Church Executive July / Aug 2015 by Power Trade Media

JULY / AUGUST • 2015

H E L P I N G L E A D E R S B E C O M E B E T T E R S T E WA R D S .

Jonathan

STOCKSTILL BETHANY’S LEAD ACTIVATOR

PLUS Internal controls keep fraud at bay 17 Effective worship spaces for kids 18 Reduce your cyber risk: 4 strategies 36

e-Books In-depth, in-demand church management tools — at your fingertips! Churchexecutive.com/ebooks Our e-Book library is full of strategies and solutions for church leaders. In response to your request for in-depth information on a variety of top-ofmind topics, you’ll find e-Books about: • Continuing Education • Lifetime Learning • Faith-Based Travel • Finance • Risk Management / Insurance • Pastor-Friendly A/V • Church Management Software (ChMS) • Architecture & Design • Generosity • Signage • Accessibility & Inclusion • Leadership & Outreach • More! Download them all at: churchexecutive.com/ebooks Or, get our e-Books in your inbox! By signing up on the Church Executive homepage — churchexecutive.com — for our eNewsletter and digital magazine, you’ll also get new e-Books and e-Book chapters automatically!

July / August 2015

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

ENGAGING SPACES

The CE Interview

By Rez Gopez-Sindac Jonathan Stockstill was 30 years old when his father, the Rev. Larry Stockstill, turned over to him the leadership of Bethany Church. Jonathan has led music at Bethany since he was 17. He says he always felt that he would be in full-time ministry, but it was not until he was in his mid- 20s that he began to sense a pastoral call upon his life.

FEATURES

STEEL BUILDINGS SHOWCASE

How metal buildings have changed the way we think about lasting church design By Dan Walker, P.E.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO TAME THE VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE HEADACHE

ChMS-ENABLED VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

By Sam Batterman

By Mark Kitts

HOW SCHEDULING TOOLS CAN STREAMLINE YOUR MINISTRY EFFORTS 13 By Michael Jordan

SERIES

INTELLIGENT CHURCH GIVING

Planning for retirement: it’s your choice By Rev. James R. Cook, CFP©

Welcome to worship: how to recognize hearing loss — and provide solutions By Maile Keone

Internal controls keep fraud at bay By Tammy Bunting

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Best practices: insurance review and planning By Therese DeGroot

CREATING A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY

An effective worship space for kids is no small feat By Curtiss H. Doss, AIA

Specifying a church sound system By Rik Kirby & Daniel Keller

NEW! CHURCH TRANSPORTATION

NEW! SCIENCE BEHIND THE SEAT

How to buy the right transportation for your unique church By Mike Jones

Only 42% of churches accept online donations — new survey results By Derek Gillette

SAFETY STRATEGIES

4 practical ways churches can reduce their cyber risk By Steve Robinson

CREATIVE & PROVEN STRATEGIES

Phase 5: Giving & Follow-up By Paul Gage

NEW! CHURCH CAFÉS

Why a church café? By Jim Wendt

How to read and understand your church insurance policy By Andy Noga

NEVER AGAIN

IN OUR DIGITAL ISSUE ONLY! STREAMING MADE SIMPLE

Policies and parameters: how to protect your church before tragedy strikes By Crispin Ketelhut

Not streaming yet? 3 excellent reasons to get started By Andrew Ng

CHURCH FACILITY STEWARDSHIP

PASTOR-FRIENDLY SOUND SYSTEMS

Making sense of marketplace mumbo-jumbo: what church leaders really need to know By Joel Mikell & Derek Hazelet

INSURANCE ESSENTIALS

FINANCES & ADMINISTRATION FOR CHURCH LEADERS 14

DESIGNING WORSHIP AREAS

Does it make sense to refinance right now? (Even though you might be facing a prepayment penalty) By Dan Mikes

LED display walls: placement guidelines & suggestions By Marty Gregor

CHURCH ACCOUNTING BASICS

FINANCE & LENDING TRENDS

PASTOR-FRIENDLY VIDEO

CHURCH MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (ChMS) FORUM

NEW! BREAKING BARRIERS

4 types of adult classroom spaces — done right By Allison Parrott with Paul Lodholz, AIA, LEED AP

Church facility management vs. maintenance By Tim Cool

DEPARTMENTS From the Editor

CORRECTION: In our May / June 2015 issue (Hail Mary or holy moly: There’s got to be a better way to fund ministry, page 19), “Intelligent Church Giving” Series co-author Joel Mikell is listed as executive vice president and principal of RSI Stewardship. His title is President and principal. We regret the error.

