and requires the greatest amount of gear, the greatest number of people engaged in the process, and the shortest tear-down time.

Because of the volume of gear and people required, we set up on Saturday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Saturday, 120 volunteers will unload three 20-foot storage pods, two 16-foot trailers, two box trucks, and two 12-foot trailers. We set up the auditorium in the gym, where we put down a floor-ing surface; then, we set up a 40-foot-by-20-foot stage, three 16-foot-by-9-foot screens, 340 feet of 18-foot-tall velour pipe and drape, and 200 feet of 8-foot-tall pipe and drape. We bring six lighting trusses up two flights of stairs and run hundreds of feet of lighting, power and audio cable. We also set up more than a dozen rooms for our eKidz ministry, as well as stage all the hallways to look like eleva-tion. When we launched the campus, we realized the amount of work it would take to set it up. But, we >>



thE cE intErviEw

embraced the challenge and, as Pastor Steven has taught us, “We think inside the box.” What many would have seen as a huge obstacle to overcome with Satur-day night set-up, turned into the greatest opportunity for our campus to develop community and instill the culture deep into the volunteer base.

what are the advantages of meeting for wor-ship at a community facility?

our operating costs are significantly decreased through renting a facility on the weekends. it’s a very cost-effective way to open new campuses. the rent we pay provides yMCA an income that helps it offer greater services to the community.

the advantage is not only financial. People come to yMCA on the weekends to work out, but then find a church meeting there. So, they come on in and worship with us, and many end up giving their lives to Christ — that never gets old!

how do you identify high-caliber people and develop them into church leaders?

i think that’s one question that every church is wres-tling with. excellence attracts excellence. if we operate at the highest capacity, people are drawn to that, and they want to be a part of it. those people are walking in and out of our doors every weekend; our opportunity is to inspire them for something greater, something more.

one opportunity is to invite some of them to come on staff. But, the greater opportunity is for people to do what they’re doing in a greater way. We encourage and equip them to use their current platform to advance the kingdom, and we remind them that God has called them into the marketplace not just to survive it, but to transform it. We try to provide multiple on-ramps to help identify high-caliber people, such as volunteering, leading our small groups or [taking on] leadership [roles] based on their giving and generosity.

there are a lot of high-caliber leaders who need someone to step into their lives and challenge them for more. At elevation, campus leaders and staff are the ones stepping into the traffic lanes and into people’s lives, inviting them into a life of greater.

how do you keep up with a visionary leader like steven Furtick?

Pastor Steven is the most anointed and forward-thinking leader i’ve ever been around. he’s thinking months and years ahead of the rest of the church, and that’s the way it should be.

our job isn’t to keep up with him, because we really can’t; our job is to keep him at the right altitude. When he’s at the right altitude, he can deal with things that only he can do. he’s getting time with God and seeking clear direction for the church. When he’s at that altitude, he’s looking at things from the right perspective and asking

questions that can only be asked from that vantage point. When we, as leaders, aren’t executing the things he’s entrusted

to our care, it means that he has to come down to a lower altitude — air space we’re called to occupy — and deal with something he shouldn’t be touching. every time that happens, it slows forward momentum. our role is to do the things that we’re called to do, so that he can do the things that only he can do.

how does Elevation run a lean and mean megachurch?elevation has experienced explosive growth, with more than

12,000 people each weekend across our seven campuses in seven years of ministry. What God has done is incredible, and only he can take the credit. if we were to settle in and think we’ve arrived, we could let up. But we don’t think we’ve arrived; we really feel like we’re just getting started. We don’t compare ourselves to what has happened; we compare ourselves to the need that exists. there are more than one million people in the Charlotte area. When we compare ourselves against that need, we’ve barely scratched the surface.

We’re intentionally understaffed because our role isn’t to do the work of the ministry — it’s to equip the people for the work of the ministry. elevation wouldn’t exist were it not for the thousands of volunteers who use their gifts for God’s glory each and every week. they really are the engine that makes everything happen. A great staff member is one that empowers people to do what they were created to do. if a staff member can’t figure that out, they won’t be on staff very long.

what’s the biggest strength that you bring to the leader-ship table at Elevation?

i think my greatest contribution to the staff is a relentless passion for creating a culture of honor. A culture that lives out 360 degrees of honor — honor for those above you, alongside you and entrusted to your care because of the position and potential of each individual in your life. that passion is constantly trying to raise the bar of our culture to a level consistent with the vision God gave Pas-tor Steven for elevation.

what’s heavy on your heart as a church leader?there’s greatness inside of everyone, and the burden i feel is

the burden of complacency. People are settling for less than God’s best because good becomes good enough. time talks people out of their dreams, or they feel like their past disqualifies them from their destiny.

i have an insatiable desire for people to step into the fullness of becoming the person God created them to be.

Larry BrEy, campus pastor

EmaiL: [email protected]

phonE: (704) 246-0813 — office

twittEr: @lbrey

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.twitter.com/lbrey


Southland’s automated giving program is, admittedly, fairly limited. in addition to receiving cash and checks, we receive a modest amount of contributions in the form of ACh receipts that are set up to be withdrawn on a monthly basis from an attending family’s checking account.

We want to offer our attenders the conve-nience of additional automated giving options, but we’re well aware that our members aren’t immune to the financial damage done to families carrying high credit card debt. Southland doesn’t want to contribute to the amount of debt carried by our members, and most online giving solutions investi-gated in the past didn’t allow for debit transactions

only. So, we’ve made a philosophical decision not to accept credit cards for contributions.

interestingly, i just received an e-mail from one of our new attenders, who inquired if we accepted credit card donations as they did at his former church. i responded with information on our giving options, and the reason behind not accepting credit card donations. he was very understanding of our concern and actually forwarded my response to a number of his family and friends. he indicated that one of the things he loved about his new church home was Southland’s concern for its members being placed above a desire to collect as much money as possible.

At New hope oahu, taking part in giving is part of our culture and discipleship for our members. We share, teach and celebrate with encouragement rather than obligation. We’re also very intentional on providing a number of convenient ways to give, including the giving of tithes and offering during services and online as follows:

1. during our online internet service by way of a simple click;

2. through our website and link;3. through our mobile app;4. online via our newly developed and highly

successful donation Platform, a portable Wi-Fi giving pad on a pedestal that operates on our pro-

prietary software. the key to its success is its por-tability; it can be strategically placed and moved during our services, events and throughout our Ministry Center. our donation Platform is available through our Life resources Ministry and is typically priced better than comparable giving platforms and kiosks in the market.

