Advertise on podcast: Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple

SummaryYour church may have good people, solid intentions, and trusted leaders, but that doesn’t always mean your financial systems are as protected as you think. In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Dan and Kira talk with Nathan Davis from Capin Crouse about the financial controls churches often overlook. They unpack why healthy oversight requires more than trust, how separating financial responsibilities can reduce risk, and why an extra layer of review can help protect both your people and the dollars entrusted to your church. The goal isn’t to create suspicion. It’s to build a financial process where no one person carries too much control, important steps are reviewed, and church leaders can have greater confidence that everything is being handled the way it should be. One Key TakeawayTrust is important, but healthy financial systems still need verification. Take a look at your current process and ask: Is there anywhere one person can initiate, approve, record, or reconcile financial activity without someone else reviewing it? Resources MentionedCapin Crouse resources, articles, and webinars for churches and nonprofitsCapin Crouse podcast episode on church audits, referenced in the show notesNathan Davis’ contact information: [email protected]

SummaryWhat if generosity isn’t really a money issue at all? In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Dan, Kira, and Leo Sabo continue their conversation about financial discipleship and why churches should stop treating generosity primarily as fundraising. Leo challenges pastors to see stewardship as part of spiritual formation. When people understand that everything they have belongs to God, giving becomes less about the church asking for something and more about participating in what God is doing. The goal isn’t simply to get people to give more. It’s to help them trust Jesus more, grow as stewards, and experience the joy of generosity in every area of life. One Key TakeawayGenerosity isn’t primarily about fundraising. It’s about forming disciples. Instead of asking, “How do we get people to give?” churches can begin with a better question: How are we helping people follow Jesus with their finances? Resources MentionedChristian Stewardship Network – Resources, membership, and connections for church leaders building a culture of biblical stewardship and financial discipleship Biblical passages referenced throughout the conversation, including Matthew 6 and Romans 12

SummaryMany churches treat money problems as financial problems—but Leo Sabo, President and CEO of Christian Stewardship Network, argues they’re often spiritual problems first. In part one of this conversation, Leo joins Dan and Kira to unpack the difference between financial education and financial discipleship. Teaching people how to budget, save, get out of debt, and invest is valuable, but those skills alone don’t necessarily form someone into a more faithful follower of Jesus. Financial discipleship goes deeper by addressing trust, ownership, surrender, and the heart behind financial decisions. Leo also explores the danger of an unhealthy “poverty mindset,” where Christians may believe that giving more automatically makes them more spiritual or more pleasing to God. Instead, healthy stewardship begins with recognizing that God is the owner and we are the stewards—then learning to manage what He has entrusted to us with wisdom, faith, and obedience. Key TakeawayFinancial education changes behavior. Financial discipleship aims for transformation. Churches shouldn’t stop teaching practical money skills, but those lessons need to be rooted in biblical stewardship. The goal isn’t simply to help people become financially healthy—it’s to help them grow in trust, surrender, and faithful stewardship as followers of Jesus. Resources MentionedChristian Stewardship Network — An organization led by Leo Sabo that helps pastors and church leaders cultivate cultures of biblical stewardship and generosity.

“If we just had more money, we could do more ministry.” It’s a common thought—but sometimes the real issue isn’t how much money is coming in. It’s where the money is already going. In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Dan, Kira, and Morgan unpack how churches can unintentionally keep funding their history instead of their future. A ministry may have once been fruitful, but if it’s no longer serving the church’s mission, continuing to fund it can crowd out new opportunities God may be calling the church to pursue. Dan introduces a simple Keep, Reduce, or Stop framework to help church leaders evaluate ministries and expenses with fresh eyes. By identifying good things that may no longer be the best use of resources, churches can create more ministry impact without increasing income. Key TakeawayYou may not need more money—you may need to redirect the money you already have. Review each ministry and ask: Should we keep it, reduce it, or stop it? Then apply the same exercise to the expenses within ministries that need to shrink. Saying no to lesser-good things can create room to fund the priorities that matter most for the church’s future. Resources MentionedKeep, Reduce, or Stop Framework — A simple exercise for evaluating ministries and individual ministry expenses based on priority, impact, and stewardship.Church Budget + Calendar Review — Dan recommends looking at both together because they reveal what the church is actually prioritizing with its resources.