Seating selection made simple

By Amanda Opdycke

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

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FROM THE EDITOR

It’s all about stewardship

churchexecutive.com Volume 14, No. 4 4742 N. 24th St., Ste. 340 Phoenix, AZ 85016 • 800.541.2670 Judi Victor CEO jvfly@churchexecutive.com

For church leaders, practicing good stewardship is a driving mandate, every day. It’s the same for us at Church Executive as we shape our editorial offerings. In this spirit, you’ll discover several new thought leadership series in this issue. Breaking Barriers — “Welcome to worship” (page 19) details how to recognize a need for assistive listening technology in your congregation and, more important, how to accommodate worshippers with hearing loss. It’s not the first time Church Executive and its partners have delved into the topic. As of press time, we have completed a panel discussion at The Church Network 2015 National Conference in Nashville. In the past few years, we have also conducted numerous roundtables, and have even given away an assistive listening system to a deserving church. The Breaking Barriers Series is a “deep dive” into the topic, navigated by assistive listening expert Maile Keone. In the first installment, Keone does an excellent job of introducing the first major hurdles in any church: identifying the problem and acting on that knowledge. Church Cafés — Why a church café? It’s the first question any church leader asks when considering the prospect. In response, church cafés strategist Jim Wendt does a great job of making the case (page 29). Any smart start-up endeavor begins with research — and Wendt and his team have done the legwork for you. They surveyed dozens of church café managers, and also drew upon the expertise of their in-house “home team,” to find out what works. In this first series installment, Wendt demystifies the topic, revealing church cafés as the ministry-supporting offerings they can be. Church Transportation — A church bus is no small investment. It’s also a vital ministry tool — and not just on Sunday; the right vehicle will “fuel” real outreach. Yet, the decision is often made without a lot of research. In the first series installment on page 22 (“Don’t miss the bus”), church transportation guru Mike Jones discusses the basics of choosing the right bus. A lot of factors (some you might not have considered before) play a part in the decision.

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Science Behind the Seat — Speaking of not-so-small investments, church seating comes to mind. Many times, this decision is based on decidedly short-term criteria, such as stock availability, a quick turnaround / install time, or the lowest price point. Consequently, if your church chooses poorly the first time around, this major investment will need to be made again — and much sooner than anticipated. Avoiding this costly scenario is the premise of this new series, written by church seating veteran Amanda Opdycke. In the kick-off installment on page 23 (“Seating selection made simple”), she brings the high-level topic of ergonomics down to a laymen’s level.

Publisher Steve Kane, ext. 207 steve@churchexecutive.com Editor In Chief RaeAnn Slaybaugh, ext. 202 rslaybaugh@churchexecutive.com Contributing Editor Rez Gopez-Sindac 602.405.5317 rgopez-sindac@churchexecutive.com Contributing Editor Robert Erven Brown Art Director Stephen Gamble, ext. 133 sgamble@churchexecutive.com Account Executive Jeanette Long, ext. 122 jlong@churchexecutive.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL Stephen Briggs Associate Pastor of Administration First Baptist Church | Hendersonville, NC

Church Facility Stewardship — If you haven’t checked out this digital-only series, it’s well worth the visit to churchexecutive.com/ digital-edition. The first installment (which appears on page 12 of our May / June 2015 digital issue) provides an introduction to the unique concept of church facility stewardship. For long-time topic expert Tim Cool, stewardship is “less about what we give and more about taking care of what we have been given — of all that’s entrusted to us.” In this first installment, he talks about what “entrusted” truly means; how the term applies to church facilities; and a step-by-step look at the real cost of ownership. In our July / August digital issue — which goes live on churchexecutive.com on 3 August — Cool zeroes in on the difference between facility management versus maintenance.

Denise Craig Chief Financial Officer Abba’s House | Hixson, TN Mike Klockenbrink Chief of Staff Lakeside Church | Folsom, CA Dan Mikes Executive Vice President Bank of the West | San Ramon, CA John C. Mrazek III Executive Pastor Pathways Church | Denver, CO Sam S. Rainer III Senior Pastor First Baptist Church | Murray, KY Mark Simmons Business Manager Christ Community Church | Milpitas, CA Eric Spacek Senior Manager GuideOne Insurance | West Des Moines, IA

We hope these series — and all the articles in this issue — help you to be better stewards in all aspects of your ministry. All the best,

LET’S CHAT: Email: rslaybaugh@churchexecutive.com Facebook: ChurchExecutiveMagazine Twitter: @churchexecutive.com

Accountant Fred Valdez A publication of:

CLA Church Executive™ (Copyright 2015), Volume 14, Issue 4. Church Executive is published bi-monthly by Power Trade Media LLC, a subsidiary of Friendship Publications Inc., 4742 N. 24th Street, Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Subscription Rates: United States and Mexico $39 (USD) one year, Canada $42 (USD) one year (GST) included, all other countries $75 one year, single issue United States $5 (USD), all other countries $6 (USD). Reprints: All articles in Church Executive are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. For reprints of 100 or more, contact Judi Victor at (602) 265-7600 ext. 125. Copyright 2015 by Power Trade Media, LLC. No advertisement or description or reference to a product or service will be deemed as an endorsement, and no warranty is made or implied by Power Trade Media, LLC. Information is obtained from sources the editors believe reliable, accurate and timely, but no warranty is made or implied, and Power Trade Media, LLC is not responsible for errors or omissions.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

THE CE INTERVIEW

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

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THE CE INTERVIEW

JONATHAN STOCKSTILL L E A D PA S T OR | BE T H A N Y CHUR CH | B AT ON R O U GE , L A

By Rez Gopez-Sindac

Jonathan Stockstill was 30 years old when his father, the Rev. Larry Stockstill, turned over to him the leadership of Bethany Church. Interestingly, Larry was the same age as Jonathan when he took over for his dad, who founded the church in 1963. Jonathan has led music at Bethany since he was 17. He says he always felt that he would be in full-time ministry, but it was not until he was in his mid20s that he began to sense a pastoral call upon his life. At the time, he was leading worship and traveling with a band called Deluge. He wrote songs, recorded projects and did music tours, but he says God was dealing with him about a different kind of ministry. Jonathan also did several evangelistic crusades and went through a season where he felt he might plant a church in his late ‘30s. “But God had a different plan,” he says.

