Copper Gutters

Years ago there were only two kinds of gutters: steel and copper. Because steel rusts, everyone used copper. Copper does not rust - it gets a nice green patina (remember the Statue of Liberty - she's made out of copper).

My church has about 1540 linear feet of copper gutters plus another 1000 linear feet of copper downspouts installed over a fifty-year span. A few months ago I got the idea of saving money in the long run by installing a gutter helmet so that I don't have to pay for gutter cleaning. So I priced a copper gutter helmet - total cost for a copper helmet: $80,000! By the way, you can't install an aluminum helmet on a copper gutter because copper and aluminum have some sort of chemical reaction to each other.

After picking me off the floor, the sales rep said that he could install "lifetime warranty" aluminum gutters, downspouts, and helmets for the entire church for $55,000. So, for $25,000 less, I can get brand new stuff plus a warranty. I don't have $55,000 to install new gutters. I do have about $5,ooo to $10,000 each year that I can apply to the new gutter system. That's what I'm doing - over the course of about 5-7 years, I'm going to install new aluminum gutters starting with the areas that are in most need of the gutters due to the amount of leaves they collect.

We're off to a good start, too. I've already done one critical area and as soon as possible into my new budget year I'll do another critical part. The first part that is already done cost $6,000 but I got $612 dollars back when I sold the copper gutters and downspouts to a scrap metal dealer. I've got one more area that is critical to do and then the rest will be done as I am able - they are not critical but necessary. Here are several benefits to replacing the gutters:

• We save on the cost of gutter cleaning
• We get a new product with a lifetime warranty
• We get a better product because of the helmet
• We get rid of a theft hazard - eventually someone would steal our copper gutters
• We get money back from the sale of the copper

Lead On!
Steve

Change the Future

This morning I made a presentation to the church's strategy council. Actually, the church treasurer, church finance committee chair, and I made the presentation. I'm deeply grateful to them for making the time and having the passion for this presentation; I also appreciate the pastor inviting us to make the presentation.

What I said is that I view the three of us as the proverbial canaries in the coal mine - we're not shouting fire in a crowded theater but we are warning our colleagues and friends about the future of the church's finances.

My worst-case scenario is that in ten years we'll look back at 2006, 2007, and 2008 as the golden years. In ten years, at the present rate, we will have closed some of our ministries and laid off several staff. In ten years we'll begin survival mode.

Unless we increase the conversation about money things will get worse. We need to talk about tithing, stewardship and generosity on a regular basis from the pulpit, our website, and our written pieces. We also need to open up the ways that people who already want to give to us can give to us. We've put in barriers so that people can't give to us - shame!

Within two years we need to increase our revenues by $1 million (a 30% increase) in order just to sustain what we are currently doing. If we want to fund the dreams of the future, then we have to receive even more income. Let's talk about money - anytime you talk about something, two things will happen. Those who don't like what you're saying will leave and those who do like it will step up to the plate. If you don't talk about it, you're ignoring the gorilla in the room.

We have a very good church with very good leaders. But great dreams need great leadership. My request to my colleagues and fellow church members is that all of us need to step up our leadership. Yes, we will get shot at, but that is leadership - just ask the President of the US. We need to look beyond our past and gaze at our future. We need to set our sights on how we can lead (and fund) this church to greatness.


Lead On!
Steve

Advent Sundays

From the list below (see "Christian Advent") there is a ready-made outline for the four Sundays of Advent.

On the first Sunday, the church can focus on the Christian concepts at the manger (peace, love, joy and hope) and what those mean to us in the form of Christian education and implementation of that knowledge.

On the second Sunday, the church can focus on the animals at the manger (donkey, cow, sheep, and camels) and their attitude of uncomplaining service and how we as Christians should imitate their humble service to God.

On the third Sunday, the church can focus on the people at the manger (shepherds, wise men, angels and Mary & Joseph) and how they worshipped a new-born baby and only Mary really, really knew the full story (Joseph had to trust Mary). How does the church today really, really worship God and is it worthy of Him?

On the fourth Sunday, the church can focus on the cities of the Christmas story (Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Babylon [where the Magi came from]) and how the church using evangelism and fellowship to reach out to those people who do not know the Christ story.

