Advertise on podcast: Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple

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.

Episode Summary:In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, we kick off a 3-part series with Jim Sheppard, Chairman and Principal of Generis, to unpack one of the most misunderstood roles in church leadership: the CFO.This conversation moves beyond spreadsheets and day-to-day accounting to explore financial foresight—how churches can build the financial architecture needed to support long-term vision, growth, and mission. Jim shares insights from decades of experience in both the corporate world and church ministry, helping pastors understand why the CFO role is fundamentally different from bookkeeping or controlling, and why it’s critical for a church’s future health.One Key Takeaway:A church CFO isn’t focused on yesterday’s numbers—they’re focused on tomorrow’s mission. The true role of a CFO is long-term financial leadership: ensuring the church has the structure, reserves, and strategy in place today to support where God is calling it in the years ahead.Resources Mentioned:- Generis – A generosity and stewardship consulting firm serving churches and nonprofits- Contagious Generosity – Book co-authored by Jim Sheppard

Episode Summary: This episode continues the conversation with Mark Venti of Overflow and Generosity University, addressing the common pastoral struggle of talking about money in the church, especially amid congregational skepticism. Mark Venti highlights that Jesus spoke about money frequently, emphasizing stewardship and giving as matters of the heart, not just financial literacy. To overcome fear and build trust, pastors are encouraged to be both bold and vulnerable, reframing the conversation from needing something from the congregation to offering something to them—namely, the blessings and freedom that come from good stewardship and discipleship. A practical strategy offered is to utilize trusted outside voices, such as board members or lay leaders, to share financial transparency and reinforce the message. One Key Takeaway: The most important action item for any pastor is to talk about money unashamedly and boldly, focusing on stewardship and giving as acts of discipleship that benefit the congregation, rather than focusing solely on church needs. Resources Mentioned: Generosity University

This episode features Mark Venti of Overflow and Generosity University (Gen U) on why church giving often stalls. Mark, a former pastor, believes stagnant growth is due to low trust, pastors being hesitant to discuss money, and a lack of discipleship for younger generations. The solution involves a three-pronged approach: Teach biblical principles on giving. Bring in neutral voices (like financial experts) to address money with credibility. Provide financial literacy to help members get out of debt, as being financially strapped is the biggest barrier to tithing. Mark discourages relying on annual fundraising events as "bailouts." He asserts that focusing on increasing the percentage of tithers will provide consistent income, aligning with the biblical economy. Key Takeaway: Pastors must boldly teach the tithe and simultaneously provide financial literacy to unlock generous giving within their congregations. Resources Mentioned: Generosity University

Episode Summary: In this episode of Distilled, Dan and Kira sit down with DeWayne from MortarStone for the third and final conversation in their year-end giving series. Together, they unpack why nonprofits consistently outperform churches in year-end fundraising—and what church leaders can do to change that. DeWayne highlights the key differences: bold asks, impact-driven storytelling, and strong donor recognition. The discussion dives deeper into how generosity isn’t just a financial issue—it’s a discipleship one. From telling better stories about transformed lives to engaging different generations of givers, this episode equips pastors to align their financial conversations with their mission all year long. One Key Takeaway: Start discipling your people around generosity—not just asking for gifts. Year-end giving isn’t a campaign to plan; it’s a continuation of a discipleship journey that should be woven throughout the year. Resources Mentioned: MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource⁠⁠⁠⁠Parable Budgeting University⁠⁠ Parable's Year-End Giving Guide⁠⁠ Get in Touch with MortarStone⁠

Episode Summary: This episode, featuring DeWayne from Mortarstone, focuses on why churches must segment their givers instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. DeWayne explains that a giver's age, generation, and financial capacity—whether they're a top giver or someone giving their first $20—significantly changes their perspective and ability to give. Treating everyone the same can lead to disengagement and discomfort. To effectively disciple people in generosity, church leaders need to tailor their communication and stories to specific segments. One Key Takeaway: Identify and communicate with your giver segments to personalize the discipleship of generosity. An easy starting point is to understand your segments by using a tool like MortarStone's free Basic version, which will allow you to see the different segments of givers in your congregation and tailor your messaging accordingly. Resources Mentioned: MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource⁠ ⁠Parable Budgeting University⁠Parable's Year-End Giving Guide⁠⁠Get in Touch with MortarStone⁠