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July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

THE CE INTERVIEW

Jonathan Stockstill and his wife, Angie

Since becoming the lead pastor in October 2011, Jonathan has brought a fresh energy and intentionality into the vision of Bethany, seeing to it that people are “activated” to fulfill their calling. When did the leadership of Bethany Church start talking about the pastoral succession plan, and what prompted this? My dad is a missionary at heart. For years, he talked about the time when God would release him again into full-time missions ministry. In 2009, one of the presbyters of our church mentioned that he felt I had a pastoral call and that I would possibly pastor Bethany one day. I was quick to say that wasn’t so, but I could not shake the conversation. In meeting after meeting, we were searching for leadership because my dad was feeling more and more drawn to missions work. One morning as I was exiting the interstate on my way to work, I felt God speak to me as clearly as a person could speak that I was to pastor this church. From that moment on, my passion was kindled. I called the leadership of the church together and shared with them what the Lord had spoken to me. Everyone was in full agreement, and we began to move forward with the transition plan.

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

How important is this leadership transition to the life and future of Bethany Church? I really feel like the timing couldn’t have been more significant, as it has really impacted both the life and future of the ministry. At first, I thought the move might be slightly premature, but the longer I have served in this capacity, the more I realize the timing was impeccable. How are you uniquely wired as a visionary leader? There’s a phenomenal test called StrengthsFinder. According to this test, one of my strengths is as an activator. I love seeing people activated in their God-given purpose. I love Paul’s illustration of the church as a body, with every person a part of it and serving a unique function. I feel like it is my calling to help people discover and activate their calling. This has implications in how I lead our staff, our leaders and ultimately our church. I also love church systems and processes. I spend a lot of time developing the systems we have in place to release volunteers, leaders and full-time ministry. What are the advantages and challenges of family succession in ministry? Growing up in the local church that I would eventually pastor gave me such a historical perspective of where we come from. I know every inch of our facilities. I know the culture of our city. I know the people who have been such an integral part of our ministry through the years, and I know our characteristic strengths and weaknesses. I can pull from an archive of memories about the things that worked and the things that didn’t work. I was by my dad’s side as an assistant pastor for 12 years and saw every business transaction that took place. I also witnessed the thousands of people who came in the front door of our church and eventually moved into different seasons of their lives somewhere else. In a way, you could say that this church is as familiar to me as my own family. Any disadvantages are minuscule at best. One criticism we have had, as with any other family succession, is nepotism. Some people forget that God often worked in families in the Bible, and the same is true today. What contributes to the successful family succession at Bethany Church? There are many things that I could say, but a few stand out among the rest. Some senior pastors say they are handing the leadership to the next generation, but continue to lead. I’ve had so many younger churchexecutive.com

pastors talk to me about the frustration of dealing with an older, former pastor who does not truly let go of the leadership. They don’t want to dishonor the pastor emeritus, but don’t really feel like they have the liberty to lead. One of the strengths to our succession was a true transition. My dad was present when needed for advice and wisdom, but otherwise strategically removed. For a while, he would not even come to the office. He didn’t want anyone to be confused about who was leading. That was helpful! Another thing that helped was that I had been the worship pastor for 12 years. Our church knew me inside and out. My transition to pastor was a very natural one for most people. What were some of your learning experiences during your first year as the new lead pastor? The biggest adjustment was going from preaching every once in a while to preaching every weekend. Every time I looked up, I was preparing content to communicate to our congregation. At the time of transition, we had services on Wednesday nights, as well as on weekends. Many times I would speak at all services, so that became an almost exclusive focus. Out of all the areas of stretching that have taken place in my ministry, I think I’ve grown the most as a communicator. What new approaches or strategies have you introduced since your appointment? I introduced a model for engaging the church that we call the ABCs of Bethany. A stands for “activate.” We want to see every person engaged in their kingdom purpose, or to be “activated.” B stands for “belong.” We want every person connected in meaningful Christian friendships. C stands for “cultivate.” This step is designed to help people grow in their relationship with God and the understanding of His Word. The end result is a church full of people who are fulfilling their purpose, connected in relationships and maturing in their Christian faith. I also implemented a new staff structure built around six main hubs: the Experience staff, Community staff, Support staff, Creative Media staff, Education staff, and Influence staff. Each area has a color and forms somewhat of a tribe within the larger staff. We’re loving the flow of it! What is your father’s role now in the life of your church? My dad oversees the missions arm of our church through an organization called Surge. We focus almost all our international missions budget on church planting through that organization that he oversees. He also still teaches whenever he is in town, which is usually about every three or four months. What is your vision for Bethany Church? Bethany’s vision is to be a healthy and growing local church. We do that by helping people encounter God, equipping them and empowering them to fulfill their purpose. We also aim to plant and inspire other local churches. Some of my passion points are worship, students and kids, and I think our church reflects those passions.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT BETHANY CHURCH Year started: 1963 Lead pastor: Jonathan Stockstill Denomination: Nondenominational Number of locations: 5 (North Baton Rouge, South Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Spanish, and Mid-City campuses) Number of staff members: 200+

