Abstract
In Church Finances for Missional Leaders, Bonnie Ives Marden sets up proper financial stewardship as an integral part of the mission of churches and offers theological and biblical grounding for this approach. Marden argues that to face the temptation that can lead to the misuse of possessions in various ways, Jesus recommended bold generosity, as in the story of the rich young ruler. Generosity with the resources that have ultimately come from God is a spiritual discipline that guards against the temptation of greed or needless spending (p. 3). On the congregational level, Marden’s biblical understanding of “stewardship of money for mission” (p. 10) serves as the basis for incorporating philanthropic best practices into the work of church leaders. That is, proper stewardship of money is a required practice for mission to flourish, while “without money, mission withers” (p. 3). Throughout the book, Marden teaches the vocabulary of fundraising and finances, offers tips from her experience and the experiences of other leaders, and addresses some of the most common questions and challenges that arise when church leaders engage in the financial side of church administration.
Primarily written to support church leaders and congregations, Marden invites readers to begin by reflecting on their own gifts and the relationship they have with all the resources God has entrusted them to steward. Whether considered on the personal or congregational level, financial stewardship is described alongside recent research on philanthropy such as motivations for giving (p. 72). Various other resources serve to clarify the concepts being explained, such as sample budgets and balance sheets, as well as links to key online resources through AARP, ACGA and the IRS website.
Besides these resources, Marden provides frameworks for common types of stewardship campaigns as well as fundraising campaigns for special projects that go beyond the expected budget. In describing keys to successful stewardship campaigns and inviting more members to tithe or approach it, Marden points out that the “most common reason for not giving is that no one asked” (p. 126). Church leaders may experience unease at speaking about money in the church, and this reluctance to invite members to participate in compelling missions through their generosity leads to limited giving.
Overall, from building a budget, to potential giving vehicles, to tax considerations and more, Bonnie Ives Marden provides a specific guide for church leaders that is approachable for the novice while addressing topics that may be new even to experienced nonprofit leaders. As a highly contextual field, general principles and practices help this work reach a wide audience, however, further research on philanthropy, especially as applied in churches, would be of great use in bridging the gap between the academic and practical fields. Though written with a United Methodist audience in mind, the vocabulary of philanthropy and finance, as well as many of the policy and tax considerations, are widely applicable across Christian denominations and religious nonprofits in general.
