Self Examination re Ministry Finances 0901-03 ZZfwi

                               TO:  Interested Ministries                                                                                                                     FROM: Jim Bramer, Retired CPA=Auditor 
                                                                                                                                                                                                   FILE:    0901-03/fwi     

                                RE:  Self Examination -re Ministry Finances                                                                                 UPTD:  June 22, 2008

  Originated in October 1999;          

    This is directed to the major Ministry Finance Leader ---- for Board consideration....

Preface

        Today we as a family worshiped at our local church ...... part of our service included a Communion Service where we remembered the Lord’s sacrifice of Body and Blood.
        Plus, I carefully examined myself re my personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the need to confess sin and be in right standing with Him. I took time to assess my honest situation  Please go to  4000  as to BLVR matters.

Self Examination re Ministry Finances

        The self-examination process reminds me how that you, as the major leader of your Ministry, need to honestly assess your financial situation. My thrust is not a CPA audit - as important as that is.  Please see the Online Resources below for more information on these matters.
        But rather the Board should simply take time and Self Exam itself as to these issues.  Ask some pertinent questions about getting, holding and spending financial resources.
        I am very much aware that you are accountable for a number of resources at your disposal, and financial resources needs to have its proper perspective. And I am vocationally biased, but my prayer is that you will give such matters the proper amount of attention. My personal experience is that sometimes such matters are not given enough consideration by Ministry originators with little business background or savvy.

A  method  for doing this is to:
  •         Conclude what are your financially important issues; it is NOT always only a  lack of income.
  •         Each Board member receive an evaluation list - ask us for samples; 
  •         Who independently grades these important issues; 
  •         Agree together as to poor grades
  •         Conclude what should be fixed in order to get good grades;
  •         Determine a strategy for getting improved grades.

Possible Important Issues include:
  •         Timely communication of complete financial information,
  •         And this info is understood by all financial decision makers;
  •         Appropriate financial systems and infrastructure;
  •         Schar (School Acct Rec) policy and administration;
  •         Fund Raising Philosophy;
  •         Asset protection;
  •         Spending limits;
  •         Internal Financial controls over such transactions.

Online Resources

     Please note the list below for www.bcidot.org resources after September 2004:
        Content About:               Link to Click On
       *******Ministries*****:
Internal Financial Controls at a Church http://www.bcidot.org/chu/5039-77.html
Self Fiscal Exam - Generic http://www.bcidot.org/all/0075-01.html
Self Fiscal Exams by Ministry Type  http://www.bcidot.org/all/0128-77.html
As to Financial Reporting, etc. http://www.bcidot.org/all/0005-01.html
As to Internal Financial Controls http://www.bcidot.org/all/0039-77.html
Ten Commandments re Ministry Finances http://www.bcidot.org/all/0032-01.html
Fiscal Exam - help from Jim Bramer http://www.bcidot.org/hlp/0129-06.html
Another approach to Fiscal Exam by Jim B http://www.bcidot.org/hlp/0025-01.html
TRUISMS  re Ministry Finances http://www.bcidot.org/all/0069-01.html
 
        ******Christian Families******:
Need Bookkeeping Help Exam http://www.bcidot.org/env/BookkeepingSelfExam.html
Righteous Personal Finance TRUISMS http://www.bcidot.org/rpf/BLVR-RPFin Self Exam.html

Final thrust

    As a Board, please carefully monitor these important aspects of your Ministry.

    Click here    for a list of of our "For What it is Worth" Editorials or Online documents.

                                   KEEP  LOOKING  UP  !!

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