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July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Church Management Software (ChMS) Forum

FOCUS ON: Scheduling tools Growing churches … grow. And, the gift of growth comes with a host of brand-new scheduling challenges. Luckily, scheduling is well-traveled territory for church management software (ChMS) developers. To this end, they’ve created scheduling suites that truly come alongside growing churches. In the next several pages, they discuss … Why one calendar (and multiple Excel spreadsheets!) won’t cut it. A few series contributors recall the days when Excel spreadsheets — often, several of them — were circulated between team members to keep volunteer schedules straight. Fortunately, today’s ChMS-enabled scheduling tools are designed to function as easy-to-use, integrated ministry planners. What makes a scheduling suite volunteer-friendly. As crucial as volunteers are to church offerings, it’s imperative that scheduling tools be accessible to them. Volunteer ministry leaders should be able to add events to the church calendar and assign team members to fill open positions. Today, that can be as simple as volunteers clicking “yes” or “no” to email invitations to serve. Why a web-based tool makes so much sense. Choosing a solution that’s web-based ensures access from anywhere, at any time. But, to be effective (and not just accessible), it has to incorporate workflow security and a user-friendly interface. You’ll learn what those two elements look like, in practice. A centralized approach to disseminating scheduling information. The series contributors agree that a truly efficient ChMS-enabled scheduling solution should let users push out bookings, cancellations / changes, text-message updates and other scheduling-centric communications simultaneously to all messaging outlets (websites, Facebook pages and so on). How to “listen to” the scheduling data at your fingertips — and act fast. This data is especially critical as it relates to monitoring volunteers’ engagement levels. A good scheduling suite will enable church leaders to analyze the data and know — without having to ask — the answers to several volunteer-critical questions. Have we checked Volunteer A’s background — especially in regards to children’s ministry? How often does Volunteer B serve? Is Volunteer C burning out? What serving rotation works best for Volunteer D? The list goes on and on. The stewardship of time Scheduling volunteers, events and facilities doesn’t have to be a hassle anymore. Ensuring the right ChMS-enabled tools are at hand streamlines operations. Even more important, it helps church leaders ensure their volunteers remain engaged and passionate. Last but not least, it frees them up, administratively, to do what they do best — minister. We hope you enjoy this installment of the Church Executive “Church Management Software (ChMS) Forum.” As always, we welcome your feedback. — The Editors

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

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Focus on: Scheduling Tools

Church Management Software (ChMS) Forum

Planning. The meat of this whole process is, of course, time: the calendar. Seraphim Ministry Planning consumes your whole screen and allows you to filter by ministries and date ranges. Assigning teams to time slots, handling substitutes and seeing conflicts are all visualized in an easy-to-understand way.

Using technology to tame the volunteer schedule headache By Sam Batterman

Servanthood. Perhaps no other word encapsulates what it means to be a Christian. Christ was a servant to His Father’s great plan of salvation. He chose to be a peasant instead of being born into opulence. He chose to be a servant to His creation, by dying for us on the cross. And Christ modeled how to be a servant to his disciples. In our modern, rush-around world, we rarely use the term “servant” — it has all kinds of trappings that can cause confusion. We generally use the term “volunteer.” But, volunteerism is servanthood. It’s what Christ called us to do. Perhaps no other part of church is as important or as complicated as managing volunteers. Visitors coming to the church are greeted by volunteers — those first few impressionable moments are left to volunteers. The same is true for the nursery, our children’s ministries, guardian angels patrolling the parking lot, and especially the lay leaders that lead out bible studies, Sunday school classes and children’s programs. These critical roles in the church are bounded by a number of important concerns: Who has volunteered? Are they gifted in that way as a volunteer? (Just because you want to be a teacher, doesn’t make you a great teacher.) Have we checked their background — especially in regards to children’s ministry? Are we using them? How often do they serve? Are they burning out? What are their preferences in serving? Do they like to serve with their families? What rotation works best for them? As a leader of volunteers, your concerns are more aggregated: How are my volunteers performing, and do they enjoy their roles? (Because if they don’t, they won’t volunteer much longer.) Do they have feedback that can make the position better, more efficient and more fulfilling? Way beyond a spreadsheet Excel was simply not designed for the task of managing all this; there are better technology solutions out there for churches to use. Seraphim Software provides an integrated ministry planner, linked tightly to its directory, grouping and reporting. This tight integration lets you quickly build lists of people who are serving in a ministry or are interested in serving, qualify them for service, and schedule them for service. This tool goes further by automatically inquiring about availability, finding substitutes quickly and easily, and managing scheduling conflicts. Here are some areas in which Seraphim Ministry Planner can help you be more effective with volunteers: Attracting. Seraphim provides methods for “advertising” the needs in the church. The people in the congregation see these needs and can volunteer for the specific ministry. The application then allows managers in the background to confirm proficiencies and qualifications, such as child CPR, child safety and various teaching preparation classes. This tool insures you have the right people with the right skills. Managing. It then lets you take this large pool of people and break them down into teams of volunteers — people who work well together and have similar schedules. Building teams is easy and quick. churchexecutive.com