Episode SummaryIf someone looked at your church’s spending from the past year, could they tell what your church cares about most? A church budget is more than a spreadsheet, an annual requirement, or a set of spending limits. It is a mission map—one that reveals whether your church’s dollars are genuinely supporting the vision God has given you. In this episode, Dan and Greg unpack eight common church budgeting mistakes, from treating the budget like a checkbox and separating financial decisions from ministry vision to budgeting alone, relying on unrealistic projections, and failing to leave room for flexibility. They also explain why churches need a prioritized wish list, the right level of budget detail, and prayer woven throughout the entire process. The goal is not simply to create a budget that balances. It is to build a financial plan that gives ministry leaders clarity, creates shared ownership, and keeps every dollar moving toward the mission. One Key TakeawayMost churches do not have a giving problem—they have an alignment problem. A healthy budget helps church leaders move from reacting to expenses to intentionally directing every dollar toward the ministry priorities that matter most. Resources MentionedParable’s Church Budgeting Toolkit — Practical tools developed from serving more than 500 churchesParable’s upcoming church money book — Designed to help churches move from reactive budgeting to intentional financial leadership

SummaryWhat should a healthy church budget actually look like? In this episode of Distilled, Dan and Greg unpack practical church budget percentages using Parable’s 90-70-10-10-10 framework. They explain why churches should budget with margin, how staffing and facility costs work together, and what healthy spending can look like across administration, ministry, and missions. But percentages are only part of the story. A budget should not simply categorize expenses—it should show how every dollar supports the church’s mission. When leaders view the budget as a mission map, finances become less about restriction and more about intentionally funding what God has called the church to accomplish. One Key TakeawayA healthy church budget does more than keep expenses under control. It creates margin, protects the ministry from the unexpected, and ensures every dollar is intentionally aligned with the church’s mission. Resources MentionedFree Church Budgeting Toolkit Includes tools to help churches project income, build a healthy budget, and evaluate their spending. Upcoming Parable Book on Church Money Learn more and pre-register for updates about Parable’s upcoming book on aligning church finances with mission.

Episode SummaryChurch financial theft rarely begins with a mastermind and an elaborate scheme. More often, it starts with a trusted person, a financial pressure, and a system without enough accountability. In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, we unpack why trust alone is not a financial control—and how churches can protect their money, their people, and the generosity that fuels their mission. You’ll learn why every financial process should involve two sets of eyes, how technology can create a clear audit trail, and which reports every church leader should understand. We also introduce the Core Four: four simple numbers that give pastors and ministry leaders a clear view of their church’s financial health without requiring them to become accountants. Strong financial controls are not about treating people with suspicion. They are wise guardrails that help keep trustworthy people trustworthy, expose potential gaps, and ensure every dollar stays on mission. One Key TakeawayGood financial controls protect your church’s money. Great financial controls protect your church’s people. No single person should have complete control over the church’s bank accounts, bookkeeping, spending, or reporting. Shared oversight and clear processes reduce temptation, prevent mistakes, and strengthen trust throughout the congregation. Resources MentionedChurch Financial Toolkit A practical checklist to help your church evaluate its financial controls, oversight, reporting, and overall financial integrity. Core Four Template A simple monthly reporting tool that helps leaders track four essential numbers: Get: How much income did the church receive?Keep: How much remained after expenses?Have: How much cash does the church have?Gave: How many people gave? Upcoming Parable Book Learn more about Parable’s upcoming book on building healthy financial systems, safeguarding your church’s mission, and keeping every dollar on mission.

Summary: Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle can make church giving feel quick and easy—but convenience can come with hidden risks. In this episode, Dan and Greg from Parable unpack why peer-to-peer payment apps can create tangled bookkeeping, donor tracking issues, tax confusion, privacy concerns, and transparency gaps for churches. They also explain the difference between personal Venmo accounts and Venmo for charities, why dedicated church giving platforms are usually safer, and how churches can transition to better systems without making giving harder for their people. One Key Takeaway: Convenience should never come at the cost of clarity, accountability, and trust. Churches need giving systems that protect donors, simplify bookkeeping, and help every dollar stay on mission. Resources Mentioned: Parable Financial Summit and budgeting toolkit: liveyourparable.com/financial-summit Recommended church giving platforms mentioned: Planning Center, Pushpay, Tithe.ly, and Overflow

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Kira and Morgan unpack 3 Mid-Year Church Money Moves That Could Make or Break the Year. The conversation walks church leaders through how to pause at the halfway point of the year, review giving trends, check cash health, and realign spending with ministry priorities. Instead of treating a mid-year financial review like a dusty accounting chore, this episode reframes it as a stewardship moment: a chance to avoid December surprises, make confident pivots, and ensure the budget still serves the mission. One Key TakeawayA mid-year financial review is not just about the numbers. It is about making sure every dollar is helping your church move toward lives changed, ministry done well, and financially healthy decisions for the second half of the year. Resources MentionedThe episode mentions Parable’s budgeting and church financial toolkits, built from experience serving over 500 churches. Listeners can download them at: liveyourparable.com/financial-summit

SummaryMany pastors feel overwhelmed when they look at their church’s financial reports. Spreadsheets are full of unfamiliar categories, long account lists, and numbers that feel difficult to interpret. In this episode of Distilled: Church Finances Made Simple, Dan and Kira explain how church leaders can simplify financial oversight without becoming accountants. Instead of getting lost in complicated reports, they introduce a simple framework that helps pastors understand the financial health of their church at a glance. The framework focuses on four core questions: How much did we get? How much did we keep? How much do we have? And how many people gave? By tracking these numbers consistently month-to-month and comparing trends across a 13-month window, pastors can gain a clear pulse on their church’s financial health. The goal isn’t mastering accounting theory. It’s creating clarity so leaders can steward resources wisely and focus their energy on ministry. Key TakeawayYou don’t need to understand every financial detail to lead well. Tracking a few consistent numbers over time can give pastors a clear view of their church’s financial health. Resources MentionedThe “Core Four” episode of Distilled (deep dive into Get, Keep, Have, and Gave)

