Episode Show Notes

• Episode 1: Protecting Your Church’s Money

  Welcome to the First Episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple!

  We’re thrilled to kick off this journey with you! On Distilled, we tackle complex church financial topics and transform them into simple, actionable steps you can take to steward your church’s resources wisely.

  In This Episode: Greg Daley, Chief Visionary of Parable Bookkeeping & Accounting for Churches, joins us to discuss a sobering statistic: the staggering amount of money projected to be stolen from churches in the coming year.

  Together, we explore:

  • Why and how money is stolen from churches.
  • The most common vulnerabilities in church financial systems.
  • Practical steps to protect your church and promote financial accountability.

  Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding the Risk: Theft in churches often stems from a lack of proper financial controls, making it easier for mismanagement or fraud to occur.
  • Implementing Safeguards: Simple changes like dual sign-offs, transparent reporting, and regular audits can significantly reduce the theft risk.
  • The Importance of Stewardship: Protecting your church’s finances is part of your mission to steward God’s resources effectively.

• Episode 2: The Missing Piece to Church Finance

  In this conversation, Greg and Dan discuss the critical missing piece in church finance, emphasizing the importance of strategic finance. They explore how strategic finance can help churches align their financial resources with their mission, make informed decisions, and plan for the future.

  The discussion also covers churches’ various options for obtaining strategic financial help, including hiring staff, utilizing volunteers, or partnering with specialized companies. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for pastors, including a recommendation to complete a financial leadership assessment.

  Takeaways

  • The missing piece in church finance is strategic finance.
  • Strategic finance involves aligning funds with the church’s mission.
  • Budgeting is essential for future planning and resource allocation.
  • Without a budget, funds can be misallocated and wasted.
  • Churches often need fractional financial help rather than full-time staff.
  • Volunteers can provide valuable financial assistance but may lack consistency.
  • Hiring a specialized company can offer broader insights and experience.
  • Understanding financial health is crucial for church growth and sustainability.
  • Pastors should prioritize strategic financial questions in their planning.
  • Utilizing resources like financial assessments can improve stewardship.

• Episode 3: Unlocking New Revenue Streams for Your Church

  n this conversation, Greg and Dan discuss innovative approaches to church funding, emphasizing the importance of exploring additional revenue streams beyond traditional giving. The discussion highlights various creative ideas for generating income, such as utilizing church spaces for events, forming partnerships with business leaders, and leveraging existing resources. The conversation concludes with practical steps for pastors to implement these ideas and access further resources.

  Key Takeaways:

  • Churches often rely solely on traditional giving for funding.
  • Exploring additional revenue streams can enhance church missions.
  • Utilizing church spaces creatively can generate income.
  • Merchandise sales often do not yield significant profits.
  • Engaging business-savvy individuals from the congregation can help.
  • Companies exist to assist churches in generating revenue.
  • Forming a group of business leaders can lead to innovative solutions.
  • Churches can rent out unused spaces for income.
  • It’s important to ensure compliance with legal and tax obligations.
  • Resources are available for churches to learn about funding options.

  Resources: Diversifying Income Streams Video Series with Mark DeYmaz

• Episode 4: 4 Numbers Every Pastor Needs to Know

  In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Dan Pourbaix breaks down the four essential financial numbers every pastor should track to ensure the financial and spiritual health of their church. These key metrics—income received, expenses, savings, and donor engagement—provide crucial insights into both financial stability and the congregation’s commitment to the church’s mission. Dan shares practical strategies for monitoring these numbers and explains how they can help pastors make better-informed decisions.

  Key Takeaways:

  • Every pastor should track four key financial numbers: get, keep, have, and gave.
  • Understanding these numbers provides a clear picture of the church’s financial health.
  • Tracking giving trends can reveal deeper issues within the congregation.
  • Financial data should be viewed in context over time for better decision-making.
  • Healthy savings can prevent financial crises and keep the church on mission.
  • Giving patterns can reflect the spiritual engagement of the congregation.
  • Pastors should regularly review these metrics with their leadership team.
  • Utilizing financial tracking tools can simplify the process and increase accuracy.