Episode Summary: Host Dan and Kira discuss the critical need for churches to start planning their year-end giving strategy immediately with Mortarstone's Chief of Staff, DeWayne McNally. The major challenge for churches is that their congregations are already receiving communications from nonprofits, which treat year-end giving as their "Super Bowl". Nonprofits are effective because they focus on gifts from wealth and assets, not just cash flow. Since complex gifts like real estate or stock transfers take time, churches must begin making targeted asks and discipleship conversations early in the year. Churches must segment their givers (new vs. top givers) to help them take the next step in generosity. For overwhelmed Executive Pastors (XPs), the advice is to build a team with expertise in communications and financial planning to lead this effort. One Key Takeaway: Plan now, execute well, and ask your people to contribute to the mission by thinking about assets, not just cash flow. Resources Mentioned: MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource Parable Budgeting University Parable's Year-End Giving GuideGet in Touch with MortarStone

Episode Summary: Budgeting doesn’t have to be a burden—it can be an act of discipleship. In this final conversation of our three-part series with Joseph Plagge from Martus Solutions, we explore the “head, heart, and hands” model of stewardship. Together, we unpack how budgets reflect priorities, how collaboration keeps teams engaged throughout the year, and why celebrating wins makes financial stewardship life-giving. If you’ve ever felt like budgeting was just about crunching numbers, this episode will reframe it as a ministry tool that builds trust, deepens faith, and fuels mission. One Key Takeaway: Budgeting isn’t a once-a-year exercise—it’s a culture of collaboration, celebration, and trust that keeps every dollar on mission. Resources Mentioned: Parable Budgeting Toolkit Parable Budgeting University (four-week online cohort) One-on-one budgeting services with Parable Martus Solutions – collaborative church budgeting and forecasting software

Episode Summary In this episode of Distilled, Kira and Dan welcome back Joseph Plagge from Martus Solutions to explore how church budgeting goes far beyond numbers—it’s a spiritual discipline rooted in stewardship. Together, they unpack why budgeting should be seen as an act of faithfulness and worship, not just an administrative task. By reframing budgets as tools for discipleship, pastors and leaders can align resources with God’s greater mission, prioritize what truly matters, and move beyond simply maintaining operations. One Key Takeaway Budgets aren’t just financial documents—they’re discipleship tools. When churches plan with eternity in mind, their financial decisions reflect obedience, worship, and alignment with God’s mission. Resources Mentioned Parable Budgeting University – A four-week live online program to help pastors create a mission-aligned budget. Church Budgeting Toolkit – Practical resources for your next budget season. Martus Solutions – Budgeting Season Prep Kit

Episode Summary Budgeting season doesn’t have to feel like a plunge into the unknown. In this episode of Distilled, we sit down with Joseph Plagge from Martus Solutions to talk about how pastors and ministry leaders can move past the fear and frustration often associated with budgeting. Joseph shares practical ways to reframe budgeting from a dreaded spreadsheet exercise into a mission-driven opportunity—one that fuels ministry impact and discipleship. From simplifying financial language, to training ministry leaders, to even making budgeting season fun (yes, snacks are involved), this conversation helps you see budgets as more than numbers—they’re ministry plans in action. One Key Takeaway Budgeting is not just about filling out spreadsheets—it’s about aligning dollars with mission. When ministry leaders are equipped and engaged, budgets become powerful tools that tell the story of lives changed and resources stewarded for the kingdom. Resources Mentioned Martus Solutions – Your Budget Season Prep Kit → Get the prep kit Parable Church Budgeting Toolkit → Download the toolkit Parable Budgeting University → Learn more & enroll