From time to time, even experienced faith leaders have questions about how to run a church. Any religious organization has core beliefs it follows, challenges it encounters and times when it’s growing, so understanding how to run a church effectively is an ongoing need and skill. Below you’ll find core resources to help guide you in the process of running a church, resources and structures to put into place and tools to help plan the months and years ahead for your faith community.

Table of Contents

• The Role of Church Board Governance

• Strategic Planning

• Budgeting Process

• Facilities Management

• Volunteer Management

• Employee Support

• Security and Risk Management

• Communication and Transparency

• Adapting to Change

• Using Technology to Improve Church Operations
  
  
• FAQs

The Role of Church Board Governance

Churches need a strong church board or elder board to help manage their operations. While a pastor, priest or minister is often the face of the church in terms of delivering messages and interacting with the congregation, a church board or elder board helps make key operations and budgetary decisions. They play a crucial role in shaping the church's vision, setting policies and ensuring accountability. While these boards may look different across different churches and denominations, their overall mission is largely the same. 

Church Leadership Structure Models

Looking for more information on leadership structure models?

Check out Vanco’s Church Leadership Structure Models resource for help setting up the leadership structure your congregation needs.

Role and Responsibilities of the Church Board

The church board is made up of members of the church and together, they’re responsible for overseeing the church's overall direction and ensuring that it remains aligned with its mission and values. The board’s responsibilities include:

• Setting goals and objectives for the church
• Approving budgets and financial plans
• Making key decisions that impact the church's future, including personnel choices

Board members serve for a specific period of time, often one or two years, then new members take their place to help avoid burnout. Each new board member should have a deep understanding of the church's core beliefs and mission statement to guide their decisions effectively. They should also understand how to run a church.

Importance of Diverse Board Membership

Diversity is important for a church board, as the board should represent the different types of people in the faith community it serves. A diverse board brings a range of perspectives and experiences that can lead to more balanced decision-making. In addition to members from different life backgrounds, it's essential to include members with various expertise, such as:

• Finance: To ensure sound financial management
• Law: To navigate legal issues and compliance
• Community outreach: To strengthen ties with the local community

Diversity helps the church board better understand and address the needs of the congregation and the broader community and is invaluable in making decisions and determining direction in the different challenges a church faces.

Setting Policies and Procedures for Accountability

Like any type of organization, a church needs clear policies and procedures. These standards help maintain accountability within the church by setting clear expectations for staff, volunteers and members. These policies should cover:

• Financial management: Transparent and accountable financial practices
• Organizational structure: Clear roles and responsibilities within the church
• Ethical standards: Guidelines for behavior and decision-making

By choosing a church board of trusted, experienced members, a congregation can be confident that all activities are conducted transparently and in accordance with the church's values. Churches can encounter many problems when pastors, priests and other leaders don’t have anyone holding them accountable to predetermined standards and policies.

Strategic Planning

While churches are called to live by faith, there is a practical component to their missions. Strategic planning creates a roadmap for achieving a church's mission and adapting to changing circumstances. Without a well-built plan, a church might be able to go forward and stay steady when things are going well but might find itself struggling mightily during tough times. Vanco’s free Church Finances Guide is a valuable resource for these challenging stretches.

Developing a Vision, Mission and Values Statement

Before a church can develop its strategic plan, it first needs to develop clear vision, mission and values statements. Each of these statements should reflect the church's core beliefs and provide a guiding framework for all activities. These statements are crucial any time a church starts a new program, class or activity. They are also important when starting a church from scratch. For church startups, a starting a new church checklist can help a body of launch team of believers get their new church up and running. Whether your church is a long-time fixture in the community or you're starting your own church, the beliefs outlined in these statements should form the foundation of what comes next.

• Vision statement: Outlines the church's long-term goals
• Mission statement: Defines the church's purpose and core activities
• Values statement: Highlights the principles the church stands for

Creating a Strategic Plan and Setting SMART Goals

The vision, mission and values statements pave the way for the creation of a strategic plan. That can seem like a daunting thing to create from scratch, but thankfully there are established steps and components to the process. A good strategic plan should include SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that align with the church's mission. We’ve created a guide to help churches create a strategic plan that fits their needs. Sample SMART goals for such a plan might include:

1. Specific: Increase community outreach.
2. Measurable: Aim for a 20-percent increase in outreach activities within a year.
3. Achievable: Partner with local organizations to expand outreach.
4. Relevant: Align with the church’s mission of serving the community.
5. Time-bound: Complete within the next 12 months.