Informing and reminders. A huge part of managing volunteers is reminding them and getting their availability. Seraphim allows you to set up reminders and not worry about them. Reminders can be set to send emails to your volunteers for events at any arbitrary time in the future. For example, send reminders to all your children’s ministry people who are serving in the next 90 days. They can respond by clicking a simple link in the email as to whether or not they are able to serve. The feedback from these responses is immediately visualized in the calendar, showing you who won’t be able to make it. You can also send “just reminders,” which don’t inquire about availability these emails can remind people that they are serving this coming weekend. You have full control over the header, footer, and even the automatically generated text regarding what role, what location and what time they are serving. Reporting. You can’t get better if you can’t see how you are doing. Reporting is focused on getting the most out of your volunteers. We have simple dashboards that show utilization rates, how many people have signed up, and how many people you are using. This allows you to discover who is serving and their frequency of serving. Why is this important? Because, in many churches it’s the same volunteers over and over again. And while their faithfulness can inspire and impress, it also leads to burn-out. Are you using everyone you can? Are you spreading out the load? What utilization metric would your pastor like to see, quarter to quarter? We make it easy to surface these numbers and manage your departments.

A final word on volunteers Make sure you touch base with them regularly. These are the people in the trenches, doing the job week in and week out. They will likely see things that can be improved — better processes, more efficient ways of doing things. Listen to them. Capture these ideas, and show them you care. This will go a long way in keeping people happy in roles and moving the mission of the church forward. Sam Batterman is president and CTO of Seraphim Software www.seraphimsoftware.com in Collegeville, PA. After years of working for companies including Merck and Microsoft, Batterman and his team now enable churches with high-tech tools designed especially for them. Come see Seraphim at WFX 2015 in Nashville.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Focus on: Scheduling Tools

Church Management Software (ChMS) Forum

ChMS-enabled volunteer management strategies As a founding pastor of a North Carolina church plant in the 1990s, I managed nearly 200 volunteers during our first few years. This included scheduling everyone from our first impressions team to our worship team to our set-up / tear-down team. By Mark Kitts Two decades ago, we were using spreadsheets that needed to be emailed around to the various teams to keep track of who was serving each Sunday. A few years after the church launched, I was able to hire an administrative assistant to help me with the immense workload. But, after 18 months of frustration due to the overwhelming logistics of scheduling all those volunteers, she burned out … and she quit. Back then, we didn’t have the tools in place to effectively support our ministry processes. Sending spreadsheets back and forth all week wasn’t an efficient way of managing the schedules for hundreds of volunteers; it just led to confusion and frustration. Now, the technology is available to streamline these processes. When implemented correctly, church management software simplifies scheduling every aspect of an event — including the crucial volunteers.

But, to communicate with potential volunteers and get them scheduled, churches need to know that those people are available and interested. To this end, they can include easy-to-use customized forms on their websites so members of the church community can express interest in serving in various ministries and indicate their availability — as well as register and pay for events. With a drag-and-drop tool to create the web forms, anyone on the church staff can set volunteers up to practically schedule themselves. Integrated with the database, this information will automatically update for simplified event management and communication.

Volunteer- and staff-friendly Staff and volunteers can quickly add an event to the church calendar within their database and select team members to fill open positions. The system will automatically email invitations to serve, and those volunteers can click “yes” or “no” to indicate if they accept. All the time slots can be filled quickly, and the schedule is available online for everyone to see in a central location. Advanced ChMS systems can also manage cancellations, black-out days and text-message notifications.

Churches should also use their ChMS for room and resource planning that requires approval. This lets them avoid double-booking rooms or running into last-minute conflicts. They can set up check-in for those events that require childcare, volunteer tracking or attendance tracking. The use of ChMS by many churches stops at people management — but they’re missing out and creating work for themselves if they don’t take advantage of the scheduling functionality. Rather than wasting extra time (that they don’t have) going through long, complicated processes to nail down details, they should use the tools that are already available to them. It will help churches retain their valuable staff and avoid burnout. Mark Kitts is Lead Software Architect at Elexio Church Software www.elexio.com and lives in North Carolina.

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

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Focus on: Scheduling Tools

Church Management Software (ChMS) Forum How scheduling tools can streamline your ministry efforts By Michael Jordan

