A bookkeeper might also be required to wear the shoes and treasurer of an accountant or treasurer in the case of a church. They are responsible for all aspects of financial affairs of the church. They are responsible for the following:
So why not consider outsourcing? Outsourcing can provide an additional link in internal controls and increase expertise and accuracy for some small- to medium-sized churches. Let's take an in-depth look at each:
Since long, church bookkeepers have been mistaken for accountants. But they have different responsibilities. They maintain financial records for the church, which include income and expense records. They must keep accurate records of each transaction, including the date and amount. It is their responsibility to keep track and verify the accuracy of accounting procedures. Accountants on the other end perform all tasks of bookkeepers, but also provide accounting, tax planning, financial planning and payroll processing.
It is not possible to keep a church's books in order by maintaining a check registry.
Problem is, the Pastor and the volunteers may not know how to properly set up an accounting system. As a result, your church may have ineffective bookkeeping.
A church bookkeeping system should be set up that tracks income and expenses as well as assets and liabilities.
However, every church must manage its finances. Every week there are tithes to be paid and offerings to be made. There are bills that need to be paid, income to meet, as well as salaries to be earned. It's all a lot of work to keep track. Accounting software for churches can help you navigate these waters, even if Excel is not your forte and you don’t know the difference between a debit or a credit.
Working in church accounting, you share the same responsibilities as an accountant in any other organization. You record expenses, track contributions made by the congregation, and monitor spending on various programs. Your duties center around bookkeeping, documenting and controlling finances for a church.
81% of church revenue came from individual donations. 34% of congregations have endowments, which constituted on average 4% of their revenue. Only 2% of churches received revenue from government grants; 12% received finance from non-government grants.
Common Church Budget Categories
Personnel (salaries, benefits, etc.)
Administration (operating expenses)
Facilities and Equipment (utilities, insurance on property, maintenance)
Outreach (missions, evangelism, social events, etc.)