We’re finding that teaching, discipleship, con-venience, acknowledgement and celebration have contributed to the successful participation of our members in giving toward our vision of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We found that simply having the ability to give through a website falls grossly short of the goal of using technology to allow people to honor God with their finances. So, two years ago, we embarked on a comprehensive look at how we could encourage a generation that doesn’t carry cash or checks to give. it was from this deep dive that we implement-ed several new strategies that we had previously steered clear of, mainly out of fear.

We set up a kiosk in every lobby of our cam-puses where people could give through debit or credit cards. We had to accept that people want convenience, and most people under 35 years old only carry a debit/credit card. We made our

kiosks multipurpose. you can give, submit a prayer request or update your information in our data-base. More than 100 people use our kiosks each weekend, with an average weekly total of close to $20,000 given through that medium. Last year $800,000 was given through one of our kiosks.

We also launched a new CCv app that allowed people to give directly through a simple application on their phones. in the last five years, we have gone from less than 15 percent of our online giving to 45 percent in 2012, done outside of checks or cash. in 2012, we received approximately $29 million in total giving, so this is a significant shift! CE

CoMPLied By rez GoPez-SiNdAC

How do you ensure your online giving is effective?

WHATWORKS•••••••••••••••

Kurt Braunexecutive director of Finance and AdministrationSouthland Christian Church

John tiltonexecutive Pastor of AdministrationNew hope oahu, New hope international, Life resources

Ashley Wooldridgeexecutive pastorChrist’s Church of the valley (ccvonline.com)

LovE aBovE monEy

intEntionaL and convEniEnt

no FEar in asking

http://www.ccvonline.com

K one-stoP solution

K accessiBility

K trends

K long-terM outlooK

turn to pagE 16 …

http://www.webchurchconnect.com


spEciaLsEction

CMS

Church Executive spoke with Mark Peterson, president of Carlsbad, CA-based Web Church Connect — provider of database software for the religious market — about the “next big thing(s)” in church management software, or CMS.

From all-in-one solutions, to transparency in the fee struc-ture, to privacy concerns surrounding members’ information, it seems church executives are more sophisticated than ever about what they want (and need) their church management software to do.

in the end, he says, the first step in the selection process should be to pair the software tool’s capabilities with a short list of church-friendly characteristics and functions, including:

a one-stop solution. First, from a financial stewardship perspective, Peterson says church clients want to invest in one tool that meets all their software requirements. “We’re finding that they’re looking for an all-in-one [software] solution so they aren’t stuck using two or three different systems — one to [keep track of] money, another to do kids’ check-in, a different one for member directories, and another to manage members,” he explains.

one price, with no hidden charges. Peterson says churches are looking to “ditch the different platforms” in favor of a single, all-in-one solution — at an all-in-one price. to this end, he and his team designed Web Church Connect, or WCC,

an expert offers practical advice for evaluating and choosing the right management software for your church’s unique needs.

By rAeANN SLAyBAuGh

thecmswish list

the right management software for your church’s unique needs.

First, from a financial stewardship

http://www.bythebook.com

http://www.excellerate.com


to offer all modules (from team management, to attendance track-ing and more) for a monthly fee.

“We’re finding that churches … need all the modules — kids’ check-in and online giving, for example — but often find these modules to be extra [on top of] what they’re paying already,” he says. As a result, churches end up either paying too much for their software or simply doing without the modules they need for their ministry.

all kinds of accessibility. oodles of accessibility is another trend Peterson has noticed among CMS users — in particular, the ability to access the church database remotely via smartphones, iPads and tablets.

Aside from accessibility on all these platforms, WCC’s archi-tecture also reflects a move towards more Web-/cloud-based CMS, enabling access to the database using any computer, at any time.

Going further down the accessibility path, Peterson and his team recently integrated WCC with the most popular social media platforms and Google Calendars. WCC Calendar events can be synced with Google Calendars, as well as allow users to sync their Google calendars to their Calendar in the WCC database. “through WCC, church members can connect with, ‘like’ and follow their church home on Facebook and twitter,” he explains. “And, more social media integration options are in development.”

deciding factorsWhen deciding on a new CMS system — or an upgrade or

retrofit to an existing one — Peterson says churches should follow a checklist of components and capabilities specific to their unique software needs. these include: • New member/visitor follow-up tools — WCC’s assimilation module enables users to send new visitors automated emails and text messages, as well as to generate welcome letters. “By mak-ing this process automated, it frees up church leaders’ time,” he explains. “it also makes sure no one goes unnoticed.” • Free,unlimitedsupportandtraining — “the dollars can really add up anytime you need help,” Peterson points out. “if you can’t pay the extra money for support or training, you’re not getting the most out of the software.” • Multiple-administratoraccess — “Many times, churches real-ize [too late] that they can only have a limited number of admins access the database,” he cautions. • Unlimited member-add capabilities — in Peterson’s experi-ence, many CMS users are shocked to find they can’t keep adding members to their database without paying extra. • Customizable content — Peterson and his team designed WCC to customize a church client’s terminology according to its culture. “For instance, you can rename small groups ‘life groups,’ or ‘connect groups,’ or whatever you want to call your small-groups

Continued on page 19

http://www.dea.com/ce


spEciaLsEction

CMS

cHurcH soFtware trends and twistsCordova, TN-based Shelby

Systems has been providing software to churches, parishes, denominational headquarters, independent ministries and development organizations since 1976. So, it stands to reason the com-

pany has adapted and expanded its ChMS — a term the software pro-vider prefers to CMS, as it emphasizes the church aspect of its solutions — to meet the needs of its religious market clients.

According to Colleen Hogue, marketing coordinator, three trends are top-of-mind among her clients right now:

A bIG EmpHASIS ON wHERE DATA “LIvES.” As Hogue explains, many churches want their software hosted on-site — but, hosting data “in the cloud” is gaining quite a bit of popularity because of the ease of access that it provides. “Hosting data [this way] is actually a very secure operation, as well,” she points out.

http://www.elexio.com/demo


While many ChMS programs come with standard membership man-agement capabilities, Hogue contends that it’s more important to look for additional features that will meet the church’s unique needs several years down the road.