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Kira and Dan unpack what it really means to move from “less math” to “more ministry.” Many pastors feel stuck managing finances instead of leading people, but the real issue isn’t just money, it’s a lack of clarity and systems. This conversation reframes church finances as a tool to fuel mission, not compete with it. By aligning every dollar with the church’s purpose and adopting a higher-level, “CFO mindset,” leaders can move out of the weeds of bookkeeping and into strategic, forward-looking decision-making. Through practical examples and real stories, Dan and Kira show how understanding your finances empowers better stewardship, builds trust, and ultimately accelerates ministry impact, not slows it down. One Key TakeawayIf you want more ministry, you have to identify where you’re stuck in “more math.” Take time this week to pinpoint the areas where finances are creating confusion, friction, or distraction, whether that’s clunky systems, lack of clarity, or avoidance altogether. Awareness is the first step toward building systems that actually support your mission. Resources MentionedParable (church financial systems & support)Distilled Podcast (for ongoing church finance insights)

Episode SummaryWhat can $18 billion in real church giving data teach us about generosity? In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Kira and Dan sit down with DeWayne McNally from Mortarstone to unpack insights from one of the most comprehensive generosity studies ever conducted—spanning 661 churches, millions of households, and nearly $18 billion in donations. The data reveals a surprising tension: while overall giving and participation are rising, median giving is declining. In other words, more people are giving—but fewer are growing into consistent, mature givers. This conversation explores what’s driving that shift, including the rise of early-stage givers, increased reliance on top donors, and changing year-end giving patterns. More importantly, it challenges church leaders to rethink generosity—not as a funding strategy, but as a discipleship journey. One Key TakeawayYou don’t have a giving problem—you have a discipleship opportunity. Without intentional guidance, new givers won’t naturally grow into consistent, generous stewards. Resources MentionedMortarstone Annual Generosity ReportMortarstone Annual Giving WebinarChurch Finance Made Simple resource hub

pisode SummaryIn this episode of Distilled, Kira Echeandia and Dan Pourbaix sit down with Craig Fatt from Injoy Stewardship to unpack a powerful framework for church generosity: the five seasons of church funding. Too often, churches operate in constant “harvest mode”—asking for giving without cultivating the culture that sustains it. Craig explains how healthy church funding follows a natural rhythm similar to farming: prepare, plant, grow, harvest, and rest. When churches intentionally move through these seasons, generosity becomes discipleship rather than pressure. The conversation explores what each season looks like in practice, why pastors often skip key stages like preparing and resting, and how churches can align their ministry calendar with a healthier rhythm of generosity. Whether you're leading a church or shaping its financial strategy, this episode offers a practical framework for building a sustainable culture of generosity. Key TakeawayHealthy church generosity isn’t built through constant fundraising—it grows when churches intentionally walk through the five seasons of funding: prepare, plant, grow, harvest, and rest. Resources MentionedInjoy Stewardship2026 Stewardship Planning Resource from Injoy Stewardship

Summary: Most pastors spend hours figuring out where ministry money should go, but almost zero time ensuring that money actually happens. In this episode of Distilled, Dan and Kira are joined by Craig Fatt from INJOY Stewardship Solutions to bridge the gap between "having a budget" and "having a funding plan". Craig reveals why a budget without a funding plan is like a "car without wheels" and why your leadership meetings need a "vision shift" from scarcity to abundance. If you've ever had to say "no" to a ministry dream because of a spreadsheet, this conversation is for you. One Key Takeaway: The 1:1 Rule - For every hour you spend on your budget, you must spend an equal hour on how you are going to fund it. Resources Mentioned: Free 2026 Stewardship Plan: https://stewardshipplan.injoystewardship.com/Pastor Roundtable (March 3rd): Focusing on building and construction. https://pastorroundtable.injoystewardship.com/

Episode Summary:In this episode of Distilled Church Finance Made Simple, Dustin Alexander and Jim Sheppard of Generis discuss the critical role of high-level financial oversight in the church. The conversation highlights the value of a fractional CFO, who provides the "financial architecture" and long-term foresight that smaller or mid-sized churches often lack but cannot afford full-time. By leveraging fractional staffing, churches gain objective expertise and a broader frame of reference from someone working with multiple congregations. The experts also explore common "financial landmines," such as overextending on building mortgages and mismanaging payroll-to-income ratios based on a church's specific ministry model.One Key Takeaway:The CFO serves as a "financial architect" rather than just a reporter. While a controller or director of finance focuses on presenting historical financial statements, a CFO is responsible for long-term forecasting and identifying potential "red lights" before a church makes irreversible decisions, such as taking on a large mortgage or overstaffing.