Why Most Church Finances are a Total Mystery (And How to Fix It)

I’ve spent over 50 years in ministry, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that leading a church requires more than just a word of knowledge—it requires sound stewardship. Recently, I sat down with my longtime friend David Goochee, the founder of Redwood Stewardship, to discuss a topic that many pastors find "boring" or even frightening: internal financial operations. We often focus so much on the Sunday experience that we neglect the systems that actually allow the mission to flourish. As David rightly pointed out, events don’t make disciples; systems do.

One of the most striking points of our conversation was the realization that generosity is rarely the primary issue in our pews; the real hurdle is trust. Many leaders, especially in independent or non-denominational churches, operate without a budget or clear financial reporting, creating a "mystery" around how resources are used. This lack of transparency can alienate our most successful members—the entrepreneurs and business leaders—who won't invest significantly in an organization that doesn't demonstrate high-level accountability.

We also dove into the art of communication, which David refined while training C-suite executives and special operations groups. I’ve seen too many pastors scramble for an offering scripture on their way up the pulpit steps, resulting in the same tired messages that fail to move the heart. Instead, we should be using a rotation of statistics, stories, and stewardship principles. For example, simply explaining how to avoid credit card processing fees saved one church $19,000 in a single year—money that was immediately put back into ministry.

Ultimately, God honors the heart that is prepared. Whether you are leading a congregation of 50 or 5,000, the principles of being simple, sustainable, and scalable remain universal. I want to encourage you to take the "cover" off your finances and invite your people into the vision with clarity. When you combine big prayers with excellent stewardship, you create an environment where the Holy Spirit and healthy systems work hand-in-hand to reach the world.