Aubrey Malphurs and Steve Stroope, Money Matters in Church: A Practical Guide for Leaders. Baker, 2007.
Referenced in: Church Finance
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Aubrey Malphurs is one of the most recognized authorities in the field of church leadership and administration. When he writes a book, it is usually worth reading. He is joined in this volume by Steve Stroope, a mega-church minister. This is a thorough survey of church finances, starting with a theology of stewardship and spanning the entire spectrum of issues pertaining to churches.
- Part One (three chapters) deals with creating a culture of giving with good theology, donor development, and maximizing contributions. It includes a chapter on how to inculcate biblical teachings toward shaping a culture of stewardship. This is supplemented in the appendices with a theology of stewardship, a brief but insightful overview of teaching on finances from both Old and New Testaments.
- Part Two (nine chapters) discusses managing congregational resources. It covers budgeting, ethics, funding facilities, banking basics, paying staff, legal issues, and servicing debt.
- Part Three (three chapters) covers capital campaigns. This is supplemented by three appendices with sample questionnaires, position descriptions, and calendars.
Most church finance manuals are weighted toward the technical areas of good management. Malphurs and Stroope cover these, though not with the degree of expertise one would get from financial professionals. Their strength is that as church leaders, they pinpoint the areas that are most important in helping churches become generous. Experienced church leaders will resonate not only with the content but also their clear language and targeted advice in areas that really matter. It is an excellent primer on church finances, in the same category as Jamieson, Ministry and Money.
From the Publisher
Money Matters in Church helps leaders to discover a one-stop, comprehensive model for managing finances and fundraising. It guides leaders of any size church or ministry to create a culture of giving that supports savvy, faithful, and legal financing. The authors present a biblical theology of stewardship that supports ways to develop donors and maximize contributions, enact a strategic budget and effective audit process, project income and expenses, work with banks, compensate staff, and address debt. The book’s practical step-by-step approach makes finance issues understandable for leaders without a business background.
From the Back Cover
Money Matters in Church is your one-stop source of information on creating a culture of giving that supports savvy, faithful, and legal financial practices. The authors take you into the heart of a biblical theology of stewardship, teaching you how to develop donors and maximize contributions. You’ll discover systems, policies, and structures for
- developing a strategic budget
- enacting an effective audit process
- projecting income and expenses
- working with banks
- paying staff
- addressing debt
Malphurs and Stroope also detail the steps for preparing, implementing, and following through on a capital fundraising campaign. Response questions at the end of each chapter help you assimilate the material and serve as a powerful springboard for small group or staff discussions.
Editorial Reviews
“Aubrey Malphurs and Steve Stroope have developed a ‘how to’ manual that not only gives the biblical support for teaching about money, but also reveals the step-by-step process of developing a community of givers and an attitude of gratitude in your church.” – Ed Young, senior pastor, Fellowship Church; author, Outrageous, Contagious Joy
“In this excellent book by Aubrey Malphurs and Steve Stroope, you will be exposed to both the solid biblical principles and the sound financial practices necessary for effective growth in a church of any size.” – Bob Buford, founder, Leadership Network; author, Halftime and Finishing Well
“This fine work will provide pastors with a critical tool for understanding and addressing the financial needs of their churches. It’s a practical book that will fill a void that has existed for too long in the training of pastors for their fiscal management role in the church.” – Tony Evans, senior pastor, Oakcliff Bible Fellowship
“Few seminaries teach it, and fewer pastors find financial expertise in their nature or skill set. But strong financial management couldn’t be more important to the success and health of a church. Money Matters in Church fills a much-needed gap of understanding for pastors and lay leaders.” ÐRonald E. Keener, editor, Church Executive magazine
About the Author
Aubrey Malphurs is a professor of church ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary and a church consultant and trainer who has written numerous successful books. He lives in Dallas, Texas.
Steve Stroope is senior pastor of Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas. His congregation of 8,000 people is one of the 100 fastest growing churches in America. He lives in Rockwall, Texas.
***For additional information on this resource, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Check the reference at page top or the links below for resource guides on related topics.***
Other Ministry Resource Guides on Church Administration:
See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Ministry Leadership: