Simple Church Finances: Looking at the Killeen Model

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Permalink Reply by Dena Brehm on April 18, 2009 at 2:40pm

Jim and his group are indeed inspiring, Tony!

God made us co-creators, and we can harness our creative energies to think of new ways, unexplored ways, of reaching out to those in need. The possibilities are endless, if we don't stay confined to our own perceived limitations.

We can start to consider that we (all) are One, and that there is enough (in terms of resources) for everyone. Those notions would free us up from the illusions of separation and insufficiency, that cause us to isolate and hoarde, rather than to freely give to whomsoever...!

Keep challenging us, God ... keep awakening us to Your realities, rather than our illusions..!

Shalom, Dena

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Permalink Reply by Trey Turner on April 20, 2009 at 9:38am

I am in a nearby town from Killeen. I have been in institutional church for 7 years here and am about to venture away from that into a simple church lifestyle with my family. This is helpful information as I formulate the thoughts I need to begin.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Dale on April 20, 2009 at 10:01pm

Trey, if you want me to put you in touch with the folk that I have written about in Killeen, I will be glad to do so. You can email me at tdale@thekarisgroup.com.

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Permalink Reply by Johnnie on April 22, 2009 at 6:02pm

I am still in an IC but my finances have been instead deposted into a seperate "ministry account" for the past 20 years. It really frees up finances and is "good stewardship" to be able to give directly to people or ministries that need it and/or when the Spirit directs. What to do when the IC brings up the "storehouse topic" ? Trust me, they don't want to go there with me !

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Permalink Reply by Jim Norwood on June 30, 2009 at 3:53am

We are a very small church and over the ten year since we began we have given a considerable amount of money away to charitable work around the world.
We have learned
1. Not to tithe to an umbrella body
2. To be undogmatic about how members contribute. We make a point of raising local, national and international concerns amongst our group. Some will give to the common pot a small amount on a regular basis (this goes to monthly payments to charities of choice) These same people will then pour in funds towards projects as moved by the Spirit of God. Others give nothing to the common pot, but are tithing a regular 10% of their incomes to various Christian organisations.
3. In that giving is personal and private we do not keep detailed records of who gives what (we do have a bank account and this records incomes and outgoings) and do not work through tax break schemes as these would infringe the right of confidentiality.
4. We operate by trust in one another and faith in God.

Our view is that there is no one model. Each group must come up with their own ways of honouring God with their finances.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Sherlin, Th.D on July 5, 2009 at 10:42am

Thanks for that article.

For some time I have been examining Scripture and I have noticed the importance of following and obeying the patterns of Scripture. I actually wrote a missiology developed from the patterns of Scripture in my Th.D dissertation. What if the following pattern below was given to us by Christ and the early church as a model for missions and finances?

Suppose that the reason there were 120 people in the Acts 1:15 church was because this is around the normal size that God desires for one church to become? Think about the numbers we have in the word. At that time there were 11 leaders for about 120 people. Why did God choose in his sovereignty to grow the church to 120 and not 250, or 150, or 75, or any other number? God does everythingh for a reason and purpose. So what might be the reason?

How many did Jesus our Lord disciple and shepherd? 12 people and one of those was lost and unsaved. So of the 12 he worked with he had 11 that he discipled who were true followers of him.

Now suppose that we were to apply that model to the 120 person church of Acts (approximation). If you divide 120 people by 11 leaders/apostles you have 10.9 people, or about 11 people per apostle.

This is one reason that I believe there is very little spiritual growth in the modern church today. When we reject the patterns of Scripture doctrines such as loving leaders who in a plural team (eldership) shepherd then the church is lost and/or spiritually stale. Ideally the pattern of Scripture is for there to be one elder per about 12 people just as Christ modeled for us. There has to be a reason why Jesus chose 12 and not 20 or 15 or 50 or some other number. His methods were strategic and for a divine purpose.

If you apply that model and with about 120 people you will have more than enough finances to do whatever the Lord would have you to do. Look at this scenario:

Suppose you have about 120 people who they give on average (some will give more and some will give less) about $25 a week (1 Cor. 16:2). So we multiply 25 x 120 = 3000 per week.

3000 per week x 52 weeks = $156,000.

Suppose of the 11 or 12 elders there is one primary teaching/ruling elder who may travel from house church to house church mentoring the other elders and teaching doctrine to the multiple house churches (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Suppose he were to take a salary determined and agreed upon by the leadership (suppose $50,000).

This now leaves $106,000 for missions and for benevolence and other related items. Even with a full time salary of a primary teaching elder, which in some cases would not be there as sometimes these elders do not request it, but even if he did then you still have about 67% of the budget left for outreach and service. And as noted, if the free giving was about $50 per person (some giving more and some giving less) for 120 people then the total budget would be $312,000 per year and if there was a full time elder at $50,000 then you would still have about 84% left for missions, helping the poor, and other services.

Suppose you wanted to hire a church planter to go over to the next county (Acts 1:8) and begin working to build another set of house churches in that county. You could easily sponsor that planter with either a full or part time salary to get started. If you gave him a $50,000 salary you are still left with $56,000 for local missions and local benevolence. That is more than $1,000 per week that could be used for other needs. If you do not have a missionary to support then you have $2038 dollars per week to give to the poor, to help the hurting, and to host other things for the goal of making friends and disciples in Christ.