Each Sunday, one part of the mission of the church, one part of the Christmas story. There are so many aspects to this concept that ministers have a wealth of material. But please, keep it simple - God's revelation through Jesus is not complicated but it difficult. Don't try to make the Christ-story easy and complicated.


Lead On!
Steve

Christian Advent

This blog is not financial in nature - just spiritual.

Advent is the time of the Christian calendar that is a time of mental and spiritual preparation ("waiting") for Christmas - the anniversary of the birth of Jesus the Christ. Many churches have the practice of lighting candles during the four Sundays before Christmas and then, on Christmas Eve, lighting a fifth candle at the center of the wreath holding the other four. The fifth candle is always the Christ candle.

As I sat in worship yesterday and watched a couple light the first Advent Candle, I commented to my daughter, age 10, about the different symbolisms Christian worship has attached to these four candles. The most popular are the Christian Concepts:

• Hope
• Joy
• Peace
• Love

But we also have the people associated with Christmas:

• Shepherds
• Wise men
• Angels
• Mary and Joseph

Another version is for the animals present on Christmas Day:

• Sheep
• Donkeys
• Cattle
• Camels

Yesterday I thought of a variation I'd never heard before - the cities in the Christmas narrative:

• Nazareth - where Mary & Joseph were living
• Bethlehem - where Jesus was born
• Jerusalem - where Mary, Joseph, and the Magi passed through
• Babylon - where the Magi came from

The church has five main functions:

• education (see in teaching the Christian concepts),
• worship (seen in the actions of the people at the nativity),
• service (seen in the humble but important work by the animals),
• evangelism and fellowship (seen in the cities where so many people live).

Here is a direct link from the purpose of the church directly to the Christmas story. But too many times we focus only on one aspect when the story is so rich with other details. As Christians we need to dig deeper into this story - God's incredible story - to see the phenomenal nuances.

Lead On!
Steve

First Impressions - part three (and last)

This is a list of physical first impressions. There are whole books devoted to the Sunday morning volunteers. Let me give a brief list of these “personal” first impressions:

• Your website was created by people for people. Make sure it is saying the right things about your church. Most visits to church websites are by church members seeking information about church programs. But does your site give non-members what they need (including a positive first contact)?
• You may have police directing traffic in the street near your main parking lot. Are they courteous or surly? Make sure they understand they, too, are part of the image of the church.
• Some churches have greeters in parking lots helping drivers find spots and directing them to a door. That is an excellent way to impress people – especially if those greeters accompany young families all the way to the welcome desk.
• The front door greeters should have assigned doors – they’ll get to know the people coming in their door and vice versa. Make sure the greeters have the latest church directory so they can call people by name – it will really impress guests who see people greeted by name.
• The Welcome/Information Desk volunteers should be extroverts off the scale: warm, friendly, and anxious to go out of their way to help people. Don’t let these critical volunteers burn out. Heap praise on them but also let them know how much is riding on their actions.
• Parents want to know their children are safe – volunteers need to explain the safety (a better word than “security”) measures in place. Print up a card explaining the details – what to do when you drop off your child and how to retrieve your child. The Welcome Desk volunteers can explain these details en route to the classroom.
• The Welcome Desk volunteers also need to walk with guests to their Bible study (Sunday School) room or the worship center. But the volunteer also needs to explain to the guest how to find their way out of the building after worship (many church buildings resemble rat mazes) or perhaps the Welcome Desk volunteer can ask a member sitting nearby to “host” the guests.
• Names are powerful - guests will notice as they walk with their Welcome Desk volunteer when she greets passing members by name. It says a lot that these volunteers learned members’ names and greets each one by name.

You get the idea. If you don’t, then ask a fellow administrator to visit your church as if for the first time and give you a report with this checklist. Don’t shoot the messenger – she’s trying to do your church a favor by giving guests a great first impression of your church. After all, you only get one chance to make a first impression – make it count.