Setting these goals once and leaving them alone won’t work. Review each goal regularly and update it to ensure the church remains on track.

Tip: If you’re looking for help crafting your goals, use our free Church SMART Goals Guide.

Example of a Church Strategy Focusing on Community Outreach

Churches need to reach out beyond their walls to grow and thrive. It’s not enough to have great programs and services that only minister to people who are already part of your faith community. A recent Gallup poll showed that church membership in the U.S. has dropped below 50 percent for the first time in 80 years, underscoring the rising importance of outreach.

Outreach involves connecting with those beyond the edge of your property and developing relationships with them. A church that prioritizes community outreach might develop a strategy that includes:

• Partnerships: Collaborating with local organizations for joint initiatives
• Events: Hosting community events such as food drives or free health clinics
• Support services: Offering counseling, financial assistance or job placement services

This approach strengthens ties with the local community and can inspire others to join your church because they see the love of God in action through your outreach efforts.

Tip: If you’re looking for help with outreach, we created a comprehensive Church Outreach Guide to help.

Budgeting Process

Regardless of church size, a structured budgeting process is a critical part of how to run a church and ensuring that the church's financial resources are used effectively. A budget helps leaders understand the resources they have, how to best use them and when they need to make tough decisions on finances. Additionally, a good budget gives the congregation confidence that its leaders are shepherding their resources well and being good stewards of God’s gifts.

Importance of a Structured Budgeting Process

There are many financial rules and standards churches need to follow along with smart accounting processes and budgeting plays a central role in that effort. Budgeting enables church leaders to allocate resources in a way that supports the church's mission and goals. A well-structured budget should include:

• Recurring expenses: Salaries, utilities and routine maintenance (research by Vanderbloemen found that churches typically spend 52 percent of their budgets on payroll, with most studies placing the number in the range of 45-55 percent)
• One-time expenditures: Facility repairs, special events and new initiatives

Prioritizing Expenditures to Support Church Initiatives

Churches often have limited financial resources and need to make difficult decisions on what to fund and what can wait. As part of the budgeting and prioritization process, it's vital to identify the most important expenditures, with a focus on:

• Mission-critical initiatives: Such as religious instruction and community outreach
• Operational needs: Ensuring that the church's day-to-day operations are well-supported
• Future growth: Investing in new programs or facilities that align with the church's long-term goals

Managing Day-to-Day Operations and Unexpected Repairs

Leaders have the dual-sided task of planning for long-term goals, while also managing short-term operations and expenses. In carrying out these dual purposes, leaders benefit from best practices such as:

• Emergency fund: Setting aside a portion of the budget for unforeseen repairs or emergencies (research by AG Financial recommends that churches have an emergency fund that can cover 3-6 months of expenses)
• Routine maintenance: Regularly inspecting facilities to prevent costly issues

Facilities Management

From megachurches to small, local churches with fewer than 50 members, proper facilities management is essential for creating a welcoming and safe environment and maintaining the church's physical assets. Here are a few aspects to consider.

Maintaining a Clean and Welcoming Environment

The condition of the church's facilities significantly influences the congregation's experience. Following best practices for maintaining a clean and welcoming environment go a long way toward creating a positive setting for services, classes and activities. These practices include:

• Regular cleaning: Ensuring that the church is always clean and orderly
• Welcoming spaces: Creating areas where members and visitors feel comfortable
• Safety measures: Implementing safety protocols to protect attendees

Scheduling Regular Maintenance and Repairs

Routine maintenance is easy to overlook, but it’s also crucial for avoiding larger, more costly repairs down the line. By spending money on regular maintenance, church leaders help ensure their churches are financially responsible. These efforts begin with developing a maintenance schedule that includes:

• Routine inspections: Regularly checking the condition of the building and both interior and exterior equipment
• Preventive maintenance: Addressing small issues before they become major problems
• Professional services: Engaging professionals for specialized repairs when necessary

Tip: It’s best to have a church building fund for routine repairs and sudden unexpected issues. If you’re looking for information on how to raise funds, check out our free Church Building Fund Guide. 

Role of Volunteers in Facilities Management

It would be great to have a church with unlimited financial resources, but the reality for most is that they don’t have an endless bankroll or the ability to hire skilled staff or contractors to do facilities work. For these reasons, volunteers play a vital role in managing church facilities. Involving volunteers can help reduce costs and foster a sense of community. Key considerations for asking volunteers to help with church maintenance include:

• Training: Providing volunteers with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform tasks safely
• Supervision: Ensuring that volunteers are adequately supervised and supported
• Recognition: Acknowledging the contributions of volunteers to maintain morale and encourage ongoing participation

Tip: Recruiting volunteers can be difficult, especially for church maintenance tasks. That’s why we built a free and comprehensive guide detailing the 23 most effective ways to recruit church volunteers.