Scheduling can be a nightmare. Overbooking rooms. Doublebooking church equipment. Accidentally scheduling two big functions on the same day. No matter the church size, the story is the same. There is always the need to ensure both facilities and staff are getting booked properly. Whether it be planning an event like Vacation Bible School, making sure a Bible study is booked in the proper room, or ensuring a church family event has the fellowship hall reserved, it’s imperative to have organized scheduling and coordination. But frankly, churches have just too many people, events, facilities and changes to coordinate, making one calendar impossible. At ACS Technologies, we’ve seen that there are several needs church leaders must have when it comes to scheduling functionality. The majority of the time, leaders express the same needs, no matter the church size, denomination or number of servants on the ministry team. The things they want include the ability to: • View one calendar, or any combination of calendars, with few clicks • Quickly check the daily, weekly or monthly availability of meeting rooms, people or equipment • Arrange meetings, reserve rooms and book equipment and resources without causing conflicts • Create complex recurring events (for example, finance committee that meets every second Tuesday or VBS that runs five consecutive days) • Schedule multiple locations per event • Broadcast schedules and announcements on screens throughout the church • Integrate information with Microsoft Outlook When looking for a ChMS that has strong scheduling functionality, church leaders should seek one which is designed specifically to expand and meet the multiple needs of their organization and corresponding facilities. With a real scheduling solution, church leaders can create and distribute custom calendars to members and staff so rooms and resources are never double-booked. Another important aspect church leaders need to examine when looking for the right scheduling tool is to make sure it is a Web-based application. In choosing a solution that is Web-based, church leaders can access whatever they might need from anywhere, at any time. Perhaps the key components to look for when thinking about a scheduling tool for your church are workflow security and a user-friendly interface. Both might actually be the key points when it comes down to making a decision. But, there is much more to finding a good scheduling tool than the points listed above. churchexecutive.com

Easy-to-use system options and events A strong scheduling tool has numerous features built in to help church leaders avoid common mistakes such as double-booking rooms, equipment or staff and volunteers. Church leaders should also provide the ability to: • E nter events as pending or approved, with the ability to confirm them later • Cancel events and keep information in the system for reference • Enter recurring events or events that span multiple days • Book resources and extra setup or teardown time • Enter separate rooms with the ability to later combine them to be booked as one resource Accessibility anytime, anywhere A hosted solution is the way to go. This way, there is no worrying about installing discs or updates. With this method, all church leaders have to do is install the application, and it’s maintained and updated through the chosen provider. In addition, by going the hosted route, you’ll have: • Regular, current backups of your data in case of emergency • Secure data transfer • Server hardware repairs, upgrades and replacements • 24-hour network support for connection to server • Software updates, so you’re always using the latest version Communication A strong scheduling solution should provide the ability to centrally book, change, update and communicate. This means anything scheduling-related can be pushed out at the same time to all messaging outlets, including: • Websites • Facebook pages • Church apps • Church calendar links • Broadcast outlets Control A strong solution gives ministries the ability to control all aspects of scheduling, including: • Setup — Leaders can decide how many calendars and event types to create • Security — Leaders can decide who has access to view or add events to each calendar • Scheduling — Leaders can decide who can add or edit events as approved or confirmed Reporting Church leaders understand the importance of reporting. Whether it be for internal use or relaying information to the congregation, when choosing an option for scheduling, it’s important to have a system which provides many standardized reports and calendar formats, such as: • List of events • List of resources • Weekly and monthly calendars • Request forms • Planning calendar Implementing a scheduling tool to help with ministry is easier than you think, especially when you have a robust ChMS in place to complement it. In short, such tools can better streamline your ministry efforts and make the lives of staff, volunteers and congregation less hectic. Michael Jordan is a marketing strategist for ACS Technologies www.acstechnologies.com headquartered in Florence, SC, with offices in Phoenix and Seattle. July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

FINANCES & ADMINISTRATION for Church Leaders

Planning for retirement:

it’s your choice By Rev. James R. Cook, CFP ®

Do I buy a car or lease one? Do I work to pay for my education — or my children’s — or do I take out a loan? Do I rent an apartment or buy a house? For each of these questions, making the right decision depends on a number of factors that are unique to you. But one financial question leaves us with very few choices: Do I save for retirement? While most of us cannot say “no” to saving for the future, we can choose how much to save and how to make long-term savings a part of our lives. “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” When it comes to saving, there are few hard and fast rules, but this old adage comes as close to a rule as you can get. Let’s illustrate with a story about two investors. Joanna started her first job in ministry at age 25 after receiving a master’s degree. From her very first paycheck, she contributed $50 a month to her employer’s retirement plan. She did this faithfully for 20 years. When she turned 45, she stopped contributing and left the investment alone. At 65, she discovered that her account had grown to $76,472. Not bad since she had only contributed $12,000 and had not thought about it for 20 years. Joe was also 25; but when he began working, he had other priorities for his money and did not contribute to his employer’s retirement plan. At 45, Joe realized he needed to do something or he was going to have to work the rest of his life. For Joe to end up at age 65 with the same savings as Joanna, he needed to save $165 a month for the next 20 years. See the table (top) on the next page for the benefits of starting early. 14

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Start with the end in mind For most working people, Social Security will provide an amount somewhere between 30% and 40% of their final salary if they begin collecting at their full retirement age. For most individuals, the remaining funds required to meet living expenses will need to come from personal retirement savings. You probably will only need to replace 80 percent of your final salary when you retire because you will no longer pay Social Security taxes — 15.3 percent, if you are a clergy person — and you will no longer be saving for retirement. Your personal circumstances and the lifestyle choices you make will ultimately determine your exact income needs in retirement. To support this level of income in retirement, you will need to save an amount equal to 12 to 15 times your final salary by the time you retire, assuming a retirement age of 65. So, how are you doing? The table on the next page (bottom) gives an easy benchmark for various ages to illustrate where you should be if your goal is to reach 12 times salary at age 65. churchexecutive.com