Lead On!
Steve

First Impressions - part two

• Lawn care
  o Is your grass cut and leaves raked on Thursday or Friday, especially during your growing season? Do your trees have mulch beds? Every three months, walk the entire church grounds with your lawn care provider – let him know your expectations clearly.
  o Dead trees and dead branches are dangerous to people and cars – cut them down. It’s cheaper than a lawsuit.
  o Trees are great – they help the church’s “green” image and provide shade. But, get trees with color (maples, cherries, crepe myrtles) instead of pines – people driving by will notice colorful trees. Avoid oak trees, they’ll tear up your pavement and sidewalks. Ask your city nursery for advice – you might even get trees for free (I did).
• Flowers and color beds
  o You need to have something in your color beds year-round (unless your winter flowerbeds are covered in snow). Flowers say a lot to guests – get flowers with lots of colors. I guarantee it will get attention.
  o Get rid of bushes in islands because they block the driver’s view as she looks for an empty spot. If you want bushes, put them against the building (and use azaleas or hydrangeas).
• Marked entrance doorso Are the doors you want guests to enter clearly marked? If you have multiple buildings, how do guests know what door to come in? Perhaps some clearly visible wording over the door like “Main Entrance” will cut through the confusion.
  o Regular attendees may enter through “short-cut” doors. If a guest follows a member into one of those side doors, the guest is immediately lost – not a good first impression. Help guests know which doors to use (and which not to use).
• Appearance of entrance areao The main guest entrance lobby should be busy with people and signs to convey an image of an active, on-mission church but not cluttered with “funeral parlor” furnishings. Make the first impression an attractive, warm, colorful visual experience.
  o Word of caution – the furnishings in your lobby telegraph the demographic your church seeks to reach. Your grandmother’s furniture, while pretty, will appeal to, well, your grandmother and not 20-somethings. What does your lobby say about your target audience?
• Welcome desk location
  o Your Sunday morning welcome desk should be visible instantly and not crowded by workers talking to each other about Saturday’s ball game. Get the desk as close to the primary guest entrance door as you can – maybe even out on the sidewalk! If guests don’t know where to go, they’ll go somewhere else or go home.
• Interior church signage
  o Is your interior signage coordinated? Is it in clear and large print? Is it visible down hallways? Some churches have color signage for different buildings or different age levels such as green carpet and green signs for elementary school classes. Just don’t make the mistake of changing your signage style with every new building.
  o New signage is expensive – but it can have a “wow” effective both on members and guests. Use color – it is very effective in all areas of your church buildings.

Lead On!
Steve

First Impressions - part one

Years ago a survey said the number one thing church guests remember about their first visit was (drum roll, please), the landscaping. That’s right – the church lawn. Not the sermon or the greeters but something most members take for granted (until the weeds take over). Guests speculate that if a church takes care of its grass, it is probably doing a good job on other things such as worship, childcare, etc. So, use this list to help ensure you are giving a good first impression.

• Street signs o Make sure there are street signs on the corner(s) nearest your building. If not, ask the city or county to install signs on your corner (not one of the other three). Make sure people can clearly see your church is at the corner of Elm and Main St. and not the other church at Elm and Second St.
• Exterior church signs
  o Ensure that the road-side signs with the church’s name are uniform. Some churches have signs of different architectural styles (Gothic, Baroque, Mission) reflecting the committee in charge at the time. Nice lighting is critical.
  o “Keep it simple, stupid” works for church signs, too. The signs should have “just the facts” – after all, there’s only so much fine print you can read at 35 mph. Somewhere the church’s website should be on the sign.
  o Signs with changeable lettering are not bulletin boards but are marketing tools – the messages must be a positive reflection on God and your church. Pithy messages are cute but what are you communicating?
• Parking lot entrance signs
  o Can drivers see quickly (at 35 mph) where and how to get into your driveway?
  o What about coming in at night, in snow, or rain – is the driveway marked with reflectors, poles, or other visual aids?
• Parking lot maintenanceo Every other year get your parking lot re-striped. Well-marked lines help people park cars properly. It also cuts down on “creative parking.”
  o “Creative parking” can lead to fewer actual parking spaces and to a bad impression to guests. It is also a hazard if it blocks access to emergency vehicles.
  o Some first-timers come to an evening performance. Light the parking lot so they can see how to get back to their car and continue their positive experience after the special event. Of course, residential churches need to consider the impact of lighting on neighboring houses and turn off parking lots at a reasonable hour.
• Guest parking
  o Ensure your guest parking (not “visitor parking”) is near the main entrance doors. Label these clearly so members don’t park there.
  o Some churches replaced “handicap parking” with “Special Needs/Sr. Adult Parking” so police cannot ticket non-handicap vehicles. It serves the same function but gives more flexibility.

