{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Executive Pastor Podcast","title":"How to Build a Church Budget That Reflects Your Mission","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":780,"description":"Most church budgets are just last year's numbers plus 3%. In this episode we break down how to build a ministry-driven budget that funds what matters and gets buy-in from staff and elders. We cover tying every line to a priority and defending cuts without a fight.\nIn this episode\nStart with mission, not last year's spreadsheet\nThe three buckets every church budget needs\nHow to defend cuts without starting a war\nTimeline:\n0:00 Cold open: a church that committed 25% of giving to foreign missions\n0:37 Welcome\n1:06 Today's topic: building a church budget that reflects your mission\n1:34 Why nearly every church budget is just last year plus 3%\n1:53 What we'll cover: mission first, then the spreadsheet, then defending cuts\n2:27 Start with mission, not last year's budget\n3:22 The planning session: 3 to 5 year window and your top three priorities\n4:17 The bucket approach: personnel, operations, ministry, and giveaway\n5:33 When the giveaway bucket runs away from you\n6:53 Outsourcing the mission, and the church with the leaking roof\n7:59 Acts 1:8 and the myth of the 10% rule\n8:58 How to make budget cuts without starting an internal war\n9:15 Why bottom-up budgets become a wish list and a \"bloody budget meeting\"\n9:44 Start from the top down: fixed costs first, then ministry budgets\n10:15 Make ministries negotiate with each other before they come to you\n11:01 Why going to find a deep-pocket giver is a flawed strategy\n11:45 Recap and this week's challenge: name your top three ministry priorities\n12:25 Next episode: keeping staff costs under the 50% line","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/hmoldqtpv6NRZ5YiVX6JHu4bcWf7ZocQ7jPe1h0Y_8I/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80ODIx/NmI1MDVkNTllMjYx/ZTU0MzljNzI5YmJl/NzBjZS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}