Set a savings goal Aim to achieve a 10-percent savings rate before the end of your 20s, a 12-percent rate during your 30s and 15-percent savings from age 40 to retirement. The good news is you can count any contributions your employer makes on your behalf toward this goal. Of course, this model assumes an ideal — that you had the knowledge, foresight and ability to start saving with your first job sometime in your 20s. If you did not, and you were behind, you might need to save more to catch up. Don’t let that scare you. With just a few modifications in your plan — like working two or three years longer or cutting expenses now or in retirement — you can make a big difference in achieving your goal. The most important thing is not to let disappointment about your current savings keep you from making changes. Remember: The sooner you start, the more you can save. Make a plan and take your first step You might want to save 12 percent, but are not anywhere near that. What can you do? Here are four relatively painless steps: #1: Forget about the past, and commit to working toward your goal starting today. #2: Decide how much you can save each month out of your paycheck. Start by thinking about this in real dollars, not percentages. #3: Next, add your savings amount and any amount your employer is contributing and convert this to a percentage of your salary. #4: Make a commitment to reevaluate the amount you are saving annually with the goal of increasing it by 1 percent each year until you reach your target savings rate. If you get a pay increase, using part of that to increase your savings rate will be almost painless. Saving for retirement is your choice. Take advantage of savings programs your employer offers. Start early by contributing an amount you can afford. Commit to increasing your savings whenever your compensation increases. Track your progress. Engage a financial planning professional to assist you. These simple steps can give you the retirement you choose. Rev. James R. Cook, CFP ®, is a National Outreach Manager at MMBB Financial Services www.mmbb.org. As a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, Cook is an expert in comprehensive financial and retirement planning. He is also an accomplished speaker and a passionate teacher with 10 years of pastoral experience in several California churches.

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July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

BREAKING BARRIERS

Welcome to worship

How to recognize hearing loss — and provide solutions By Maile Keone

Hearing loss is often known as the “invisible disability.” Those among us who have it, often prefer to try to cope with it, live with it, or hide it from others. And yet, this so-called invisible disability affects about 20 percent of American adults! This means that potentially, one out of five of congregants are not hearing messages and music that inspire them each week in your house of worship. It can be difficult to recognize hearing loss, whether it is our own, or that of someone we love. It often develops gradually and affects people differently. There are certain signs to look for when it comes to determining whether or not someone is losing his or her hearing. It is, of course, advisable to visit your physician or an audiologist, if you think that you or someone you love has hearing loss. 7 signs of hearing loss #1: High volume level on the TV, car radio or home stereo #2: Difficulty understanding or following group conversations #3: D ifficulty focusing or hearing when people are speaking in another room #4: The need to have things repeated #5: D ifficulty understanding people in crowded places, such as restaurants, or during weekly worship services #6: Difficulty hearing phone conversations #7: Withdrawal from social situations and activities There are many things that can be done to help people who have hearing loss. One of the best actions to take is to install an assistive listening system. Providing an assistive listening system in your house of worship can increase attendance and a sense of community within your congregation, help people with hearing loss and language barriers feel less isolated, and, most important, ensure that everyone hears inspirational messages during weekly worship services. Know your options There are three types of assistive listening systems. The type of system to install depends on the needs of your congregation, the laws in your local jurisdiction, and the acoustics in your house of worship. Before determining what type of assistive listening system is best for your house of worship, it might be a good idea to take a survey among your congregation to see how familiar they are with the technology and to see how many people would benefit from the system — the results might surprise you. 16

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It is also a wise idea to look up the local laws in your area on providing assistive listening in a house of worship. There are many jurisdictions in separate states that require houses of worship to provide assistive listening to their practitioners. 3 types of assistive listening #1: Radio Frequency (RF) — Works like a radio to deliver sound to a congregant’s receiver and is typically the least expensive assistive listening system to install #2: Infrared (IR) — Uses light (like a TV remote control) to transmit sound to a congregant’s receiver; is great for houses of worship that want to use it for simultaneous broadcasts, like assistive listening and language interpretation #3: Hearing Loop — Provides congregants with discreet and personal listening experiences, because they can use their own hearing aids (if equipped with t-coils) as a receiver. Hearing loops can also be used with other types of receivers, for people who do not have t-coil-equipped hearing aids. Hearing loss affects all of us, whether it is our own, one of our loved ones, or someone with whom we attend weekly worship services. One of the most important things to remember when considering hearing loss is that it is invisible and can be very isolating. This isolation can lead people to stop enjoying the activities they love, including attending church each week. Reaching out and making people with hearing loss feel welcome in congregations is important. Making sure that they can hear the words and music that inspire them — with the help of an assistive listening system — is even more so. Maile Keone is VP of Marketing at Listen Technologies in Bluffdale, UT. www.listentech.com

CHURCH ACCOUNTING BASICS

Internal controls keep fraud at bay By Tammy Bunting

“What happens in accounting, stays in accounting.” If your finance team’s motto goes something like this, you might have an internal controls problem. Internal controls are put in place to clearly define proper procedures for finance and accounting team members, to minimize risk, and to alleviate suspicion. Even churches must mitigate risk and ensure that policies and procedures are in place and functioning as intended. In our May / June 2015 issue article, “Church Audits: Know the 4 V’s,” we discussed the importance of keeping things organized, which in turn supports efficiency and accuracy. It can be somewhat overwhelming for pastors to focus on the eternal welfare of his or her parishioners and keep a pulse on financial affairs, specifically when it comes to defining good internal controls. Maintaining organized business operations is extremely important, but it must not intrude on mission-critical efforts.