Lead On!
Steve

Photos on Websites

Okay, I'm not a Web guru - far, far from it. But I keep getting asked this question, "What is a policy or guideline for churches regarding posting pics on their Websites and other communications materials?"

Here's my answer: I don’t have a policy on this matter but I do have some guidelines. To be completely clean and clear, you should have a permission slip from every person in every picture. In reality, that is impractical at best and impossible at worst. I use judgment – use pictures of your members only for in-house slide shows and publicity. Any publicity on the Website or mass-distributed materials (postcards, brochures, etc.) has purchased stock photos. Those pics are better quality and you don’t have to remember every person in every pic on your site in case a person dies or moves away.

I want to believe that difference is sufficient to ward off any problems yet is a reasonable solution. What do you think?


Lead On!
Steve

Financial Leadership Mistakes Churches Make

• Low Expectations of members - Are people living up to our low expectations? How high do churches set the bar or are we just too scared that people will go away? In reality, people are more willing to live up to higher standards if they know what they are.
  o Set the bar as high as God sets the bar. To do less is to undermine God.
• Low Teaching by leadership of biblical financial principles - Many church leaders are scared to talk about money because they don't know how to. They don't know how to talk about money because they're scared to talk about it. They've got to get off the merry-go-round. Find a God-model for your talk on biblical financial principles – “just because the church needs it” or “because tithing is biblical” is not sufficient.
  o Make biblical financial teaching a regular practice. As with all habits, once you do it enough, you’ll get used to it and do it regularly. However, get a God-model to challenge your members.
• Low Accountability of church leaders (both paid and volunteer) - Who holds church leaders accountable for what they spend and how they spend it? Do those expenses advance the Kingdom or are they just frivolous spending?
  o Can church members get a copy of the church's monthly financial statements without hassles? If your church's checkbook were posted online, would you be embarrassed at any expenses? Did they spend church money wisely? I have a saying that church money should work hard twice - once when the donor earns it and again when the church spends that money.
• Low Transparency of church finances - Do churches have fuzzy numbers? A church’s monthly financial statements should be in a readily accessible place and questions should be answered clearly and completely.
  o Make your financial statement accessible. Answer all financial questions to the satisfaction of the person asking the questions.
• Low Leadership and Management – Leadership is guiding the church toward a vision that captures most people’s imagination and gets them on board the ship. Management is ensuring that you have the right people in the right places on the ship and rowing in the same direction. Leadership is about positions; management is about people.
  o Every five years do strategic planning so that you know what positions your church needs in order to accomplish its mission and vision.
  o Then, find the right people to put into those positions even if it means letting go of some great staff. If they can’t lead the church in its strategic plan, then help them move on so that your church can move forward.
  o This means that every few years you’re going to kill some neat programs that no longer fit into the church’s mission and vision and you’re going to let go of some fine friends and colleagues. But you’re the leader of the church – decide what is most critical to the future of the church – its mission or keeping people and programs that distract from the main thing.

Lead On!
Steve

Email to a Colleague at my Church

I thought I'd share an email to a fellow minister. My goal is to get ministers and members to think "outside the financial box" and think if new ways to get money for church needs, especially capital needs.

For a couple months I’ve heard you all getting info about new drop down backboards for the gym. The latest figures I have are costs in the $24K range which is way out of anyone’s budget and designated funds. That got me to thinking about asking the Upwards parents if they would be willing to make a gift or contribution to this project.

In my years as a church administrator, there have been countless times when people wanted to make a gift and asked me what are some pressing needs. My experience is that people want to give back to a ministry or the church that has blessed them or helped them. Unfortunately, the church too often feels that “we can only do it if we pay for it” or “that’s rude to ask people for money.” Both of those concepts are wrong – we shortchange people when we don’t give them the opportunity to give. People want to return the favor, we just need to be open to it, especially to be open to new ways of paying for the church’s needs. Having been in church business for my entire life, I can see a distinct pattern downward in the typical way of funding church – the offering plate is drying up.

I’ve been in multiple conversations with members of the church’s financial leadership team, Ministry Coordination Council members, and the senior pastor on the subject of developing new streams of revenue for the church. The senior pastor asked an MCC member and me to make a presentation to MCC in November on the why and how of new revenue streams. This is a subject that is gaining importance and visibility within our own church.

