Church Administration and Finance Manual

Otto F. Crumroy, Jr. serves as an independent financial management consultant to churches and teaches church administration and finance. He served as director of 65-member audit group for the Army and Air Force Exchange service. He lives in Lacey, Washington.Stan Kukawka is president of a management consulting company and has 25 years of management experience with two world-renowned electronics companies. He lives in Vista, California.Frank M. Witman was a United Methodist pastor. In his last two pastorates, he was involved in the building of new sanctuaries and the raising of more than $2.5 million for debt elimination. He died in 2010.Paul Witman teaches information technology management in the School of Management at California Lutheran University. Previously, he served as Director of Integration Engineering for Digital Insight Corporation. He lives in Simi Valley, California.

This is long overdue! This updated Church Administration and Finance Manual is a welcome and invaluable resource for pastors and lay leaders—especially at a time when congregations are facing great challenges and change. It addresses current trends in financial management, governance, and effective church structure. I am pleased to recommend this to every parish pastor and congregation.—Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse, author of The World is About to Turn: Mending a Nation’s Broken Faith, teacher, and parish consultantI have kept this resource manual near me in my work as a parish pastor in a variety of church settings over the years. It has been a useful and valuable guide for clergy and laity alike, and I have often needed to retrieve my copy to share it with others. I have yet to find such a comprehensive and helpful guide to church administration. —Pastor Arne Bergland, ELCA intentional interim pastorThis latest revision of the Church Administration and Finance Manual has incorporated the dramatic changes in church administration over the last decade—including the post-pandemic era. It is invaluable in understanding the current reality of areas including child safety, information technology, online giving, and much, much more.—Rev. Dr. Richard Jones, church consultant and trainer on simple church administrationThe bane of seminary education is preparing pastors for leading and administrating an organization. However, in my own seminary education, I had only one class centered on church administration. And by the time I entered my first parish, my head was full of everything but leading a church.I often referred to the 1998 edition of the Church Administration and Finance Manual for guidance in my role as a pastor, and I heartily welcome this revised edition as an authoritative manual for the twenty-first century. Whether you are a solo pastor of a small parish or a pastor of a multi-staffed church, this manual is indispensable when it comes to offering insights needed to be an effective pastoral leader.—Rev. Kapp L. Johnson, J.D., pastor, attorney, and professor at California Lutheran UniversityAs I have journeyed through four decades of church leadership, I have learned that Jesus’ words regarding building a home on a solid foundation are more important than ever. This updated Church Administration and Finance Manual provides helpful strategies to pastors who are preparing to lead local churches. Beginning with a discussion on our call to serve the Kingdom of God and building on our understanding of the leadership of the pastor and the lay leader’s faithful service, this manual emphasizes our responsibility to protect and support our most important resources: our people. As a local church pastor and as the North District Superintendent, I highly recommend this church resource.—Rev. James R. Powell, Lead Pastor at St. Matthew’s UMCThis is a must-have resource for every pastoral and lay leader. The first edition of this book saved me countless hours of research and was an easily accessible resource that helped me when I was not sure where to begin. Although this updated Church Administration and Finance Manual is not a substitute for legal or financial advice, it does answer and inform many questions pastors must consider. Like the first edition, it is filled with thoughtful, proven, and collaborative approaches to common situations. In today’s climate where litigation and administration can easily consume a church leader’s time, planning and working smarter can lead to efficient processes and proactive decision-making. The updates in sexual ethics, human resources, and leadership styles address areas of great need in most parish settings.—Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, EdD, Resident Bishop of the Greater Northwest Episcopal AreaConsulted by topic or read cover to cover, this updated version of the Church Administration and Finance Manual offers expert advice and trusted companionship for a multitude of issues facing ministries today. Focused on love of God and care for people, and written in a direct, personable tone, this is an indispensable resource with practical exercises for planning, organizing and staffing, leadership, and assessing and reporting.—Colleen Windham-Hughes, Professor of Religion at California Lutheran UniversityThe capabilities, opportunities, and challenges of technology have increased exponentially since the 1998 version of the Church Administration and Finance Manual. The revised version greatly expands this discussion. It does an excellent job of addressing a variety of technology topics--even including a discussion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while prioritizing mission fit in considering the use of technology in today's church.—Rev. Dr. Danny Spears, Minister