Ron A Smith.com

Entering the church scene in my late teens I have had the chance to observe the way churches handle their finances and by “handle” I don’t mean how they manage or in some cases, mis-manage their money. I am talking more about the language and the presentation churches have in regards to how money comes their way.

I have been thinking about this for a while as for most people I talk to that are not churched (are not affiliated to any type of religion), they have no clue. Alot of people really believe that churches are funded somehow or in some part by the government.

Not true.

I will give a quick education on how it “ideally works” in the church world.

Lets say you make $50,000 a year. Most people in a church community agree to give 10% of their wage, so essentially, $5,000 a year or just shy of $500 a month.

Add 100 people @ $5,000 a year and you have $500,000 (half a mill).

This is an amazing feat!! Alot of people outside of church lack this idea of many people together chipping in a bit to accomplish large results. Im not joking here and am also not implying that people outside the church are dumb, its just they have not given it any serious thought.

Why would people outside the church think about a churches finances? Its not as though churches talk freely about it. In fact, they hardly do and when it is brought up, churches usually tie it to a lame sermon about giving money and it ends up coming off like a guilt trip.

Churches in reality should make their members giving a main point of discussion when speaking with people not affiliated to their faith.

People are skeptical about churches but not about money. People know exactly what their money does for them, how hard they work for it and people are always asking “what should I be spending my money on next that will bring happiness to me?”

When you inject a person into a life where that person speaks proudly and freely about their spending practices (how they tithe) the other person will be amazed. To see a person give freely to an institute that does good and is something bigger than themselves.

Tithing should not be seen as a dirty little secret between you and the collection plate, it should be a celebrated event that says to people “I believe in this and I am willing to put my money where my mouth is.”

People are generally generous and have no problems about giving to things they believe in. I think if properly explained and the finances revealed, people will be more open to the idea of giving to an institution, especially if that institution openly discuses and acts upon with those finances.

Here is a link to the finances publicly displayed at my church.

Now if only we actually had churches that were doing something more worth while than paving their parking lot.

The pictures in this video were provided by his closest friends. I thank you all for getting these to me as fast as you did.
If you want your own personal copy I can provide this to you.

Another video is in the works covering his earlier years, I just thought it would be nice to have one for his closest.

Thanks
Ron

SO Guinness (my dog) and I were in a talent show this Friday at the Library.

My talent was to display that my dog lacks talent. Here take a look!!