The Minister of Recreation and I partnered recently on a basketball camp that was a tremendous success and we split the revenue – some for the Rec Ministry and some for the building maintenance (to fix holes in the walls from “stray” basketballs). This is a great model for how we can move forward to fund needs of various ministries and the buildings. I would like to propose that you consider yet another stream of revenue to help meet a need of the Rec Ministry – the backboards.

The idea is that for two of your eight Saturdays during the Upward games, you will distribute a half sheet of paper with the message below. The message is not threatening or guilt-inducing. Instead is makes known a need and gives people the opportunity to respond if they want to. It tells them how they can help a ministry of the church and thanks them for letting us be a part of their life. This is not a solicitation (which our church’s by-laws won’t let you do), it gives people an chance to respond. I truly believe that it is right, ethical, and scriptural to give people the chance to express their gratitude without any form of compulsion. To not give people a chance to give is to limit people and God.

In future years (or even this year), I can easily see the gift request during Upward to be for ministry opportunities in a church in Richmond, or with one of our foreign mission partners, or another recreation oriented need beyond our walls. Perhaps alternating years (between our church and another need) or even doing a split offering in the same year for two separate needs? There are many opportunities and tremendous needs out there – the real question is how can we think creatively to help meet these needs.

Will the Rec Ministry be willing to distribute this message below to its parents? Who knows what God will do through this. Thank you.

New Basketball BackboardsThe Recreation Ministry would like to install four new basketball backboard so that future Upward Basketball seasons can have better equipment. These goals will hang from the ceiling and replace our aging and hard to move floor level goals. Each new backboard costs about $6,000 or $24,000 for the entire project.

Gifts to this project are being accepted by Recreation Ministry if you would like to help. Checks can be made payable to the church and write “basketball backboards” in the memo line and given to a staff member. These tax-deductible donations are not required – it is our joy and privilege to have your child in the Upward program. Thank you for entrusting us with your most precious gift. We hope you and your family have enjoyed it and we hope to see you next year.


Lead On!
Steve

Six Generations In Church - Part 2

The trend is for each successive generation to want to be more actively involved and see tangible results. They want control over when, where, and how each dollar is spent. Younger generations want to know, see and touch where their monies are go AND they want their monies to go to causes that change lives in direct, tangible ways. Several secular non-profits are successfully reaching younger generations who feel they can (and must) “save the world.” The questions for today’s church are:

• Remove Roadblocks
  o How does the church change its governance, bylaws, and policies to facilitate giving?
  o How does the church develop new channels and methods of giving that are in line with younger generations’ patterns?
• Tell Your Story
  o How does the church communicate (using Websites, social networking, and even printed media) its programming opportunities and building needs in ways that appeal to younger adults?
  o How does the church encourage financial support from non-members and non-attendees who believe in our causes?
• Be Creative
  o How does the church (ministers and members) change its mindset from funding programs and activities through the annual budget to each one being self-funding?
  o How does the church expand the types of revenue streams so that we have a diversified portfolio and are less vulnerable to risk? See “The Baker’s Dozen.

The Baker’s Dozen – Ways to Increase Church Income
1. Undesignated Gifts
2. Wills, bequests and planned giving
3. Grants and foundations
4. Endowments, reserves, investments, and interest income
5. Fees for service
6. Rental income
7. Event registration
8. Cost recovery
9. Special offerings
10. Capital campaigns
11. Designated gifts
12. Sale of materials or resources
13. In-kind services


Lead On!
Steve

Six Generations in Church - part 1

Due to increased longevity of our populations, churches have six generations alive at the same time and actively involved. Churches must deal with six different attitudes toward architecture, furniture, expectations of staff, worship styles, what to wear to church, giving, going “green” at church, etc. All churches face this logistical nightmare. As this generational shift relates to giving, there is a chasm between the mindsets of younger and older generations. Whereas the oldest generation is known for giving to appeals, Generation Y prefers to give to causes.

