This process allows me to share some rather personal comments/thoughts (and sometimes written Prayers)  about some Ministry Finance and Righteous Personal Finance  issues during this month.  Please go to  0200  for further explanation and links to earlier JIM's JRNLs.  The four digit links  xxxx  below come from www.bcidot.org sources.  See list of Ministry Finance Lingo", or "Frequently Used Vocational Terms" at the bottom of this document.  If you would like to receive the upcoming JIM's JRNL  during the first week of the next subsequent month,  please join the following Yahoo Group:   ---- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JIMsJRNL/.    Caution --- the non  www.bcidot.org  web links that I reference below do NOT necessarily imply my endorsement.  Further, if any of the links below do not work, let us know which one at LINK@bcidot.org.  Incidentally, our more recent www.bcidot.org  Web Docs, or writings, can be found at 9712. and 9716.  

Fiscal Fuel and the "Spiritual Gift" of Administration (1)

    Are we sometimes too "SPIRITUAL".... now do NOT misunderstand..... but does the spiritual perspective of a Christian Ministry sometimes overshadow the practical?   In ACTS the Apostles found it necessary to remain focused so they delegated some of the practical (shall I say pragmatic?) aspects of the Master's endeavor to some trusted associates.  They were called Deacons and were appointed to determine and carry out the best way to help such fellow Christians as widows and others who needed practical things as food, lodging and clothes.
    This reminds me that there are some things that need to get done that may not be inherently SPIRITUAL in nature, but absolutes if we are to be effective.  It also reminds me that some Christians are blessed with the ability to get the appropriate every day things done. I believe this is the primary intent of the term "Spiritual Gift of Administration."  Frankly, some of this Administration 'stuff' has to do with handling money and what it can accomplish!
    Life-changing, or sustaining, Ministries are fueled with fiscal (money, or what money can acquire) resources that require righteous stewardship (or application of the Spiritual Gift of Administration in both garnering and administering such resources.  Personally, I like to view finances as one of the "FUELs" needed to be righteously used, or expended, to accomplish a Ministry's purpose. Very simply .... it takes money (a necessary FUEL) in order to get things done!  There are not only Cash/Money fiscal  "FUELs",  but other non-Cash fiscal resources like facilities, equipment and materials. For some Ministries these non-Cash assets may be in the form of sums due the Ministry for services provided.  But suffice is to say, the Ministry needs to prudently use these God-provided resources, or FUEL,  as it judiciously ---

• M)arshals  ---- First you must rightfully 'obtain' money, or garner the FUEL. 

• M)anages ----  Then you MUST prudently manage such resources as they are being used as FUEL in  carrying out the purpose of the Ministry.

• M)aintains ---  Land, Buildings and Equipment is FUEL that is spent now and is used over a longer period of time ...   make the very best use of these resources.  Sometimes the FUEL is temporarily not used ...manage money deposits prudently.  Be careful about 'hoarding' ... the FUEL needs to be properly consumed. 

    Our prayer is that your MFTeam will be a good "Fiscal FUEL"  steward as such efforts take responsible human beings who carefully use their "Gift of Administration."  as the Ministry covers the two economic areas of resourceful  funding and purposeful spending. 
    With the smaller Ministry in mind, most need to determine and effectively use certain fiscal resources and tools in accomplishing the Ministry's purpose.  Please click here to a link that includes such  'how to'  helps as establishment and efficient use of a Computer System that handles your unique Bookkeeping/Accounting needs; Donation and Mailing list requirements; Accounts Receivable record keeping. Plus Financial Status/Flow reporting needs for making timely fiscal "FUEL" status and usage decisions. Task clarity, structure and instruction as shown in   0074  is needed.

If Jim B were etc (4)

    Your Ministry might find of value the following resources included within the web pages so indicated as I have tried to enunciate what I would do if I were a part of a Leadership Board;  I trust you find them helpful.  Please remember that some of what follows is rather platonic, or ideal,  and not always practical for everyone.

1  Church  
2  Mission Organization 
3  Christian Camps 
4  Christian School.  

Ron Chandler (5)

      To remind you afresh of the tremendous resource that Ron has provided to Church Business Administrators at:  http://www.churchadminpro.com/

Frequent Flyer Mile  (FFMs) donations - no tax write off (3)

    One of the reasons that so many of us buy as much as possible using certain Credit Cards is because such purchases result in Frequent Flyer Miles (FFMs).  We can travel free for personal and business. We have even been paid for services rendered to a Christian Ministry in FFMs. A number of Ministries can benefit from FFMs, so do your best to contribute them before they expire.
    The question is: "Do I get a tax write off If I give FFMs to a Tax Exempt Ministry?" The basic answer is "No" as they are not property in the eyes of IRS, and thus have no monetary value.  The reason for this is that you generally obtain such earned miles as a non-taxable rebate from other purchases and you have not paid exclusively for the miles, etc.  There is one exception. You may be able to purchase miles directly from Tax Exempt Ministries who have received such donations -- thus qualifying for the tax deduction. You might also find what follows of interest:  http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/NEWS/9812/25/donating.miles/

Self Funding Issues (6)

   Most Churches receive money that covers a certain event, etc.  I often refer to this as "Defrayment." We trust the following links provide you with some helps along these lines: 0063  0041  5023  and  3444. 

Church Finance Forms (7)

  Please let us know and I can share with you some Church Finance Form samples --- if you need to improve your Internal forms as you document financial transactions.

Knee Mail

   Have you checked your "Knee Mail"  today?

Online Giving and Worship at a Church (8)

   What is your opinion of the general idea of paying your regular tithes and offering to your Church via the various automatic Electronics methods?  Does it help you be a better steward?  What about the general idea of not participating during the Church offering time.  One of the people I work with have some serious problems with not placing your envelope in the offering plate as part of the weekly worship time.  Does the content of  2036  make any sense within that context?   

Wife Bettie (2)

   As I mentioned in the August 2003 JIMs JRNL ( please Click here for details),  I am careful about sharing personal matters here.  But my dear wife, Bettie, had her birthday on 02-17-04.
   We have nine grand sons and it is my prayer that they will find wives that are at least on a par with their Mothers and their Grandma Bettie Bramer.  I will relate to the two grand daughters in another setting.
   Now that both of us are 70 years young, this occasion reminded me afresh how significant Bettie has been in the spiritual life of all of our biological family for at least the past 50 plus years. I love you, Honey, and am thankful for your love for the Lord and for each of us.

 

 Explanation or possible "Ministry Finance Lingo", or "Frequently Used Vocational Terms" appear below:

            CBA = Church Business Administrator, CBAer;  CMS = Church Management Software/System;  CPA = Certified Public Accountant;  GAAP = Generally Accepted Accounting Principles/Practices;  GPFund or GPF = General Purpose Fund; MFTeam or MFT= Ministry Finance Team;  QBOE = QuickBooks Online Edition;  QBooks or QB = Quickbooks; SPFunds or SPFs = Special Purpose Funds

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Click Here and go to a list of earlier JIM's JRNLs - Contact JimRetCPA@bcidot.org

This document was updated last on:  April 30, 2008