Volunteer Management

Volunteers are the backbone of many church activities, making effective volunteer management a priority. Simply issuing an open call when you need help may do for some very minor activities, but most will require a level of collaboration, coordination and communication that goes beyond making a simple announcement. The reality is that many churches are finding it challenging to get enough volunteers. The Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19 study found that volunteerism in churches dropped from about 40 percent of membership in early 2020 to 20 percent in March 2022. Taking the right approach to finding and training volunteers can help address the challenge.

Recruiting, Training and Retaining Volunteers

The first step is recruiting volunteers, which requires a clear understanding of the church's needs and the skills that members can offer. This helps you match the right volunteer with the right area, raising the chances of a good fit for both. Key steps include:

1. Identifying needs: Determine the roles that need to be filled.
2. Recruitment: Reach out to members with the necessary skills and enthusiasm.
3. Training: Provide thorough training to ensure volunteers are prepared for their roles.
4. Retention: Foster a supportive environment to keep volunteers engaged.

Creating an Orientation Process for New Volunteers

Even if a volunteer has been a member of your church for some time, an orientation process helps each volunteer understand the church's mission, values and expectations for the area where they’re helping. A volunteer orientation checklist can be a good starting point, creating a solid foundation both staff and the volunteers they’re welcoming can work from. Essential components of an orientation process include:

• Introduction to church leadership: Overview of the church's leadership structures
• Role-specific training: Instruction on the specific duties of each volunteer role
• Ongoing support: Providing resources and guidance as volunteers settle into their roles

Recognizing and Rewarding Volunteer Efforts

Volunteers have a spirit of service, but they still appreciate recognition for the time they invest. Taking an hour or two to host a volunteer recognition event, sharing photos and videos on social media, during announcements as part of the church service structure or during an event or having church leaders deliver appreciation one-on-one are all great options for helping volunteers feel valued. Be sure to tailor each thank-you message to each volunteer, knowing that some may have more reserved personalities and prefer not to be singled out in a larger setting. But no matter how you thank them, recognizing volunteers' contributions is essential for maintaining morale and encouraging continued participation. Some specific, effective methods of recognition include:

• Formal events: Hosting appreciation events or award ceremonies
• Public acknowledgment: Recognizing volunteers during services or in newsletters
• Personalized thanks: Sending thank-you notes or small gifts

Employee Support

Just as volunteers need support, training and direction, church staff and the church leadership team need plenty of support to maintain a positive work environment and prevent burnout. Building these supports and structures creates a culture that lifts employees up and lets them know they have help when they face challenges. 

Clarifying Job Expectations and Providing Necessary Resources

Church staff need clear job expectations and the resources to fulfill their roles effectively. It’s like any business or organization, including those outside the church. Each person and role needs:

• Job description: Clearly outlining roles and responsibilities
• Necessary tools: Providing access to the tools and resources needed to perform their duties
• Professional development: Offering opportunities for training and growth

Offering Support and Recognition for Church Staff

At all sizes of churches across every denomination, church staff often work long hours and take on a wide range of responsibilities. As they navigate those long hours and stressful situations, offering support and recognition is crucial for preventing burnout. Consider these support elements:

• Regular check-ins: Scheduling regular meetings to discuss workloads and any concerns
• Recognition programs: Establishing programs to celebrate staff achievements
• Supportive culture: Fostering an environment where staff feel valued and heard

Creating a Positive Work Environment to Prevent Burnout

A positive work environment is key to preventing burnout among church staff and the leadership team, but creating and maintaining one is more difficult than it might seem. Research by the National Institute of Health found that a positive work environment boosts employees' overall level of commitment level and motivation to achieve significantly, and that both employee commitment and achievement-striving ability elevate employee performance. A study by TeamStage found that satisfied employees are 12 percent more productive than the average worker. A few effective strategies to create such an environment include:

• Open communication: Encouraging open dialogue between staff and the leadership team
• Team building: Organizing activities that promote teamwork and camaraderie
• Work/life balance: Promoting a healthy balance between work and personal life

Security and Risk Management

Like any other public place, churches face safety and security threats they must be prepared for. You can’t simply assume that because you’re a place of worship, violence and other threats won’t affect you. Ensuring the safety and security of the church and its members is a top priority for church leaders and having safety plans and protocols in place is vital.