• GI Generation (1901-1924)
  o They are trying not to outlive their money
  o They prefer to give to institutions
  o They have very high trust levels of institutions and organizations
  o They are the Greatest Generation that fought World War II
• Silent Generation (1925-1945)
  o They are trying not to outlive their money
  o They like to give to institutions
  o They have high trust levels of institutions
  o They grew up in the shadow of World War II and the prosperity of the 1950s
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
  o They are in their peak giving years
  o The like giving to designated funds and causes
  o They trust organizations moderately
  o They grew up during the 1960s and Watergate
• Baby Busters (1965-1983)
  o They are beginning to be major givers
  o They really like designated giving
  o They have low trust levels of government and organizations
  o They grew up during Iran-Contra, Jim Bakker and PTL, and plenty of other scandals
• Gen Y or Millennials (1984-2002)
  o They are just beginning to give
  o They prefer to give designated gifts
  o They have low or no trust levels of organizations
  o They grew up with the Web and know they have access to anything and everything
• Gen Z or iGeneration (2003- )
  o They are too young to have a view on giving right now
  o They will probably give significantly to designated causes

Lead On!
Steve

Money-Saving Tips

Flourescent Lights

• Change your incandescent lights to compact flourscent bulbs and remove all incandescent lights (except those you need for formal rooms with lamps).
• Change your flourescent tubes from T-12 to T-8. T-8 tubes use 30% less power but put out as much or more light as T-12 tubes.

Motion Sensors

• Install motion sensors which turn on lights when people walk into a room or down a hallway. While these motion sensors do cost to install, they will pay for themselves within a year or two.
• If you need to phase in the motion sensors due to the cost of installation, start with hallways, then go to closets and bathroooms (where people frequently forget to turn off lights), and then go to classrooms and offices.

Lead On!
Steve

Strategic Budgeting

It's that time of the year - church finances committees racing against the clock and sometimes against the staff and members to present to the church a balanced budget. In most cases, the budget looks similar to last year's budget with a few changes.

There are many ways to create a budget for the next year

• Last year plus budget - take last year's numbers and add or subtract a certain amount or percentage in order to get a figure for this year's budget. This is simple, quick, and easy. That can be good but you've got to realize going into the process that you're taking the easy way out.
• Zero base budget - this is more complicated and eventually more satisfying. Start with a clean slate for each ministry area (music, education, administration, missions, etc.). Then, plan and put a price tag on every event and activity you'll do next year. Don't leave out anything.
• Strategic budget - this type requires a lot of financial and leadership backbone. Don't go here unless you're ready to lead. Like the zero base budget, start with a clean slate. Then, decide what part of your church's mission is "that which you cannot live without" - what part of your church's purpose is so integral to your critical path that should you not do that, your church will cease to exist. After deciding what is number one, then determine number two, and number three, etc.
• Put everything on the table - remove from the equation all positions and people. Think rationally and not emotionally about what it takes to accomplish your church's mission and vision. Ask questions such as, "Do you need a senior pastor (or can you show videos from a mega church)?," and, "How many administrative assistants and ministers do you need to carry out each long-term strategic mission goal."
• When you have settled on your number one priority, then determine how much money you need to fund the programs and personnel for that mission. Okay, now set money aside from your anticipated next year's revenues for that goal. Move on to the second goal, determine what it is and fund it appropriately with personnel and programs. Go to number three, four, etc. Do this until you run out of money (most finance committees can tell you how much money the church will recieve next year).
• There, you've created a strategic budget. The nitty-gritty details of how the budget line items will come about are done through the zero-base budgeting process. That is the second step to creating a strategic budget. Zero-base budgets can be done alone but in the long run it will help the church more if they are done in conjunction with a strategic budget.

Here's the bad news. The financial leadership teams of most churches and the senior pastors are unwilling to develop a full-blown strategic budget. It requires a lot of time and effort. It may require terminating staff and programs that are loved by members. It can be very painful.
Here's the good news. A strategic budget of this magnitude only needs to be done every 3-5 years. That is about how often corporate America re-structures its management. Business wants to ensure they are going in the rigth direction for their organization and that they have the right staff to make it all happen. For the in-between years' budgets, you can rely on a zero-base budgeting process.
After all the behind the scenes work is done, church members will see what are the church's primary goals, how they are funded, how they are staffed and what programs will be done to make them happen. Members can talk about what their church is doing (and not just "being") and they can buy into the vision, both as volunteers and as donors.
Oh, how many goals should a church have? Probably no more than a handful (3 or 4) and each goal should have no more than handful of programs. Keep it simple, keep it focused.


Lead On!
Steve