All of these numbers also double if you were to average 50 per week in giving. If you double the average then you have $312,000 per year for the Lord's work. I gave a low number above of 25 dollars per week as the average. But even with that low average there is sufficient income to do so much for the kingdom of God and for missionary activity locally and beyond.

Keith Sherlin, DD; Th.D

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Permalink Reply by Ching Alkuino on July 5, 2009 at 10:04pm

Hello Keith,

You might find the article I attached to this reply interesting. Its written by a theologian pastor Ray Mayhew. It's the best thing I've ever read about church finances.

I hope find it helpful.

Your bro
Ching Alkuino

Attachments:

• EmbezzlementPaper.pdf, 374 KB

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Permalink Reply by Craig Anthony Wallace on July 9, 2009 at 8:46am

I really appreciate the perspective from the Killeen network and what they say about pursuing Paul's model of ministry in being a Tent maker.However a different vantage on scripture shows that his tent making was intermittent with receiving funds, not a salary, from churches. At the base of both options was his faith in God for provision, something which Jesus made fundamental in discipleship.He sent his disciples out without a purse , then later on once they had learnt the lesson of God´s provision, with a purse.

Having been a simple missionary for the last many years, I have found that training indispensible since on many occasions we have been in countries where "Tent making" has been an impossibility. We have always been in need but can witness to God's supernatural provision on countless occasions. Is it not important that supernatural provision from God should also be within the experience of Simple Church so that apostolic workers can be sent out confidently? Without this knowledge there could be a holding back from sending apostolic workers unless there is ample funding.Jesus did the opposite, he discipled his followers into utter dependence on God's provision.

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Permalink Reply by David Evans on July 9, 2009 at 6:55pm

Craig
For me, what makes the difference is actually knowing and being in fellowship with those that are sent. The IC model where some folks that you barely know are sent and need money is so different when someone that you know and that you were part of sending them out for the ministry that God has sent the for. That makes it easy to support.

Craig Anthony Wallace said:

I really appreciate the perspective from the Killeen network and what they say about pursuing Paul's model of ministry in being a Tent maker.However a different vantage on scripture shows that his tent making was intermittent with receiving funds, not a salary, from churches. At the base of both options was his faith in God for provision, something which Jesus made fundamental in discipleship.He sent his disciples out without a purse , then later on once they had learnt the lesson of God´s provision, with a purse.

Having been a simple missionary for the last many years, I have found that training indispensible since on many occasions we have been in countries where "Tent making" has been an impossibility. We have always been in need but can witness to God's supernatural provision on countless occasions. Is it not important that supernatural provision from God should also be within the experience of Simple Church so that apostolic workers can be sent out confidently? Without this knowledge there could be a holding back from sending apostolic workers unless there is ample funding.Jesus did the opposite, he discipled his followers into utter dependence on God's provision.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Anthony Wallace on July 10, 2009 at 1:51am

You're absolutely right, David, thats been our experience over the years.We have found that it is the people who know and love us that do continue to support our mission but at the same time we have learned to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord as the prime mover of hearts and supplier of our needs.Sometimes we have experienced the sudden withdrawal of support from somebody, and almost seamlessly taken over by a new source, which always goes to prove to us that it is the Lord himself who provides . We do nevertheless honour the kindness and faithfulness of our supporters and see them as co workers in mission.

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Permalink Reply by jack mark on July 29, 2009 at 9:43pm

Hi Mr.Tony
Thanks for writing the story of Jim and Cathy Mellon.




Highest prices of
mortgage

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Permalink Reply by Frank J. McAvinchey on August 9, 2009 at 1:16am

I love that church, and I'm sure that Jesus does as well. I am praying regarding restarting our mostly closed down house church, La Roca. A few years ago, my wife and I had left an institutional-ish church of some 12,000 members having been hugely put off by their "Sex and the City" sermon topic, which included one of the pastors cross-dressing, and acting like Dr. Ruth. There was a mass exodus from that congregation, like 40% of the long-time members. So we felt we needed to hit the road, and go home. We quickly had around 30 folks, half American, half Hispanic immigrants. That went on for around a year, and then I was asked by a friend to come and help him with a budding Hispanic congregation at that same old church. For several reasons I eventually agreed, mostly because he is a much more "successful" guy than I, and so I doubted my calling, and yes I did feel called, to start house churches.

So here we are, about three years later. I'm on staff, volunteer, at the Cincinnati House of Prayer, and I'm still feeling the urge to start a network of house churches. My wife is not so sure. I have somewhat continued ministering to Hispanics, though somewhat less at the moment, but like I said, I'm feeling the urge to dive back in.

My point is, please pray for God's sovereign hand to guide us and provide for us as we make our decision to move forward or no. I believe my urge is from God. I also believe that it was the enemy who lured me out of that place I was in before. The friend turned out to be a control freak. He was trying to shove the G12 concept down the throats of all the Hispanics in Cincinnati. He has since had the rug pulled out from under him by God. It was all an amazing occurrence, but sad as well.

I thank you for your prayers and covet your input.

In Christ,

Frank McAvinchey

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