Building a strong accounting system as you start your church is essential to grow in a healthy way as your ministry gets off the ground. This may seem daunting, but it is worth the investment of time and money to create a healthy structure that empowers you to fulfill your calling as a church. We’re called to steward the first dollar as effectively as we steward the millionth, and it’s Scriptural principle that when we are faithful with a few things God will give us more. By taking a few simple steps up front, you can have a well-organized, efficient, and easy-to-maintain system that will help you and your leadership team lead with financial integrity, health and strategic confidence.

Invest in Accounting Software . There are several great, cloud-based software tools that help you manage your money simply and efficiently. Quickbooks is the industry standard, and for good reason. It’s feature-rich, time-tested, and has great support from accounting industry professionals. But there other tools like Xero, Wave Accounting, and Freshbooks that are worth a look. I strongly recommend cloud-based tools for the startup church, as they maximize your office in a coffee shop season (we’ve all been there) and allow for multiple, secure, user access and online data backup. These are simple yet powerful tools that will help you get up and running.

Outsource Your Payroll. It seems like nothing gets churches into more trouble than badly handled payroll processing and missed tax payments. The stress of IRS letters and tax penalties just isn’t worth the small cost of letting a professional pay your employees from day one. For less than $100 per month, you can get an affordable and compliant payroll system in place that you’ll never have to worry about again.

Next Article Will Feature More Key Steps….

• Choose the Right Bank
• Clarify Your Financial Policies and Who Handles the Money
• Hire an Accountant and Attorney
• Consider Outsourcing Your Bookkeeping