There are many ways that organisations fail but by far the most prevalent is because of mismanagement of money. There are far too many examples of financial fraud in non-profits. The result is broken trust, lost funding, reduced capacity for impact and, in the end, possible failure and closure of the organisation. Financial mismanagement usually starts small and carries on over a long period of time. Small amounts add up and have a big impact.
Don’t assume your organisation will be exempt. It is important to remain watchful of our financial management and of our hearts.
Consider the following ways to prevent mismanagement in this area.
1. Have good financial processes in place so that accountability is strong. We must stand together and be accountable to one another to avoid the temptation that comes with money.
2. As a leader, keep your heart in check. Don’t let any lie take root in you, lies such as, “No one will notice”, or, “It’s only a small amount”, or “I need the money more than the organisation does.”
If you think your financial processes are a bit shaky, take some time to think about strengthening them by going through our course on financial processes (Health check your financial processes).
This course is about keeping our hearts in check. It all begins with a willingness to allow God to change us, to let head knowledge become heart knowledge. Knowing what the Bible says is a good start. Taking it to heart and allowing biblical truths to shape our heart attitudes is more difficult.
As we begin this course on the Bible and money, pause a moment and in next activity reflect on your heart attitude to money.