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Building Financial Strength

Michael Lowstetter's article explores a critical area for ministry finances: cash flow management. Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) seeks to ensure wise financial management for Christian nonprofit ministries, and is offering numerous courses on critical issues like this one at its upcoming national conference in San Diego, April 19-21, 2010. Here are some examples:

Two all-day Intensive Training Institutes (ITIs) will focus on financial management. The first, titled Money and the Church, will explore stewardship ministry, finance office operations, legal issues, capital campaigns, creating a culture of generosity, relations with financial institutions, deferred giving strategies, and the senior pastor's role in financial matters. Faculty: Dick Towner, executive director of the Good Sense Movement; Frank Borst, executive vice president of the Evangelical Christian Credit Union; Dan Busby, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA); Brian Kluth, founder of Maximum Generosity; Greg Ring, co-founder and CEO of Philanthrocorp; and Jim Sheppard, CEO and principal of Generis.

The second ITI is titled The Steward Leaders Game. This is a fun simulation of managing church or ministry fiscal affairs over the course of a year, and is designed to help attendees increase cash flow, strengthen balance sheets, and learn how to manage money according to mission. Faculty: Randall Dick, senior design consultant with Design Group International.

Financial management workshops at the 2010 CLA National Conference will include the following:

Managing from Income. This workshop will help ministry leaders to become more effective, accurate, and mission-centered by managing from income rather than expense. Faculty: Mark Vincent, CEO of Design Group International.

Cost Control for Health Benefits. This workshop is designed to help better control health care costs and review performance compared with peers. Faculty: Geoff Marsh, president of Marsh Consulting, and Forrest Flaniken, vice president of operations for Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Investment Strategy for Economic Recovery. This workshop will examine the economic outlook, interest rates, and current investment opportunities. It will examine the safest income ideas and the best total return ideas, and explore how to effectively evaluate current ministry portfolios and determine where and when changes are needed. Faculty: George Cook (page 4), institutional consulting director of Graystone Consulting, a division of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC, and Don Thornton, senior vice president of World Venture.

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