Watch this very brief video of Obama sharing about his desire to be financially transparent. We can think what we want about him and his plans for our country, but if he upholds this promise it’s a GREAT thing. A greater concern for me however is the fact that the Church is not financially transparent. For instance, why don’t we know how much our pastors makes? Why is it a secret? Why is it awkward for us to talk about how much we make from the church? Maybe we’d say its not a “secret,” but why then don’t we publicize it? In my opinion financial transparency in the church is crucial. This, to me, would halt much of the skepticism and exemplify biblical principles much more effectively. But the bottom line is I just wish we would be more open in the church with our finances…
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Chuck Bomar is pastor of Colossae Church in Portland, Oregon and founder of CollegeLeader (
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One reason I’ve heard people mention is that there are legal issues that hinder complete transparency.
On the other hand, my church puts out a line item budget every year for people to go through if they want. They don’t even have to come to the office to ask for it.
I think it actually helps people appreciate how much is being done with a relatively small amount of money compared to the corporate world.
yea, my salary and my senior pastors salary are available to the entire congregation anytime, they just need to come into the office and ask to see the budget. It’s also an item reviewed every year by the entire congregation and the ever so fun congregational meeting in the beginning of the year. But for sure, an accountability about the finances is a must!
Wow, if I had to think of something not transparent, it would would be federal government. And, frankly, President Obama’s deeds in the first couple months have been far from transparent, despite his very laudable words in this press conference.
For example, he had the stimulus bill rushed through in hours so that members in congress couldn’t even read it, much less their be public scrutiny of the numerous provisions and earmarks, before it’s party-line passage. He promised at least 48 hours before we passed $800 billion (gulp!) in new spending. Nope. Only hours. Moreover, this bill was not something specific he campaigned on. (The stimulus he talked about targeted tax cuts for people making under 250, 200, or 150; not about these enormous expansions in government.) Thus, the “package” was not something with some meat on the bones he was carrying with him for months before and everyone knew the basics of it.
This was the quintessential quick decision we had to make right this second because of an urgent crisis!!! The “just trust me” technique, used by a powerful leader. If my pastor did something like this (a huge change in direction made in a really short time, a couple of weeks, because we have to do something)…his trust level would go way down, if not out the door.
I agree that the church should be transparent and financially accountable. I’m all for individual minister salaries to be put in the line items for all to see. Exposing facts to light of day is powerful, and brings discussions about, rather than the gossip that tears at Jesus’ bride.
Go Jesus! paul
I couldn’t agree more about being financially transparent as a church!
I was formerly at a church that didn’t show financial transparency and found itself in the whole 40,000 two years in a row. I am now in a church that publicly shows not only how much is received each week but also how it is doing in terms of the budget. Anyone in the church is allowed to look at the budget at anytime to see how much we spend on anything from individual staff salaries to toilet paper.
Seeing exactly how the church is striving to effectively be good stewards of what God has given them is empowering.