Implementing Security Protocols to Protect Church Members and Assets

Churches must implement security protocols to protect their assets, including people, physical property and sensitive information. For example, when donors give to a church, the church collects sensitive financial information it must keep safe. Also, volunteers in areas such as children and youth ministry work directly with these children and for the peace of mind of parents and guardians, vetting volunteers and making sure they are permitted and safe to work with children is a must.

While the threats differ, the need for tools, resources and personnel to keep the church, congregation and staff safe is the same. Some key aspects include:

• Security systems: Installing alarms, cameras and access control systems
• Background checks: Conducting background checks on staff and volunteers
• Emergency preparedness: Developing emergency response plans for various scenarios
• Cybersecurity: Having a secure donation processing and computer safety system in place

Ensuring Compliance with Legal and Copyright Requirements

Churches often use different copyrighted material in the form of worship songs, videos, writing and more. While use of these resources is allowed, churches must follow legal and copyright requirements. Compliance with these requirements is essential to avoid liabilities and uphold the church's integrity. When using copyrighted material, keep these factors in mind:

• Licensing for worship services: Ensuring all content used is properly licensed
• Adhering to church bylaws: Regularly reviewing and updating the church’s bylaws
• Maintaining legal entity status: Filing necessary documents with government agencies

Transparent Financial Practices

Vanco’s research has shown that donors prefer to give to a specific church fund or program rather than simply giving to a general fund and trusting their money will be used where they want. This underscores the reality that transparency in financial practices is crucial for building trust with the congregation and ensuring accountability. Building transparency and maintaining it centers on practices such as:

• Regular financial reporting: Providing regular updates on the church's financial status
• Independent audits: Conducting independent audits to ensure accuracy and transparency
• Accurate donation tracking: Keeping detailed records of donations and ensuring funds are used according to donors' intentions

Communication and Transparency

When considering how to run a church, effective communication is key for a number of reasons. It keeps the congregation informed and engaged and builds trust between members and leaders. When members are informed, they feel valued and more a part of what the church is doing, making them more likely to give and participate. Technology is central to this idea, with Barna finding that 67 percent of churches in the United States use texting to communicate with their members.

Keeping the Congregation Informed Through Various Channels

Church leaders should use multiple channels to ensure that all members are regularly informed about church activities, not just when a major event or activity is coming up. Ongoing communication is like a good conversation that keeps all parties engaged. Having resources like a social media strategy in place is essential. The channels to keep members up to date include:

• Social media: Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• Newsletters: Regular email or print newsletters
• Community meetings: Regular meetings where members can ask questions and share feedback

Tip: Access our free social media kit, complete with guides, 200+ templates, free designs and a free AI bot to help you generate social media content quickly. 

Encouraging Feedback and Participation from Members

Encouraging active participation helps ensure the church meets the community’s needs. The last thing you want in terms of member engagement for your congregation is to feel that their voices aren’t heard, and their opinions aren’t valued. When members leave a church, this is often a reason why. Effective methods for gathering feedback include:

• Surveys: Regular surveys to gather input on church life
• Suggestion boxes: Placed in common areas for anonymous feedback
• Open forums: Q&A sessions where members can voice opinions directly to leadership

Tip: Use our free church survey templates to create relevant and timely surveys for your members. 

Adapting to Change

Churches have a reputation for being stuck in their ways at times, but those days where members want that type of approach are largely past. Now, churches of all denominations must be flexible and adaptable to navigate the challenges of a changing world and do so with a willing, energetic approach. Doing this allows your church to grow and thrive, while refusing to do so can lead to a loss of members, a failure to attract new ones and a steady decline for your faith community.

Being Flexible and Adaptable to New Challenges

Churches face various challenges, from shifting demographics to technological advances, that affect everything from attendance to giving, member engagement and more. To keep up with the shifting landscape in the faith world, churches need to stay up to date and be willing to self-evaluate and make changes when something isn’t working. They can do this by:

• Embracing technology: Using digital tools for communication and service delivery
• Adapting worship services: Modifying formats and times to meet diverse needs
• Exploring new outreach methods: Identifying innovative ways to engage with the community

Continuously Evaluating and Improving Church Processes

Regular evaluation of church processes can be tough, but it’s crucial for improvement. Taking a close look at your processes, being honest enough to admit when changes are needed and making the right updates can be the difference between churches thriving and slowly dying off. This process might involve:

