There are many churches that manage their own financial affairs and records. They know the importance of good record-keeping, but they do not consider it a priority to stay on top of — especially if their budget is tight and time is limited. However, we would like to offer five reasons why your church needs Church Accounting Services:

1. The Importance of Good Record Keeping: There is an old saying, “the devil is in the details,” and this definitely applies to church accounting. Without proper record keeping, you may not be able to account for all receipts; you will not have an accurate picture of your church’s financial situation; there may be instances where you could pay twice for the same expense or maybe even miss out on reimbursing a donor.
2. Separation of Duties: As “Chief Financial Officer,” you may be very capable in your duties, but, at the same time, there needs to be an adequate division of authority and responsibility within the church itself. Your finance department should not be responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with all internal controls (i.e., segregation of duties), for example; again, this is where Church Accounting Services can help! Having another set of eyes involved will help ensure that everything is done according to established procedures and no mistakes or errors get past you undetected.
3. Save Time: Revenue Cycle Management is all about saving time! If you’re doing it yourself, then more than likely, you’re spending more time than you should on finance and accounting procedures. And if your time is limited, then the opportunity to focus on other areas of ministry will become nonexistent. There’s no doubt about it: a good Church Accounting Services team can work miracles when it comes to saving your church time!
4. Stay Within Bounds: Many churches have been surprised by audits from their denomination or agency that they partner with because there was either an unknown or ignored policy in effect that prohibited them from taking a particular action, buying a certain product/service, etc.; In this day and age, everything seems to be covered by “policy,” so don’t let yourself fall into the trap of being unprepared for an audit. Working with a Church Accounting Service will ensure that you not only know about any established policies but will also stay within the boundaries of church and donor guidelines.
5. Peace of Mind: Let’s face it: no one likes surprises. And when it comes to financing and accounting in the church, wrong numbers that get reported could lead others to question the accuracy of your Church Accounting Services team or your minister(s). It may even cause some people to leave because they’re concerned that there is a lack of integrity with the ministry. The last thing you want is for people to lose their trust in your leadership because of bad bookkeeping! By using a Church Accounting Service, you’ll be able to focus on ministry while knowing that everything is being handled to acceptable standards and processes.