![]() The Gospel itself abounds in management lessons, perhaps the clearest of which is the parable of the talents, in which we are told to manage our gifts wisely so that they are actually increased and not just maintained. Indeed, ministry and management are united in the Gospel message of stewardship. Sound business decisions need not exclude social or mission values. Effective management can advance, not impede, the mission's cause. Mission integrity and fiscal viability are not irreconcilable, however. The dichotomy between ministry and money can be traced from Scripture's admonition that money is the root of all evil, through the Manichean heresy of the early Church, right up to the conflict that today's sponsoring congregations experience in seeking to reconcile multimillion-dollar budgets with their efforts to maintain a simple life-style and raise the existence level of the poor. The conflict between faith and finances, however, represents a tension that has been felt since Biblical times. * These amounts represent allocation for $289.As financial constraints have tightened in recent years, Catholic health care facilities have undergone the double pressure of having to safeguard the integrity of their Christian mission while maintaining economic viability. Churches are assessed separately for the latter. The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee receives no ministry share, nor do the Ministers’ Pension Funds. Smaller Church Assistance (supplementary) In two separate decisions, synod asked the denomination’s Board of Trustees to evaluate future funding allocations with an eye to increasing the amount that goes to outreach ministries, and asked Calvin Theological Seminary’s board of trustees to consider the affordability of seminary tuition costs to students. The bulk goes directly to fund ministries that we conduct together as a denomination.” And these funds are not only used for administrative purposes. The denomination covers that lack of funding through “above ministry share” gifts from donors and special offerings.ĭespite this ongoing shortfall, Bolt observed, the ministry-share system remains a vital element of denominational financing “because the cost required in acquiring these funds is so minimal. So, overall, the amount of ministry share collected is only 70 percent of that set by synod. ![]() ![]() And fully 40 percent of all Christian Reformed churches pay 75 percent or less. The denomination’s director of finance, John Bolt, pointed out that 15 percent of Christian Reformed congregations, mostly smaller churches, pay no ministry share at all. Not all churches pay their full amount of ministry shares. The dollar amount requested per member is the same for both countries ($289.88). The Canadian exchange rate is not factored into the ministry-share equation. It is anticipated that this will contribute $26.5 million in addition to the roughly $31.0 million dollars to be raised through donations and estate giving for the broader ministries of the CRC. “Ministry share” is that portion of denominational funding that churches are asked to pay based on the number of members they have who have made public profession of faith, are 18 years of age or older, and who are actively participating in the life of the church. Synod bumped up denominational ministry share from last year’s $280.08 to $289.88, an increase of 3.5 percent. Like everything else, the cost of doing ministry together rises every year.
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