Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple

Live Your Parable
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Get your church MBA just 10 minutes at a time! On Distilled, we break down complex church financial topics into simple, actionable insights that you can use today in your church. Brought to you by Parable Bookkeeping and Accounting, we make managing church finances easier, one episode at a time.

  1. Sep 14

    Ep. 41: The Financial Control Your Church is Missing

    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: nbdavis@capincrouse.com

  2. Sep 1

    Ep.40: Stop Fundraising. Start Discipling.

    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

  3. Aug 18

    Ep. 39: Your Church Doesn’t Need Another Giving Push

    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.

  4. Aug 11

    Ep. 38: More Money Won't Fix Your Ministry Budget

    “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.

  5. Jul 29

    Ep. 37: 8 Church Budgeting Mistakes That Pull Money Off Mission

    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

  6. Jul 29

    Ep. 36: Is Your Budget Funding the Mission or Fighting It?

    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.

  7. Jul 14

    Ep. 35: Could Someone Steal From Your Church?

    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.

  8. Jun 22

    Ep. 34: Is Venmo Putting Your Church At Risk?

    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

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Get your church MBA just 10 minutes at a time! On Distilled, we break down complex church financial topics into simple, actionable insights that you can use today in your church. Brought to you by Parable Bookkeeping and Accounting, we make managing church finances easier, one episode at a time.

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