Question: "How transparent should church finances be?"

Answer:

Any time finances are involved, it can be a touchy issue, and this is true in regards to church finances. Some of this is understandable. If a person is sacrificially giving to a church, it is good for that person to show an interest in how the finances are managed. In some churches, virtually every financial decision is subject to a congregational vote. In other churches, no one other than the pastor and/or a few leaders know how the finances of the church are being managed. The biblical balance is somewhere in between.

The Bible does not record the early church having expense reports or budgetary meetings. The pattern appears to be that the church entrusted a leader (or leaders) with the finances, and then those leaders managed the finances. Romans 15:25-28 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 record churches taking up a collection and then giving the money to Paul and a group of others for distribution. How is a church today to follow this pattern? Given the lack of explicit biblical instructions, it appears that God desires some freedom on this issue. Can a church have a board, whether it be elders, deacons, or trustees, who oversee financial decisions? Yes. Can a church congregation provide input and have oversight of major financial matters? Yes. Can a church appoint a single person, such as a treasurer or senior pastor, to be in charge of all the finances? While this method lacks accountability, we do not have a clear biblical prohibition, so the answer still has to be “yes.”

Far more important than the who of church finances is the how. How are the church finances being managed? If a church’s finances are being managed with honesty, integrity, good stewardship, and transparency, then, ultimately, it does not matter who has the financial oversight. A committee can misuse finances just as surely as an individual can. A church should be extremely careful regarding the person or persons to whom it gives control of the finances. The qualifications of “not a lover of money” and “manages his own household well” (1 Timothy 3:3-5) should definitely apply.

Whoever the person or persons are, accountability is crucial. The manner in which a church manages its finances should be completely transparent. A church should always be ready to demonstrate that the funds God has provided are being stewarded wisely. Financial scandals have destroyed or damaged countless churches. And, in most of those cases, there has been a lack of accountability and transparency. Keeping receipts on every staple and paperclip may be a little too much, but a church definitely should keep records on how much is spent on salaries, benefits, utilities, maintenance, etc. A congregation should be able to have utmost confidence in their leaders’ abilities to steward the church’s finances wisely. May the words of the Master motivate and guide us, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/church-finances.html#ixzz3752tsN3l

here we go again.

Q: How transparent should church finances be?

A: As transparent as is humanly possible.

2 Corinthians 8:20-21 KJV
Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: [21] Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Apostle Paul let us in on how we should approach matters such as this in the scripture above. The summary is to make sure your honesty is displayed in the sight of all men like you hope to show it to God. Most of our church leaders assume they owe no one but God accountability on issues of finances contributed by members but we see Paul, the apostle to the gentiles think differently.

Leaders who have nothing to hide do not shy away from scrutiny. If the secular world places premium on leaders being accountable to their followers, how much more Christian leaders?

Apostle John said you can't love God if you can't love your neighbour. So also you can't truly be honest before God if you can't display that honesty before men.

tpia5: here we go again.

What's the problem here? You can't hold your leaders accountable or what? You have any problem with the OP?

I know it from my country that i can read it in the internet how much money they had last year and what they make with the money.

Ever church will tell every sunday how much they got from the offering the sunday before and what they will make with the money.
Sometimes you know before for what the offering is, like helping in Africa or Asia, of for a nice event for the old people in the village or the district.

I can tell you that the bishop of vienna has no big car, he has a VW sharan, I know this is not the kind of car pastors from this new churches in nigeria have. He has also no private jet and when he has to go outside of vienna he take a train where he sit like a normal passenger or he fly with a normal plane in the economic class.

I meet the bishop of vienna about 5 weeks ago in the train when I travel outside of my city and he sit near me and he has no bodyguard with him, he travel alone is this possible in nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

he has no bodyguard with him, he travel alone is this possible in nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

not advisable at a certain level.

nora544: I know it from my country that i can read it in the internet how much money they had last year and what they make with the money.

Ever church will tell every sunday how much they got from the offering the sunday before and what they will make with the money.
Sometimes you know before for what the offering is, like helping in Africa or Asia, of for a nice event for the old people in the village or the district.

I can tell you that the bishop of vienna has no big car, he has a VW sharan, I know this is not the kind of car pastors from this new churches in nigeria have. He has also no private jet and when he has to go outside of vienna he take a train where he sit like a normal passenger or he fly with a normal fly in the economic class.

I meet the bishop of vienna about 5 weeks ago in the train when I travel outside of my city and he sit near me and he has no bodyguard with him, he travel alone is this possible in nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're Italian?

tpia5:


not advisable at a certain level.

why because he is a great man of god so god will protect him!!!!!!!!!!

For what he has fear!!!!!!!!!!!

Apatheist:
You're Italian?

no but a country with a border to Italy!!!!!!! I live in the city with the best living in the world, this comes from the UNO!!!!!!!!

nora544:

no but a country with a border to Italy!!!!!!! I live in the city with the best living in the world, this comes from the UNO!!!!!!!!

France, Switzerland, Austria, or Slovenia?

Apatheist:
France, Switzerland, Austria, or Slovenia?

I live in Vienna!!!!!!!!!

i think it should be made transparent so as to maintain transparency and to avoid preying eyes like yours from medling into church financial matters

nora544:

I live in Vienna!!!!!!!!!

Okay.

benny4wax: i think it should be made transparent so as to maintain transparency and to avoid preying eyes like yours from medling into church financial matters

Some folks are professional whiners and complainers.

If they have a history of such, they don't always need a reason to engage in their behaviour, anything will do.

May God deliver His own from such agents.

nora544: I know it from my country that i can read it in the internet how much money they had last year and what they make with the money.

Ever church will tell every sunday how much they got from the offering the sunday before and what they will make with the money.

Very little information is not available on the internet nowadays, but I'm not sure putting the amount of the church offerings on the web, is the way to go.

nora544:

why because he is a great man of god so god will protect him!!!!!!!!!!

For what he has fear!!!!!!!!!!!

Greater than Jesus?

In what ways should a Church practice transparency in its financial transactions?

http://www.gotquestions.org/church-finances.html