"Bidness Plan" as we say in Texas!

We had our first staff meeting of the new year today.  It was intense, fun, crazy, productive and we had food.  You can't have a better staff meeting than that.  We had a lot to talk about during the meeting, but Ed said something that most pastor's don't ever think about. 

He said, "if a business person can understand your church budget and expenses, you are not doing what God has called you to do."  In other words, churches don't budget and spend money like a business does.  Most business people, especially the ones who serve as deacons and elders, check their intellect in at the financial meeting door and become "church idiots."  What Ed means by his statement is important for pastors and church leaders to understand.  Sometimes God calls us to spend a lot of money on something that doesn't make much sense. Even in a tough economic time.  A business person would put a stop on the project or idea because in their world, the expenditure doesn't make "financial sense."  Since when did God's plan and purposes have to make sense to us - the puny human being? 

God doesn't operate on the Dow Jones or Chase Bank business model.  If He did, the church would be in the same shape as the econony.  When God calls for us to build, start programs, feed the hungry, or reach people, it doesn't matter how much it costs or if we have adequate funds "in the bank."  We do it, even if we don't have the money budgeted.  Now, we can't be stupid with our money. We are accountable for money, but we cannot let money affect a God-ordained plan. 

Business men and women - Your job is to support the vision of the pastor and help him/her to attain the money needed to implement God's plan.  If you stop God's plan because of "business sense," you better duck!  So many churches are sitting and doing nothing because their hands are tied by the business brainiacs. 

Of course, my wife does all our financial stuff, so what do I know about business?