• Process audits: Reviewing operations to identify inefficiencies
• Congregation feedback: Seeking feedback on programs and services
• Benchmarking: Comparing performance against other churches or previous years

Staying Informed About Trends in Church Management and Key Growth Strategies

Keep your eyes and ears open to good sources of information about what worshippers are looking for, methods churches can use to reach those outside their walls and why people are leaving churches so your own faith community can work to avoid these pitfalls. Staying informed about trends the first step in adapting to change, for example:

• Educational resources: Attending conferences and workshops on church leadership
• Networking: Connecting with other leaders to share insights
• Research: Keeping up with the latest publications on church growth and management trends

Tip: If you’re looking to tackle a big change in your church, having a strategy to do so can help. We built a free Church Change Management Guide to help.

Using Technology to Improve Church Operations

Incorporating technology into church operations is a powerful way to significantly enhance efficiency and communication for congregations of all sizes. Different types of technology offer various benefits for your church depending on its size, ministries and resources.

For both small churches and larger congregations, technology is a must. You can find other powerful ideas to help grow your church in this video.

Overview of Vanco’s Church App and Its Features

Technology offers powerful tools for streamlining church operations. One such tool is Vanco’s church-focused app, which is designed to simplify communication, donations and event planning. The app provides a centralized platform where church members can access important information, make donations and register for events, all from their mobile devices.

How Vanco Can Streamline Communication, Donations and Event Planning

Vanco’s tools offer several features that can improve church management, including: 

• Real-time communication: Vanco facilitates immediate communication with church members, keeping them informed about events and announcements.
• Simplified donation process: The platform streamlines financial contributions, making it easy for members to donate to the church.
• Event planning features: Vanco provides tools for managing event registrations and logistics, helping church leaders reduce administrative tasks.
• User-friendly interface: The platform is designed to be intuitive, allowing users to navigate and use features effortlessly.
• Integration capabilities: Vanco can seamlessly integrate with existing church systems, enhancing overall functionality.
• Data tracking and reporting: Users can access real-time analytics to monitor attendance, donations and event performance.
• Community engagement: Vanco's features encourage participation and connection among congregation members, even when attending virtually.

There are nine key ways that Vanco helps churches. Check out our church software overview to learn more.

Testimonial on the Vanco App's Impact

Churches that have adopted Vanco’s tools have reported significant improvements in their operations. For example, one church noted that the app helped increase member engagement by providing a convenient platform for communication and event registration. Another church benefited from the app's impact on donations, with members appreciating the ease and security of the online giving process.

FAQs

What Are the Key Roles in Effective Church Management?

Effective church management involves several key roles that are necessary for a congregation to thrive:

1. Church board: Provides strategic oversight
2. Church staff: Manages day-to-day operations
3. Volunteers: Support activities from worship services to community outreach

How Can Churches Develop a Strategic Plan?

Developing a strategic plan involves setting clear vision, mission and values statements. Once these are in place, church leaders should then create a detailed plan with SMART goals and regularly review the plan to ensure alignment with the church's goals.

What Should Be Included in a Church Budget?

A church budget should include provisions for both recurring expenses (salaries, utilities) and one-time costs (facility repairs), including money for emergencies that could occur at any time. It should also prioritize expenditures that support the church's mission, such as religious instruction, community outreach and worship services.

How Can AI Help Church Leaders Run a Church More Effectively?

AI offers powerful tools to streamline church operations and enhance ministry. Imagine automating administrative tasks like scheduling and communication, freeing up staff for more impactful work. AI can also personalize member experiences, suggesting relevant content, and facilitating online groups, fostering deeper engagement.

Furthermore, AI can analyze data to predict attendance, optimize resource allocation, and even translate sermons, making services accessible to a wider audience. By embracing AI thoughtfully, churches can work smarter, not harder, and focus on what matters most: nurturing faith and serving their communities.

How Can Churches Improve Volunteer Engagement and Retention?

Improving volunteer engagement is a multistep process that involves:

• Recruiting: Attracting individuals with the right skills and enthusiasm
• Training: Providing thorough preparation for volunteer roles
• Recognition: Regularly acknowledging contributions to maintain morale

What Are the Best Practices for Maintaining Church Facilities?

Maintaining church facilities is a practical, nuts-and-bolts process that hinges on hard work, dedication and attention to detail. Best practices for maintaining church facilities include:

• Regular cleaning: Ensuring all areas of the church are always clean and welcoming
• Routine maintenance: Scheduling regular inspections and repairs
• Volunteer involvement: Engaging volunteers in maintenance tasks to foster community ownership and reduce costs

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