“Review your ministry’s five- to 10-year plan, and narrow down your software options even more,” she advises. “Remember that it must be able to keep up and assist your church with constant growth.

“If a [CMS provider] is only striv-ing to keep up with other CMS com-panies, it might not have the ability to fully assist your church on its path of growth,” Hogue adds.

ACCESSIbILITY vIA mObILE DEvICES AND TAbLETS. Hogue says more and more churches are looking for the ability to access their information from any location with an Internet connection. “Since [we] offer browser- and Web-based software, our users are able to log in to our software, Arena, from any device that’s Internet-accessible.”

mORE EFFICIENT wAYS TO mANAGE OUTREACH pROjECTS. To address the growing demand for better management of outreach projects, Shelby Systems has created a Missions module. It enables churches to accept online registrations, pay-ments and contributions, as well as to scan passports and other important travel docu-ments. “This module will … simplify [their missions trip] planning,” Hogue says.

Long-tErm outLook

ministry,” he explains. “in fact, you can take any term in the database and rename it.” • Privacyofmemberdata — Peterson advises church clients to make sure their CMS provider won’t share or sell its mem-bers’ information to a third party. “Check the fine print,” he says. “Some providers will share your members’ information with anyone who’ll pay.”

“People are the best investment”Peterson believes that having a church

database your church can afford always pays

off. “if it costs you x dollars to get someone saved, [who then becomes] a passionate pursuer of Jesus Christ, how do you put a price on that?” he asks.

“By having the latest technology — cre-ated by pastors for pastors, and at the most affordable cost — churches grow and their people feel connected and loved.

“And that’s what it’s all about: the people.” CE

Continued from page 17

http://www.powerchurch.com

http://www.gotoisrael.com

http://www.gotoisrael.com/bestdeals


spEciaLsEction

CMScMs tools under one rooF

Since 1998, CMS provider Excel-lerate has aimed its sights on mini-mizing the stress and exhaustion that comes with managing and growing a church. To that end, a range of CMS options are available from the company — from member tracking to volunteer scheduling.

“When you look at the logistics of managing a church, it can be a little daunting,” says spokesperson Chris Hayden. “Using a paper system to keep track of everything would be a mess.”

Instead, Excellerate takes all that information (member tracking, visitor follow-up, classes, small groups, orga-

nizations and contributions) and stores it in one place. “Any member of the staff can go to find exactly what they need,” Hayden explains. “With our installed software, they’ll never have to rely on an Internet connection; the church houses its own member data-base and will always have the informa-tion on hand.”

Tracking contributions is another important — and sometimes compli-cated — issue, he continues. To simplify matters, Excellerate enables easy track-ing of giving income across all church’s funds. In a matter of minutes, users can even print year-end giving statements.

Another handy feature of Excel-lerate is ServePoint, which simplifies volunteer management, says Hayden. “There are two main factors in grow-ing an outreach: making the outreach known to your volunteers and commu-nicating the details to them,” he adds. ServePoint can help a church do just that, by letting users organize volun-teers into different teams. “This way,” he explains, “they can be notified of upcoming opportunities, scheduled to specific events, or even reminded of their current assignments.”

— RaeAnn Slaybaugh


http://www.ministrylinq.com


According to John Connell, sales and marketing director at Elizabethtown, PA-based Elexio, three CMS characteristics are most critical among today’s churches: simple, scalable and “platform-agnostic.”

Simple. “Without question, a CMS should have tools that are easy to navigate and update,” he emphasizes. Although Connell acknowledges that church-based users are more tech-savvy than ever, they’re also exposed to a wide range of Web-based applications — “and we can’t be subject-matter experts in all of them.”

Additionally, since most church help is voluntary, CMS needs to accommodate a wide range of skill levels. “Easy block updates, drop-in widgets and straight text updates with basic word processing knowledge should all be mandatory for a rich CMS platform,” according to Connell.

Scalable. Because a healthy, growing church is more complex than just a single weekend service and some Bible classes — extending to youth ministry, women’s groups, outreach, small group studies and beyond — the next non-negotiable CMS criteria is scalability. “A scalable solution can handle everything you throw at it, including unlimited pages, ministry ‘faces’ and so on,” he points out.

“Who you are today isn’t who you’ll be a year from now.”

Platform-agnostic. With the variety of devices used to access Web pages these days, features such as responsive design become really important. “[Such capabilities ensure] your website will look equally great on a large monitor or on a tablet,” he points out. “Site content that responds to changing displays is an indication of a CMS that’s designed for today’s and tomorrow’s needs.”

4 steps to a solid choiceChoosing a scalable package that

meets the church’s needs is critically important. to that end, Connell recom-mends the following steps:determine if the current system has an upgrade the church has neglected to take that will improve its perfor-mance. “if not, consider the advantages of moving to a new CMS platform,” he suggests. “Will you get more media stor-age? easier content management? Fresh designs?” investigate cms providers that focus specifically on the local church. “they need to understand its vision and

be able to provide the tools to reach it,” he says. remember: you get what you pay for. Connell contends this adage is true even when it comes to website CMS platforms. “A ‘free’ solution potentially means little or no support, incorporation of ads in your church website, and other

ways of offsetting the provider’s costs.” assess the platform’s limitations.details including page and design limits, and the Seo value of the final product, can all be significant depending on a church’s vision for its website, he advises. CE

— RaeAnn Slaybaugh

Must-Haves For cMs users

1

3 4

2

http://www.shelbysystems.com

rEspons iBLE F inanciaL stEwardsh ip


Eastview christian church promotes and instills financial integrity and trust through-out the congregation by employing a combination of oversight and sound policy.

As God entrusts your ministry with additional resourc-es, the need for well-established financial controls becomes more and more imperative. From a small church of 19 people in 1955, to one where attendance regularly exceeds 5,000 today, eastview Christian Church has seen its annual operating budget grow from a few thousand dollars to sev-eral million dollars over the past 60 years.

