EDMN 972 - Managing the Local Church

EDMN 972 - Managing the Local Church May 28- June 1, 2007 in Lynchburg, VA June 11-16, 2007 in Jacksonville, FL Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Dr. Frank Schmitt Office 804-582-2564 Email: [email protected]

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION A detailed study will be made of managing staff, finances, and buildings of a local church. Students will have an opportunity to evaluate critically the management system in their place of ministry.

II. COURSE RATIONALE This course is designed to help pastors and staff members to build on their MDIV education and their experience in the area of church management. The student will deal especially with staff, finances, and buildings. The course requires a critical appraisal of the student’s place of ministry.

III. COURSE OBJECTIVES 1. To know when and how to create a new staff position and fill it. 2. To know how to develop an adequate staff compensation program. 3. To improve staff supervision skills. 4. To identify ways to increase contributions. 5. To develop and evaluate a church accounting system. 6. To know the reports that should be built into a financial system. 7. To evaluate a church facility. 8. To understand how to finance a church building program. 9. To design and develop a church maintenance program.

IV. PRECOURSE REQUIREMENTS: Read each of the following books and Dr. Schmitt’s notes and write a 4-5 page critical analysis of each one. This will count for 25% of the grade. These reports are to be handed in the first day of class. J. D. Berkley, editor, Leadership Handbook of Management and Administration. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994. Stan Kukawka and Frank Witman, Church Administration and Finance Manual: Resources for Leading the Local Church. New York: Morehouse Publishing, 1997. . Frank Schmitt, “A Practical Introduction to Church Administration.” Download Dr. Schmitt’s notes on Church Administration. It can serve as a helpful guide to the study of the subject. The material is available on this web site under course documents.

V. POST COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Write an evaluation and recommendations for the three areas of church management studied in the class (staff, finance, and building and each report will count for 25% of the grade). These three reports should be very extensive and should show where the church is, where the church ought to be, and how the church can move from present situation to the desired situation. In doing the present situation, the student should include information of church buildings such as floor plans and present usage; information about staff such as policies, salaries, job descriptions, and organizational charts; and information on finances such as budgets, finance reports, stewardship promotion materials, policies and procedures, etc. A time line for the proposed changes should accompany each of the areas. The time line for the finance area should include budget projections for the next five years, and these projections should reflect the recommended changes in buildings and staff. To know where the church ought to be, set standards based on the readings in the books above and from Dr. Schmitt’s notes.

VI. COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE

1. Introduction to Church Management UNIT ONE: MANAGING CHURCH STAFF 2.Introduction to church staff Theological and historical foundations Overview 3. Adding church staff Why When What How Induction 4. Compensating church staff Patterns How much to pay Best tax package 5. Supervising church staff Organizing Staff meetings 6. Church staff manual 7. Evaluating Motivating Terminating Records 8. Legal Issues 9. Personal Life Changing places of ministry Beginning to serve in new place Stages of professional growth Forced termination and burnout Family issues

B. MANAGING CHURCH FINANCES 11. Introduction to church finances 11. Stewardship Education 12. Increasing contributions 13. Church budgeting 14. Accounting and reporting of church income 15. Accounting and reporting of church expenses 16. Financial reports 17. Internal controls 18. Church audits

C. MANAGING CHURCH BUILDINGS 19. Introduction to church buildings 20. Evaluating church buildings 21. Planning and projecting church building needs 22. Financing for church buildings 23. Loans for church buildings 24. Maintaining church buildings 25. Insuring church buildings