  Resources & Next Steps:

  • • Free Download: ⁠Church Financial Metrics Tracking Spreadsheet⁠
    • Download the ⁠Church Financial Toolkit⁠ for additional resources.
    • Learn more about ⁠Parable’s bookkeeping services⁠ for expert financial support.⁠

• Episode 5: Finding Hidden Money in Your Church Pt. 1

  In this episode of Distilled: Church Finances Made Simple, Kira and Dan kick off a three-part series on making your church budget go farther. They tackle a critical question: Can church leaders really find extra money in their budget, or is that just a gimmicky statement? Spoiler alert—there may not be a hidden pot of gold, but there are strategic ways to free up resources for mission-critical expenses.

  Key Takeaways:

  • No Gold Buckets, But Real Savings: Churches often waste money on redundant, unnecessary, or outdated expenses. Identifying and eliminating these costs is like discovering a hidden pot of gold for your missions.
  • Commit to Clarity: Just like a doctor needs full information before making a diagnosis, church leaders need financial clarity to make sound decisions. Inaccurate or incomplete data can lead to poor choices that don’t align with the church’s true financial health.

  Resources & Next Steps:

  • • Download the ⁠Church Financial Toolkit⁠ for additional resources.
    • Learn more about ⁠Parable’s bookkeeping services⁠ for expert financial support.

• Episode 6: Finding Hidden Money in Your Church Pt. 2

  In part two of our Finding Hidden Money in Your Church series, we dive into a simple yet powerful tool that every pastor should use when prioritizing church finances. The key takeaway? Good is the enemy of great. Many churches unintentionally fund “good” things at the expense of their core mission. Today’s episode will help you assess your spending and realign your budget with what truly drives impact.

  Key Takeaways

  • Good vs. Great – Many churches allocate resources to good things that ultimately prevent them from funding the great things that align with their mission. 
  • Budget Assessment – A simple, structured evaluation can help churches prioritize spending where it makes the most impact.
  • Practical Tool – Learn how to use the Ministry Assessment Tool to rank spending priorities and make informed financial decisions.

  Resources & Next Steps:

  • • Download the Ministry Assessment Tool.
    • Learn more about ⁠Parable’s bookkeeping services⁠ for expert financial support.

• Episode 7: Finding Hidden Money in Your Church Pt. 3

  Is your church’s budget fueling growth—or holding it back? In this final episode of Finding Money in Your Church Finances, we unpack a powerful lesson from The Pumpkin Plan. Just like farmers who grow record-breaking pumpkins, thriving churches focus their resources where they’ll have the most impact.

  Join us as we discuss:

  • Why strategic pruning leads to financial health

  • How to identify expenses that need to go

  • A simple tool to refine your budget and fund your mission

  Resources & Next Steps: Download our Expense Evaluation Tool to help you decide what to keep, reduce, or stop spending.

• Episode 8: How to Build An Effective Chart of Accounts

  In this episode of Distilled: Church Finances Made Simple, Dan and Kira recap their time at the Exponential Conference in Florida—featuring Santa hats, snow yeti pajama pants, and a missing tiny Jesus figurine—before diving into something that may sound boring, but is actually foundational for church financial clarity: the Chart of Accounts (COA).

  Dan breaks down what a Chart of Accounts is, why it matters, and how simplifying it can relieve burdens for ministry leaders, empower wise financial decisions, and keep every dollar aligned with your mission and vision. Whether you’re a pastor or ministry leader, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to use your COA to clearly communicate your church’s priorities—not just to your team, but also to your congregation.

  One Key Takeaway: Look at your Chart of Accounts and ask: is it simple, clear, and aligned with our mission and vision? If not—simplify it. Your financial reports should tell the story of your church’s priorities.

  Resources Mentioned:

  • ⁠Learn how⁠ Parable can help you simplify and align your COA by reach out to their team.