With that growth, we’re keenly aware that God’s man-date to steward his resources well hasn’t changed. how-ever, the consequences of doing it poorly are exponentially greater.

under our church’s original structure, much of the financial controls were regularly reviewed and carried out by church elders and volunteers. As the church expanded and transitioned to a structure of policy governance, staff roles increased; consequently, the direct involvement of elders and volunteers in financial processes diminished.

to maintain accountability and adequate transparency under this new governance model, eastview relies on sub-mission to regular reviews by the board of elders, as well as adherence to clearly established policies and procedures pertaining to the stewardship of church resources. >>

MegacHurcHanswErs caLL to FinanciaL accountaBiLity

By MArK ziMMerMAN

http://www.mmbb.org/ourcalling



Auditors are independent and therefore capable of provid-ing an impartial review of financial processes and procedures — a perspective that’s difficult to obtain otherwise. A strong audit firm with extensive knowledge of church operations can be very helpful in identifying potential weakness in accounting processes, and for educating staff on best practices.

the final report ensures that, within the scope of the audit, the financial statements of the church are being presented according to generally accepted accounting principles and are free of any glaring, unresolved deficiencies. Submission to this process demonstrates a high level of accountability by the church staff and elders for the resources with which they’ve been entrusted.

Borrowing from the business worldFrom an operational standpoint, eastview relies on a num-

ber of important proactive accounting policies and operating procedures to control and safeguard the church’s assets. Some are specific to churches; others are just common, prudent busi-ness practices.

Given the importance of our mission as a church, we evalu-ate all internal control processes through three lenses to make sure they are an effective fit: vision, integrity and risk. Processes must serve to facilitate ministry, promote integrity and reduce risk. A great control process or procedure will accomplish all three without sacrificing one goal for another. We aim for

maximum ministry with minimal risk, coupled with a high level of integrity. (Let me point out that our church vision statement includes being “dangerous,” so risk really refers to loss of assets, resulting in failure of our mission.)

in areas less tied to ministry practice, this three-pronged fit — with our church’s vision, integrity and risk profile — is often easier to accomplish. For example, we still pass the offering plate at every Sunday service. We always have three individuals handle the contributions in a controlled room for accountability. All funds are stored in locked bags in a drop safe while on church premises. Safe combinations and keys are given only to certain staff members. Moreover, our accounting staff never processes cash without the presence of at least two (usually three) employ-ees, all of whom are required to sign off. Contribution checks are processed only by accounting staff, and all records are kept confidential, with restricted access. these processes work effi-ciently, reduce risk of loss, maintain integrity and don’t impede our ministry.

But, by the same token, we’ve chosen to forego some processes that other churches use because our risk is com-paratively low. in these cases, the costs and processes involved could negatively impact our ministry.

segregation of responsibilities

We’re fortunate as a church to have reached a size where resources are available for greater segregation of duties >>

3 stePs to Financial accountaBilitythe elders of eastview carry out their oversight role in a few key ways. All establish a foundation for how the church will

operate, fiscally.

Elders require the senior pastor to provide an annual balanced operat-ing budget and ministry plan that’s in line with the church’s vision. doing so establishes a clear benchmark for how church resources are expected

to be used. it also reinforces the principle that we, as a church, won’t spend more than God provides.

As part of the budget process and review, the elders also establish and document the senior pastor’s compensation and benefits. this is done with the assistance and support of compensation surveys of similar-size churches to ensure the levels are appropriate and fair. We, in turn, follow this example when setting compensation across all staff positions throughout the church.

the elders require regular meetings with the senior

pastor and pas-tor of finance to review the finan-

cial reports. in these meet-ings, actual operations are compared to budgets, and any areas of variance are discussed. regular review increases transparency and provides an opportunity for intervention or guidance when necessary.

the treasurer of the board of elders maintains open communication with the pas-tor of finance. this allows for free dialogue concerning

financial matters and practices and further promotes a culture of trans-parency. All financial records are open to review at any time by members of the board of elders. (this includes the senior pastor’s expense reports, which the trea-surer reviews on a quarterly basis.)

Although regular reviews may not always seem necessary — and in some cases, even tedious — knowing they’re performed instills greater trust in leader-ship throughout the church.

Although regular reviews may not

http://www.guidestone.org/values



without impeding ministry. We have four accounting staff — two full-time and two part-time. this enables us to maintain a distinct segregation of duties, which promotes efficiency and accountability between roles. Separate staff members process deposits, pay the bills, perform bank reconciliations and pre-pare financial reports.

We also use technology to help facilitate this segregation by limiting access to certain software components and by tracking who makes particular transactions. Without this seg-regation of responsibilities, it becomes much easier for losses to go undetected and for integrity to more easily be brought into question.

in churches where this separation isn’t feasible, it’s neces-sary to get creative; other personnel or volunteers must be enlisted to maintain a healthy checks-and-balances level, and to safeguard church funds.

Ministry often directly intersects with financial controls in the area of expenses and resource allocation. to facilitate ministry while at the same time controlling budget spending,

eastview uses a combination of check requests and staff credit cards with preset limits. Budget funds are released quarterly, and large capital purchases must be approved by the executive pastor. regardless of size, every purchase must be documented with a receipt and entered in our purchase order system. Also, checks exceeding a certain threshold amount must be counter-signed by a member of the pastoral leadership team. directors meet regularly with the executive pastor and review their minis-try budgets. in some cases, the above processes can impact ministries; but, the reduced risk of abuse and higher level of accountability support the financial control.

to build on the financial leadership of our past and maintain the highest levels of integrity going forward, church leaders must constantly reevaluate the controls and safeguards in place to protect the resources with which their ministries have been entrusted. in churches where this is done well, we’re more likely to see ministry succeed and God’s provision increase. CE

Mark Zimmerman is the pastor of finance at Eastview Christian Church in Normal, IL.

creating a HealtHy control environMentat Lifechurch.tv, risk management strategies are in place to protect information, financial assets and non-cash, intangible resources.

By CAthi M. LiNCh

As church leaders, we understand that we’re called to steward the financial resources God has entrusted to us. The cornerstone of stewardship is an effective process of internal control.

But, what is “internal control?”

a soLid FoundationThe Committee of Sponsoring Orga-

nizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) is widely regarded as the authori-tative source on the establishment of an internal control framework. COSO defines internal control as “a process, effected by an entity’s board of directors, manage-ment and other personnel … designed to provide reasonable assurance regard-ing the achievement of objectives in effectiveness and efficiency of opera-tions, reliability of financial reporting, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.”

The foundation upon which an effective internal control process is built is the control environment. Commonly referred to as the “tone at the top,” the control environment consists of the attitudes, values, awareness and tone of the church’s governing body and senior leaders. Taking the high road of financial accountability requires that church lead-ership demonstrate: heart for financial accountability, a willingness to be dili-

gent, and an acceptance of policies and procedures. These values are elements of a healthy control environment.

Should every action or transaction be the subject of an internal control policy and procedure? Absolutely not! If that was the case, our churches would become seas of bureaucracy, with no time or energy left for ministry.

Instead, within a healthy control environment, we’re able to engage in an ongoing process of financial risk assess-ment: identifying the risks to the church’s ministry, and assessing for each risk the likelihood of its occurrence — along with the magnitude of its impact, should the risk become reality.

As each risk that poses a great threat to the church is identified and assessed, we may choose to accept the risk, if the likelihood of occurrence and/or magni-tude of impact is very low; eliminate the risk by avoiding the activity altogether, if the likelihood of occurrence and/or mag-nitude of impact is high; or mitigate the risk by implementing effective internal control activities.

common risk managEmEnt stratEgiEs

For the remainder of this article, we’ll address some areas of financial risk that are common to all churches, and the

control activities we’ve chosen to put in place here at LifeChurch.tv.

Cash receipts: Policies and pro-cedures for processing the offering are documented. Each person assisting with the processing of the offering is required to have previously completed training. A minimum of two people must be present while the offering is being processed — no exceptions! The offering is processed in a secure location, away from high-traf-fic areas, behind a closed door, and often in the presence of a hired security officer. Cash receipts are promptly deposited. (We deposit checks immediately using electronic deposit software.)

Cash disbursements: Each staff member has an approval authority limit, based on his or her position and experi-ence. Invoices or check requests in excess of the requestor’s approval authority limit are processed only upon secondary approval by the requestor’s supervisor. Policies and procedures for personal reim-bursement of business expenses (includ-ing limitations on travel and meals) are documented. Each staff member must submit substantiating documentation for expense reimbursements within 60 days of incurring the expense. All person-al reimbursements require supervisory review and approval.

purchasing cards: Each staff mem-


ber’s purchasing card, or P-card, is struc-tured with a monthly spending limit, a per-transaction limit, and restrictions from purchasing with certain types of suppliers. P-card expense reports are required to be submitted monthly, along with substan-tiating documentation and supervisory approval. Accidental personal purchases made on the church’s P-card are required to be reimbursed to the church immedi-ately. Noncompliance with P-card policies results in revocation of P-card privileges and/or disciplinary action.

Compensation/private inurement: Church resources (facilities, finances, per-sonnel) may not be used for personal or for-profit purposes. The compensa-tion of the highest levels of leadership is approved by an independent compensa-tion committee, in a process that meets the IRS requirements for establishing a rebuttable presumption of reasonable-ness. The compensation of all other team members is based on the results of a for-mally documented annual performance review process.

Financial reporting: The leader of each department is responsible for pre-paring a budget, which is reviewed and approved by church leadership. Leaders

are held accountable for budget results through the annual performance evalua-tion process. All external accounts (cash, investments) are reconciled monthly to third-party statements. All internal accounts (accounts receivable, accounts payable, contribution records) are recon-ciled monthly to their corresponding sub-ledgers. Financial statements are prepared monthly and are subject to successive levels of review and analysis within the Finance function. Monthly financial statements and explanatory notes are presented to and discussed with the highest levels of leadership. An independent accounting firm, selected by and reporting to the board of directors, conducts an annual audit of the church’s financial statements.

In addition to risks specifically relat-ed to financial assets and information, the internal control process encompasses safeguarding of the church’s non-financial assets. The lack of an effective internal control process in areas such as these can have significant financial implications. Examples include:

Non-cash physical assets: Security systems are in place to protect all church facilities. Off-duty police officers provide security for most church events. Insur-

ance policies with sufficient coverage are maintained.

Intangible assets: Access and net-work controls are in place for all informa-tion systems. Licensing agreements are maintained for the church’s use of others’ intellectual property, and for others’ use of the church’s intellectual property.

volunteers: Every volunteer must complete the screening process, which includes a criminal background check, and be approved prior to serving in any capac-ity as a volunteer.

Our churches are a repository for resources generously provided by our faithful Father — resources of time, tal-ent and treasure. The development of an effective process of internal control can help us be better stewards of these pre-

cious resources. CE

Cathi M. Linch serves LifeChurch.tv as its financial operations leader

and treasurer, and is a member of the leadership team that directs the church’s global missions initiatives.


FinanciaL soLutions

controls key to transparencyBy tereSA LoKer

establishing financial controls is fundamental to the success of any charitable organization. these controls serve as a framework for policies and procedures to assist the organization in achieving its goals, while ensuring its compliance with its fiduciary responsibilities.

the fundamental areas that must be addressed to implement these controls include: • Organizationalstructure • Jobdescriptions • Financialreporting • Budgetcontrols.

organizational structurethe first order of business must be to establish an

organizational structure that defines how financial deci-sions are made. in other words: • Dotheorganization’sbylawsidentifywhohasauthorityto

acquire property or incur debt on behalf of the organization? • Arethesedecisionsmadebytheboardofdirectors? • Dothesedecisionsrequirecongregationalapproval?

Whatever the case, prior to the organization making a significant financial decision, the proper authority — as identified in the organization’s bylaws — must provide its approval.

Additionally, the bylaws should identify which cor-porate officers can execute documents on behalf of the organization. Proper documentation of the decision-making process should be retained (such as board meeting minutes or notice of a congregational meeting) so evidence exists that the appropriate protocol was followed in accordance with the bylaws. Significant financial decisions that affect the organization should never be made without the proper authority’s approval.

Job descriptionsJob descriptions for all staff — particularly those han-

dling the organization’s finances — are integral to imple-menting proper financial controls. employees need to be aware of their specific roles and responsibilities so there’s no question as to who’s handling specific tasks.

Job descriptions are a tool for employers to hire indi-viduals with the appropriate skill sets. they also serve to provide benchmarks so disciplinary action can be taken, if necessary. Job functions that are considered “high risk” should be appropriately identified and performed under a dual-control process to ensure checks and balances are in place. to reduce the risk of embezzlement, no single indi-vidual should be able to both approve and disburse funds.

