The Gold Standard
Article Five: Finances
CANON 1 - We believe that the way a Christian Church handles itself in the financial area is a reflection of its integrity in every area. Luke 16:11 teaches that the person who is untrustworthy in handling money cannot be trusted to handle spiritual riches either. Likewise, if we are trustworthy in the use of monetary riches, then God will be able to entrust spiritual riches and blessings to us as a church (Luke 16:10). Therefore, we have established the following financial policies and goals to guide us in proper stewardship of God's monetary riches:
This Church and ministry belong to God. It is neither a monument to anyone's ego nor a legacy to anyone's memory. The ministry does not bear anyone's name. The buildings are not dedicated to anyone, but Jesus Christ. All ministers, starting with but not limited to the Patriarch, and other members are merely stewards and fellow-servants in the work of the Kingdom.
The Lord has apparently chosen to place His mantle of approval on this ministry. Nevertheless, He gives and sometimes takes away. The "Church" of Jesus Christ is the people of God. God's people will never cease to exist. But this particular ministry may. If He ever closes the doors to this work, we will accept His leading and yield the outcome to Him. Until then, we will devote every ounce of energy to the task at hand.
One of the ways we can discern the Lord's will regarding the continuation of our work is through the financial support He sends (or doesn't send) from His people. Therefore, during lean times we will make our obligations known--but we will not squirm, scratch or claw for contributions. We will never resort to what we consider to be disrespectful and dishonorable methods of raising funds, even when the need is serious. Nor will we attempt to motivate giving from a false sense of guilt or compulsion, since this robs God's people of the opportunity to give cheerfully (2nd Corinthians 9:7).
We consider the contributions we receive to be "blood money"--like the widow's mite (Luke 21:1-4) we will view each contribution as a sacrificial gift from Christian people who love God. Our obligation, therefore, is to spend that money conservatively and wisely. Every penny will be stretched as far as possible to serve the needs of the ministry and the extension of Christ's kingdom.
We believe God wishes to use this Patriarchate as a financial channel to help needy individuals and to support other evangelical ministries. Therefore, we will not spend money upon nonessential church personnel, programs or facilities. Instead we will strive toward the goal of giving 50% of our income to ministries and individuals outside of the regular church program (i.e. Sunday school program, Minister's salary, building projects, utilities, etc.).
When we make a purchase, we will pay the invoice within 30 days if possible. Overdue bills are a sorry testimony to the world. We do not intend to use the vendor's money.
We will not spend more money than we receive. Careful budgeting and monitoring of our resources will permit us to reduce our expenses for programs and services before disbursements exceed income. Deficit spending is not God's will for this church.
The Scriptures teach that "the borrower is a slave to the lender" (Proverbs 23:7). In order that we might be free to act, minister, and to give as we are led by the Lord, it is our goal to remain financially free from debt, as much as possible. If debt is incurred we will work to repay the obligation as soon as possible.
The Patriarch will not be the primary fund raiser of this Patriarchate, nor the Bishop of his diocese, but we shall all step up to bare the load responsibly.
Satan delights in bringing disrepute to God's work through sins of greed, embezzlement and ill-gotten gain. Therefore, we will seek to elect and confirm leadership that is free from the love of money (1st Peter 5:2; 1st Timothy 3:3), and we will conform to acceptable accounting procedures to assure ethical monetary practices.
To summarize, we will try to remember always that Jesus Christ is our possessor and our dispossessor. He ordained and blessed the establishment of the Caribbean Patriarchate. It belongs entirely to Him. Therefore, we will cradle it lovingly in our hands, attempting not to crush it through self-centeredness, ignorance or church politics.
CANON 2 - The financial accounts shall be established through the Budget annually by the Holy Synod, and maintained by the Treasurer. Accounts may be established for non-budgeted funds collected for church approved activities or events.
CANON 3 - The Treasurers of the Patriarchate shall be selected by the Holy Synod. The Treasurer of each individual Church congregation shall be confirmed by the ministry leader and local church Council at a Business Meeting of the Church, reporting all financial matters to their Bishop. The Treasurer of the Patriarchate may be removed from office upon his/her own request, by a 2/3 vote of the Holy Synod, and/or by a majority vote of the Members present at a Business Meeting. In the absence of the treasurer, the local ministry leader will take full responsibilities of such position until a treasurer is appointed. A Treasurer shall be a member of the local Church and an individual of sufficient numerical and accounting skill so as to carry out the responsibilities of the position. The Treasurer shall be responsible for:
The holding in trust of all monies belonging to the Church in the appropriate checking, savings, or other type account.
The maintenance of appropriate records of all expenditures of the Church.
The Business Meeting preparation of the Year End Financial Statement and its presentation to the Membership of financial reports at each congregational budget Business Meeting.
Cash disbursements:
The payment from the receipts on hand of all authorized salaries and fixed expenses, and other amounts within the designated Budget of the Church, when authorized by the appropriate Board, Committee, Officer, ministry group or individual.
The payment of amounts in excess of the Church Budget when authorized by a council.
All or any of the above responsibilities may be delegated to a paid bookkeeper, an accountant, or an accounting firm. The funding and choice must be approved prior to any hiring action by a majority vote of both the Ministers and the Members present at a Business Meeting. It will then be the responsibility of the Treasurer to work with and supervise the actions of the person or group. The Treasurer of each local congregation shall, in general, be accountable to the Membership and specifically to the local ministry leader and the local Apostolic Council. All local ministry leaders and Treasurers are to report any and all financial information to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod.
CANON 4 - Financial statements shall be prepared by the Treasurer. Financial statements shall conform to business standards and be comprehensive in nature including the identification of receipts and disbursements by account for the period covered and comparisons made to the budget figure for those same accounts and period. Financial statements shall be made available to the leaders of the congregations upon formal request to the Holy Synod.
CANON 5 - An Apostle/Bishop shall have authority over the property and funds of his Church and Ministry – that is to say, his jurisdiction - so as to be able to administer it to all needing it with all reverence and fear of God. He too shall partake thereof so far as he may have need thereof (if he should have any need) for his own necessary wants, and for those of the brethren he has under his hospitation, so as not to leave them in any way unprovided for according to the divine Apostle, who says: “having food and raiment, let us be therewith content” (1st Timothy 6:8). But if he should not be content therewith, but should convert property (of the church) to the needs of his own household, and should fail to handle the revenue of the church, of the fruit of the fields, with the consent and approval of the Presbyter(a)s and Deacons, but should extend the authority to his own intimates and relatives or brothers or sons, with the consequence of thereby imperceptibly or unobservedly causing the assets of the church to be injured; he shall be held accountable to the Synod. If, on the other hand, the Bishop and the Presbyter(a)s serving with him be traduced on the alleged ground that they are appropriating to themselves goods belonging to the church, whether it be from the fields or from any other alleged property of the church, on the alleged ground that the indigent are being oppressed, whereas, in point of fact, calumny and defamation are being inflicted by the words upon those so governing, and they are charged with liability to correction, the holy Synod must determine what ought to be done.
CANON 6 - No member, minister or Council Member of this Church shall be personally liable for the debts or obligations of this Church of any nature whatsoever, nor shall any of the property of the members, ministers or Council Members be subject to the payment of the debts or obligations of this Church.