Many of the same labor laws and employment rules apply to churches as to non-profit organizations. This includes guidelines on classifying your workers either as employees, or independent contractors.
Congregants will be more likely to trust you if they know their donations and tithes were being used properly. Congregants will donate more if they trust that the donations are being used in a responsible manner.
You will be able to reassure your congregants their tithes and donations are being used as intended. When congregants know their donations are used wisely, they are more likely to continue to donate.
We know. You didn’t get into ministry to become an accountant. You became a church leader to make disciples and share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Church bookkeepers have for a long time been confused with accountants. They, however, carry very different responsibilities. Bookkeepers maintain the financial records of the church that includes income and expense records. They are supposed to keep records of the dates and amount of every transaction of the church. It is also their task to keep track of all accounts and are the ones who verify the accuracy of the procedures used in the accounting processes. Accountants, on the other hand, perform all the tasks of bookkeepers and also provide auditing, tax planning, financial planning, payroll processing, and consulting services.
Atlanta Church Bookkeeping LLC provides assistance to clients in understanding the complexities of clergy tax law, church pay & human resources. Our specialists are committed to keeping our clients abreast of tax news, developments, and trends in various specialties.
Your church can manage accounting tasks related to programs such as fundraising and preschools, so that these programs, and your ministry, are successful.
Working in church accounting, you share the same responsibilities as an accountant in any other organization. You record expenses, track contributions made by the congregation, and monitor spending on various programs. Your duties center around bookkeeping, documenting and controlling finances for a church.
81% of church revenue came from individual donations. 34% of congregations have endowments, which constituted on average 4% of their revenue. Only 2% of churches received revenue from government grants; 12% received finance from non-government grants.
Common Church Budget Categories
Personnel (salaries, benefits, etc.)
Administration (operating expenses)
Facilities and Equipment (utilities, insurance on property, maintenance)
Outreach (missions, evangelism, social events, etc.)