Financial reportingSegregation of duties is key to establishing financial

controls so that the risk of error, intentional fraud and reputational risk are minimized. Procedures should be in place to periodically review the controls to make certain they’re adequate and operating effectively. it’s also a good idea to have an independent CPA firm complete an assess-ment of the controls to provide recommended changes or enhancements.

the key to an organization’s financial health is predi-cated, in part, by its ability to manage itself based on the accuracy of its financial records. those records roll up to financial statements consisting of a balance sheet and income-and-expense statement, which should be reviewed by management on a timely and consistent basis.

to monitor financial performance, the financial state-ments should be carefully reviewed, as they’re representa-tive of the organization’s financial health and are the basis for making key financial decisions — incurring debt or making capital expenditures, for example. Key indicators (liquidity, revenue and expense trends, debt levels and


performance to budget) should be evaluated to confirm that adequate financial controls are in place.

these statements can also be used to help management identify areas that warrant attention, such as targeted expense cuts. Annually, the organization should engage an independent CPA firm to audit its financial statements to confirm their accuracy.

the audit may also serve to expose fraud or other inappropriate activities. if discrepancies are found, the organization’s board should imme-diately take action to ensure that the appropriate controls are put in place.

Budget controlsPrior to the beginning of every

fiscal year, the organization should establish a budget of anticipated rev-enues and itemized expenses. this practice will provide management with a global view of the inflows and outflows of the organization. each department head should be tasked with providing a comprehen-sive breakout of anticipated expenses for his or her area, including capital expenditures.

once all of the information is consolidated, it will become apparent whether or not the organization needs to raise funds or reduce expenditures to achieve a break-even status so that cash reserves aren’t eroded.

Most important, performance to budget must be monitored on a monthly basis, once the budget is established. department managers must be held accountable for perfor-mance to budget, as any variances may affect the overall organization. A defined process for approving expen-ditures should be implemented to ensure they’re necessary and autho-rized. As performance is tracked, it may be necessary to make adjust-ments along the way.

An organization’s ability to meet its goals directly correlates to how effectively it establishes and moni-tors its financial controls. A charitable

organization must implement controls to foster an environment that pro-motes accountability and transpar-ency, whether it’s establishing a set of bylaws to affect a collaborative decision-making process, creating job descriptions to establish account-ability, or consistently monitoring financial performance.

Teresa Loker is senior vice presi-dent and credit manager in the religious institution division of

San Francisco-based Bank of the West. She can be reached at

[email protected].


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32 | ChurCh exeCutive | 04/2013 04/2013 | ChurCh exeCutive | 33

BusinEss managEmEnt

32 | ChurCh exeCutive | 04/2013 04/2013 | ChurCh exeCutive | 33

As a church staff, we’re always in the process of evalu-ating our worship program. We’re asking the question, “do we have an engaging worship experience?”

i couldn’t help but think about our working environment in the same manner. in many work environments today, churches have cut back and/or downsized — yet still expect the same performance with fewer resources. this can create fear and incite employees to put in longer work hours, resulting in cynicism and burnout.

have we created a work environment that’s engaging? or, have our employees disengaged — are they getting ready to check out?

Leadership is required to fully engage each team member as a valued individual in today’s do-less-with-more workplace. By providing your people with a supportive, engaging environment, you’ll promote real results without

creating engaging workplaces

By MiKe KLoCKeNBriNK

worthwhile work — does your staff do what really mat-ters? how does their work fit into the overall goals of the church? there’s nothing more frustrating than doing a lot of work with no perceptible payoff — in other words, if nobody does anything with it. Make sure employees can see the end result and how their pieces fit into the puzzle.

workload — is it “doable good” or “doable destruc-tible”? When you don’t have time to take a breath, it won’t be long before you go under. you may have to help your staff set priorities or del-egate some of their respon-sibilities to others. As an eternal optimist, i’ve taken the “i can do it” route more often than not. And yes, i can do it — but at what cost?

driving your team — or yourself — crazy.Below is a list of what i call “reminders.” Most of them

shouldn’t be a surprise for many of you. however, in the busyness of life, we all meander from the path and need a little reminder now and then. By no means can any one of us accomplish all of this overnight. how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time.

Freedom — do you empow-er your staff to make deci-sions about their work? Are they in control of achieving their goals? if not, how can you hold them accountable or reward them? Along with that freedom, make sure you’ve given them the tools necessary to do the work.

ongoing feedback — employees should always know where they stand regarding their perfor-mance. do you engage them on a regular basis to discuss their performance? don’t make this a quarterly thing; engage with them at least weekly. this isn’t just an opportunity for one-way feedback; ask questions, and be willing to listen.

variety — everyone is different with regard to how much variety they need to stay motivated. Some people find joy in doing the same tasks over and over, while others get bored after a few tries. to find the right person for the right job, cross-training can make a big difference. Complacency leads to routine and boredom. Matching employees with the right jobs can also be accom-plished by moving around offices and workspaces and building work groups that are engaging.

32 | ChurCh exeCutive | 04/2013 04/2013 | ChurCh exeCutive | 3332 | ChurCh exeCutive | 04/2013 04/2013 | ChurCh exeCutive | 33

collaboration — Just because you work in a different ministry doesn’t mean your skill sets wouldn’t be of benefit elsewhere on a project. Ask the question: Who should be on this team, and what can they bring to the party? We need to learn how to share — not just with resources, but with our employees. you may be pleasantly sur-prised to find that some of your staff has unique or exceptional skills set you’ve been lacking. in this regard, several mid-dle school dances come to mind. the majority of the guys stood around looking at the girls they wanted to dance with. one of the chaperones made a comment that has stuck with me ever since: “if you don’t ask, you don’t dance.”

recognition — People need to feel recognized for the effort they put out and the results they achieve. recognition or rewards don’t always have to be in the form of money; a hand-written note or a public acknowledgment of a job well done goes a long way. i personally have found the best reward is when the boss pulls you in and personally thanks you for a specific task you’ve done.

responsibility — in many organizations, employees are looking for a career path or growth track to get on. in a church, there may not be those promotion levels to strive for. often, what people are looking for in these unique workplaces is increased responsibility, trust and the opportunity to do more. When you entrust them, you value them.

Fairness — i think we can all agree that life’s not fair. the question is, do you treat every-one the same? do you have a process in place for making decisions? do the rules you have in place apply only to a few, or are they for everyone? Be con-sistent in what you say and do.

teams — People need to be connected to something bigger than them. in this sense, having interpersonal relationships with coworkers can be extremely rewarding. At Lakeside Church, we celebrate chapel once a month together as a staff. We assign teams to bake or cook for everyone that morning, and we recognize them for their efforts.

set clear expectations — this is where many people get frustrated. the prevailing mind-set is sometimes, “i thought, therefore you should know.” unfortunately, it doesn’t work

that way. if you want and expect results, spend a little more time setting clear expectations. this

requires a two-way conversation.

