Get ’er done: Church Business Operations
We speak at a variety of conferences and training events for church leaders. One of our favorite audiences is church planters. They are enthusiastic, energetic, and entrepreneurial. Of course, other church leaders are too. But there is something special about a group of visionaries committed to reaching their communities with the gospel with work that in most cases has not yet started.
A common component of all church leadership groups that we talk to—but especially church planters—is that while they are energized by their calling to reach people for Christ, they often feel ill-equipped in the business functions. Subjects like budgeting, accounting, labor laws, data infrastructure, and other operational endeavors are not in the typical seminary’s curriculum. Your church isn't a business, but it's not less than a business; there are business practice regulations and requirements for all churches and non-profit organizations.
A church leader can approach the business side of the church in five different ways, and each has advantages and drawbacks.
1. MacGyver / Do it Yourself (DIY)
One option is for the leader to do it himself. The advantages are that he has complete control, doing so taps into his entrepreneurial spirit, and there is no additional expense. The disadvantages are that doing so distracts from the core mission, decreases family time, and potentially has a learning curve inefficiency. There are only so many hours in a day!
2. Anybody want to volunteer? / Volunteers
The second approach is to use volunteers in the church. Like the first, there is no extra expense, plus church members have firsthand knowledge of the church, access to leadership, and are an available resource. Drawbacks of using volunteers include a trust and accountability dilemma—particularly related to member giving and staff compensation, the risk of them having limited available time, and it can be difficult to remove them from the role if it is ever necessary.
3. It’s in your job description / In-House Staff
A third method is to use in-house staff, which offers control, dedicated focus, and a reasonable expense. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to find qualified people that fit the culture—especially if it is for a part-time role. In addition, staff requires active management, which like the first option can easily distract the leader from the core mission.
4. We need some help / Partial Outsourcing
Fourth is to outsource some—but not all—business operation functions. In this way, unique expertise is hired for specific tasks, with a moderate level of control and expense and a relative ease of dismissal. Like the first three, there are downsides to partial outsourcing. The relationship between the leader and the vendor is most likely strictly transactional, with little if any knowledge of the church and its specific mission, or a desire for it. Also, the vendor only has a narrow slice of information, so the ability to provide the leader with a complete picture of the church operation is impossible.
5. Rely on the Experts / Complete Outsourcing
Finally, the church can completely outsource its business operation functions. The leader benefits from this approach by having access to expertise across the spectrum of church operations, plus having a known, predictable expense. He also doesn’t have to worry about filling any administrative gaps internally. Like the other methods, there are drawbacks. Leaders who thrive on control could feel a partial loss of it. While not a staff position as such, outsourcing still requires a level of staff engagement. Additionally, to be most effective the vendor must understand the church culture—which the leader has to convey.
As noted above, a church is not primarily a business. But the consequences can be severe if the business functions of the church are not handled properly. Auxilio Partners exists to prevent those consequences. In fact, it’s in our name—Auxilio is Latin for “to help, support, partner, remedy.”
Contact us today to learn how we can serve your church or faith-based nonprofit and reduce your administrative burden and how “our business expertise to empower your mission” can free you up for ministry.