Benefits Board Co-Sponsoring Church Financial Workshop
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, the Church of God Benefits Board, along with approximately ten other denominational benefits boards, will be sponsoring the Best Practices Resource Workshop with noted author and Certified Public Accountant, Dan Busby. As the president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and author of the Zondervan tax guides for ministers and churches, Busby is one of the foremost experts on church financial issues in the nation.
This is a unique opportunity for church pastors, staff, administrators, and treasurers to interact and learn from one of the best financial specialist in the country. The workshop will be held at the Kansas City International Airport Marriott, starting at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by no later than 4:00 pm.
“Almost every day we hear of another church facing mismanagement of their financial affairs,” stated Art Rhodes, president of the Benefits Board for the Church of God. “The tools to keep your local church out of the news will be shared at this ‘best practices’ workshop.”
The agenda will include sessions on best practices in financial management for the local congregation, the impact of the Health Reform Act on the church, as well as the latest information on pastoral housing, taxation, compensation, and retirement issues.
“This is a day of training that pastors and church treasurers will not want to miss,” Rhodes continued. “Financial management is not limited to big churches, nor is it limited to ‘other’ denominations. This one-day workshop is for everyone.”
Lunch will be included so participants will not have to leave the comfort of the hotel all day. The total cost per participant, including lunch, is only $50.
Topics to be covered:
1. The current state of the regulatory world and the church world. What can we expect in the near and longer-term future?
2. Why is it important to work together as faith-based communities in areas of compliance and regulation?
3. The local congregation’s basic principles of operations, reporting, and compliance a. Handling deductible and potentially deductible contributions b. Structuring compensation packages c. Protecting the church and the treasurer d. Minimizing fraud in the church e. Common best practices 101 f. Common worst practices 101
4. Local congregations and health reform a. What makes a congregation eligible for the current tax credit? b. What are the steps to receive the credit? c. What might the operation of Exchanges mean for churches?
5. The pace of change and the challenges of remaining current. Where does one go for help?
To register for the event, visit, www.pbusa.org. For those who wish to reserve a hotel room, a special rate is available at the KCI Marriott by referencing the “Best Practices” event. Phone: 800-627-7468.
“Our greatest concern is that space is extremely limited,” Rhodes said. “Only the first 200 who register will be able to attend due to the limited size of the venue and Dan Busby’s desire for the conference to be small enough for it to be interactive. You do not want to miss this opportunity – but you must act quickly. Act today!”