Mike Klockenbrink is chief of staff at Lakeside Church in Folsom, CA. He may be reached at

[email protected].

collaboration — Just therefore you should know.” unfortunately, it doesn’t work

that way.

requires a two-way conversation.

hanging out with the boss — your people need to know you care about them. invest time with each of your direct reports. this doesn’t mean you need to hang out after work; just hang

out at work on occasion. don’t just give them the time of day; give them time. Coffee, anyone?

i want to encourage you to create an engaging experience with your staff, one bite at a time.

this doesn’t mean you need to hang out after work; just hang out at work on occasion. don’t just give them the

time of day; give them time. Coffee, anyone?

value them.

Fairness — i think we can all

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risk managEmEnt


A church leader has many responsibilities, one of which is to keep congregation members safe during church activities. As not all these activities are on-site, there may be times when driving to an event is necessary. Whether the travel is done in a church-owned vehicle or a volunteer’s car, it’s the church’s responsibility to ensure traveling mem-bers arrive safely at their destination.

First and foremost, this means having a trusted driver and a safe, thoroughly inspected vehicle. once those pre-cautions have been taken, avoiding distracted driving plays an important role in passenger safety. ensure all in the vehi-cle are well-versed in the church’s distracted-driving policy. No matter the situation, the hazards of distracted driving can be life-threatening to everyone inside the vehicle and around you on the road.

transportation safety is your responsibility

We’ve all heard about the dangers of distracted driv-ing. We’ve seen the heart-wrenching commercials, and we may have thought it was something we weren’t guilty of or wouldn’t let happen to us.

in an American Auto Association (AAA) study, nearly 90 percent of those surveyed believed others who used their phones while driving were a threat to personal safety — yet, 70 percent of the same group reported to taking calls while driving. obviously, putting aside the phone may be easier said than done. it can be hard to not pick up the phone, but it’s important to wait to answer.

Below are some frightening statistics on distracted driving from the u.s. department of transportation:

• In2011,morethan3,300peoplewerekilledincrashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,200 in 2010. An additional 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 416,000 in 2010. • Eighteenpercentofinjurycrashesin2010were reported as distraction-affected crashes. • In2011,distracteddrivingaccountedfor10percent of all traffic fatalities. • Elevenpercentofalldriversundertheageof20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. this age group has the largest proportion of distracted drivers. • Driverswhousehand-helddevicesarefourtimes more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. • Textmessagingcreatesacrashrisk23timeshigher than driving while undistracted. • Sendingorreceivingatexttakesadriver’seyesfrom the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field, blind, at 55 miles per hour. • Headsetcellphoneusehasnotbeenproventobe substantially safer than hand-held use. • Drivingwhileusingacellphonereducestheamount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.

So, if cell phones are so dangerous, why aren’t there federal laws regulating their use in vehicles? Because passenger-car driving falls under the jurisdiction of each individual state. this means the u.S. department of trans-portation can’t pass a law to make distracted driving illegal. however, many states have passed laws to ban cell phone use by drivers. to find out about the regulations in your state, visit www.distraction.gov.

By MArK MohLer


other distractionsphone calls and text messages aren’t the only

driving distractions to be aware of. others include: • Eatinganddrinking • Grooming • Reading(includingmaps) • Usinganavigationsystem • Watchingavideo • Adjustingaradio,CDplayerorMP3player • Otherpassengers.

Because of the numerous distractions one can encounter while operating a vehicle, it’s recommended that churches establish a policy for drivers pertaining to church-related activities, including prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving.

instead, drivers should be guided to pull over at a safe stopping place — a rest stop, for example — or to wait until they have reached their destination to use the phone. Alternatively, they should be instructed to designate another person in the vehicle to handle any cell phone com-munications during the trip.

Eating and drinking — extended trips for many miles behind the wheel can result in the driver eating his or her meals and snacks at the wheel. While the intention may be to get everyone to their destination as quickly as pos-sible, doing so could have deadly consequences: drivers

are 150 percent more likely to crash while eating. For example, during one church outing, a passenger

offered a cookie to the driver. When the driver turned to accept the cookie, he lost control, and the vehicle went down an embankment and overturned. two people were seriously injured in the accident. Because of the safety con-cerns, it’s recommended that churches establish a policy prohibiting drivers from eating or drinking while driving for church-related activities.

navigating thE road — it’s the driver’s respon-sibility to know where the group is headed and how to get there. today, with the various smart phone apps and GPS units available, it’s easier than ever to map out your route. But it’s still important to keep your eyes and mind on the road when driving.

drivers should become familiar with the route before they leave for the trip, and destination information should be entered into a navigation system before departing. en route, if assistance with maps, directions or the navigation systems is needed, another person in the vehicle should be designated to assist. At the very least, drivers should exit the roadway safely and check the directions once the vehicle is parked.

drowsinEss — According to the National highway traffic Safety Administration, at least 100,000 police-reported automobile accidents per year are caused by driver fatigue. drowsiness can have the same effects on drivers as intoxication — slower reaction times, reduced vigilance and deficits in information processing, to name a few.

to help your drivers avoid becoming sleepy at the wheel, ensure they’re well-rested before beginning a trip. Also, encourage them to consider making rest stops every two to three hours, and limit the maximum number of hours a single driver can operate a vehicle in a day to 10 hours or less.

passEngErs — While they help make the trip more enjoyable, other people in the vehicle also can be driver dis-tractions. it’s important to review the trip safety guidelines with all passengers, especially when traveling with children and youth. these guidelines should include: • Remainingintheirseatsatalltimes,withseatbelts fastened • Nohorseplayinthevehicle • Noshoutingorexcessivenoise • Nodistractingthedriverwithwordsoractions.

if assistance is needed in managing others in the vehicle, a second adult should be designated in advance of departure.

takE prEcautions — if you’re driving for the church, you’ve not only been tasked with transporting members to an event, but also with keeping them out of harm’s way. this responsibility shouldn’t be taken lightly. Practicing safe, undistracted driving significantly reduces the chances of an accident or other incident on the road.

Keep those in your care safe by pledging to ensure distraction-free driving.

Mark Mohler is risk manager at GuideOne Insur-ance in West Des Moines, IA. He may be reached at

[email protected].

sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average

of 4.6 seconds. that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field,

blind, at 55 miles per hour.



every year, 330 million people worldwide take a faith-based trip. in preparation, they’re finding a plethora of excit-ing, stimulating information about their destinations. they’re also finding “life-changing” religious vacation options from a host of Christian sites across the globe, each offering memorable pilgrimages, spiritual journeys, retreats, mission trips, “voluntourism” and cruises.

What they’re not finding is a lot of information on the risks inherent to religious travel today. Many faith-based destinations are in politically troubled places, and terrorism is an ever-present threat. unfortunately, a dearth of informa-tion exists for church leaders who are committed to manag-ing such risks and protecting their traveller groups.

Putting risk into perspectiveAccording to the uN World tourism organization, the

united States is home to about 335,000 religious congre-gations and places of worship. And, according to National tour Association, 52 percent of religious-trip travellers book through their churches.

this means church leaders must be aware that they carry a responsibility to keep their travelling members safe.

our KeyTravel2012Survey uncovered some alarming findings: • Whentravelingabroad,asurprising24.4percentofrespondents said they’d encountered a serious incident. • Thirty-eightpercentsaidtheyhadn’tbeenmadeawareofthe risk levels associated with a destination or given a pre-trip briefing.

to this end, any reputable travel management company will recommend that those organizing faith-based travel have an up-to-date travel policy — one which includes: • Asetofguidelinesthattravellerscanconsult; • Whatchurchmembersshoulddoiftheyrunintotrouble; • Currentinformationonwhichcountriesaresafetovisit; • Whichairlinesaresafefortravel; • Whichhotelsaresafeforlodging; • Anycurrentcountry-specificrisks.

go beyond just a policyA church’s monitoring of risk factors is vital — before,

during and after travel. emergency procedures need to be set up in advance. in the event of an evacuation, prior briefing, planning, training, and swift, accurate lines of com-munication can make all the difference in getting travellers back home safely.

Preparation should include details of evacuation routes: the location(s) of the nearest airport(s), safest form(s) of transport, nearest hospital(s) — and, very important, key contact information. For example, if a church member has a worsening medical problem, are there english-speaking doctors in, say, Jordan? or, if a member’s bag is stolen in egypt, where would he or she turn?

enlist technologyA number of technology products and services can

assist with traveller welfare and risk management.iprofile — designed by award-winning security

Managing risK on mission trips

does your church have a process in place to manage the congregation’s safety and welfare as they venture out?

By Steve SuMMerS

Southern Baptist disas-ter responders carry rice to a distribution point in ishinomaki, Japan, fol-lowing the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake.


As an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, imb (international Mission Board) has nearly 16 million members and a constant through-flow of travellers on global missions. As such, imb takes exemplary measures to ensure travellers’ safety.

a theology of riskevery congregation needs to define

its own theology of risk. Members and clergy need to agree on what physical and other risks the church and its members are willing to take. in a word, they need to establish their tolerance to risk.

First, this is an excellent spiritual exercise. (What does theBible say aboutrisk?) Second, it’s a practical way for a church to formally define the levels of risk congregants can expect while on the mission field. essentially, it defines what is and isn’t worth sacrificing for.

contingency planning crisis policyContingencies come in all shapes,

sizes and degrees of severity. And, they nearly always involve not only those travel-ling, but also those back home.

Contingency planning begins with cri-sis policies that can mitigate concerns and define a proactive crisis-response mecha-nism for the congregation. As an example of mitigating risk via crisis policy, the church should have a policy requiring all mission participants to carry international travel insurance. that way, if something happens while they’re abroad (illness or injury, for example), they can be assured of necessary treatment and safe transport back home.

Crisis policies can also define who would serve on a crisis team in the event of an ongoing issue — especially one that involves the media. Who will speak on behalf of the church? Who will handle member care? Who will update the church website with pertinent information?

While policy plans can always be changed during a crisis, an organization does not want to be defining policy in the midst of one.

pre-planning for safetydoing the homework on a travel des-

tination is critical. Preparing to travel from point A to point B within that location can

be just as important. to this end, churches should provide

mission team members with a basic safety orientation — how to lower their profile while in public and what to wear/carry so as not to stick out, to name a few.

it’s also helpful to leverage the help of individuals in your church who have practical experience in international travel, safety and security, or even law enforce-ment. it might also be a good idea to set up a mock passport control/customs check for mission participants prior to departure. training like this helps them learn what to say (or not to say) when interacting with local immigration officers. this kind of “drill” is more helpful than you might think.

the more pre-planning, training and rehearsing your church can do prior to its mission team’s travel, the better off every-one involved will be.

Scott Brawner is director of risk management for

International Mission Board, SBC. [http://www.going.imb.org]

specialist Maxwell Lucas, iProfile allows users to store medi-cal information, emergency contact details and copies of vital travel documents (passports, insurance policies and visas). this information can be retrieved by users anywhere in the world with Web access.

Existing mobile technology — A range of alerts, reas-surances and personal security services can summon help when needed. At the touch of a button, church leaders can send personalized messages to a group of contacts. this also enables travellers to get in touch when they need to say, “i’m oK” or ask for help.

specialist software — Specialist software looks at travel itineraries and compares them with the latest security and risk information. if a traveller is headed to, or already in, an area where he or she will face a high level of risk, this is auto-matically reported back to key contacts at the church. Prompt action can then be taken to ensure that suitable contingencies

are put in place, and that travellers receive the help they need should an incident occur.

Be forewarned, be forearmedA church travel organizer wants to be worry- and stress-

free on a trip. to ensure this, he or she needs reassurance and peace of mind.

it’s worth any effort to make sure your group of church travellers is well-briefed and prepared, and that contingency plans are in place for their safety and well-being. CE

Steve Summers is CEO of London-based Key Travel, a global travel management company

for non-profits. It offers a range of travel-risk products, all designed to meet the needs of

humanitarian and missionary organizations. [http://www.keytravel.com/usa/missionary_travel]

in tHe trencHeskey travel church partner imb (international mission Board) runs a sophisticated risk management service.here’s a look inside.

international Mission Board missionaries deliver blankets to earthquake victims in southern Peru.

right: Building relationships with

families in Mali.

http://www.going.imb.org

http://www.keytravel.com/usa/missionary_travel


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