So, where should you focus your attention? As a pastor or church administrator, think of establishing internal controls as “staying organized” but … on steroids. The process won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. And, once policies and procedures have been defined and documented, the crucial piece is execution. Operating successfully within your predefined internal controls is a bit like playing a board game: There are specific rules that govern how the game is played. No player can simply do whatever he or she wants; rules ensure that the game is played fairly and that no one player has a bigger advantage than another. Similarly, financial operations require a set of rules that must be followed. Everyone must read the rules and understand them before the “game” starts; that way, no one player has the opportunity to circumvent them. This is important, because if your family is anything like mine, there’s always someone who tries to change the rules at the most opportune time so they can take advantage! Usually, a few turns go by before we say, “Wait a minute — you cheated!” So, how do we begin to define these rules, document them, and ensure they’re followed? Start with a list of checks and balances. To that end, let’s take a look at four categories that are key to any internal controls policy. #1: Cash #2: Authorization #3: Reconciliation #4: Oversight What follows is a short list of requirements within each category that will help you mitigate potential risks at your church. Risk refers not only to fraud, but also to errors. It is always a good idea to meet with your CPA firm to establish this list for your organization, to understand how it should be documented, and how best to communicate the procedures to your staff.

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Cash • Separate the receiving of cash / checks from the record-keeping functions. • When opening the mail, endorse or stamp checks “for deposit only” and list the checks on a log before turning them over to the person responsible for compiling the deposit. • Make sure the same person isn’t authorized to write and sign checks. • Require paychecks to be distributed by a person other than the individual authorizing or preparing payroll checks. Authorization • Require purchases to be authorized by a designated person. • Separate purchasing functions from payable functions. • Require supervisors to approve employee timesheets. • Establish a policy that mandates credit cards are for business use only. Prohibit the use of credit cards for personal purposes with subsequent reimbursement. • Set account limits with credit card companies and suppliers. Reconciliation • Reconcile bank accounts every month. • Require the reconciliation to be completed by someone other than the person with check-signing responsibilities, or require a supervisor review of the reconciliation. • Initial and date bank statements or reconciliation reports to document that a review was performed. • Reconcile credit card statements monthly. Follow bank reconciliation review protocol. Oversight • Establish a governing body that monitors the operations and management on a regular basis. • Require an explanation of any significant variances from the budgeted amounts. • Document the approval of financial policies and procedures, as well as major expenditures, in board meetings. • Require independent auditors to represent and explain annual financial statements to the governing body and to provide management letters to this group. The list above represents a selection of key elements in establishing a minimum of internal controls and is by no means all-inclusive. A welldesigned internal control structure can increase operational performance by improving your church’s overall efficiency and effectiveness, as well as reducing risk.

No church is exempt I have been involved in the church my whole life. Starting at 3, under my father’s leadership, I participated in planting a church, along with another family. Because of that experience, being a part of a church family means something very personal to me. As an adult, I discovered that, unfortunately, churches are not immune to fraud. The ultimate cost is not just dollars, but also a loss of trust that hurts the church and stays with it forever. A lack of internal controls can provide someone with the opportunity to access money for his or her own use. Take the time to put the “rules of the game” in place so that trust within your church stays protected. Trustworthy staff members who have the church’s best interests at heart will appreciate the value these protections provide.

Tammy Bunting is the Director of Not-for-Profit Services at AcctTwo www.accttwo.com , which provides cloud-based financial management software and outsourced accounting for churches. AcctTwo’s solutions help churches automate processes, increase accuracy, and provide a complete financial picture.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

DESIGNING W O R S H I P

A R E A S

An effective worship space for kids is no small feat By Curtiss H. Doss, AIA

Whether or not to provide separate worship environments for the youngest demographic in a church — children and preschoolers — can spark a hot debate. This source of contention reinforces the original premise and guiding concept for this “Designing Worship Areas” Series: Every church is different. If you’re wondering why this statement has been made five times in as many series installment, it’s simply because it’s true — and this area of ministry is a true testament. Preschool and children’s spaces are the most unique of all worship spaces, in my opinion. They must capture these special worshippers and hold their attention while also supporting the worship leaders. Even with younger ages in attendance and shorter “sermons,” these services are no less significant. (After all: “Jesus loves me, this I know!”) We tend to make worship more complicated than it should be, and a quick visit through these age groups will bring one back to his or her spiritual roots. Preschool and children’s worship spaces have similar elements to those found in the student areas we covered in the previous series installment. However, they generally tend to be a bit more subdued.

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

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Aesthetical, technical and flexible The appropriateness of these three key design tenets — aesthetical, technical and flexible — is unique to preschool and children’s spaces. Even as designers, many times we pay less attention to these areas, regarding them as less important … but nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, this is the most fertile soil of the heart we can find to plant the seeds and see the harvest of souls for the Kingdom. Some unique opportunities include the coolness of the use of color, the flexibility of seating options (colored carpet tiles where each child gets his or her own tile for their seat), simplified platforms and props. Some of the photos in this article tell the story better than words can, actually. Aesthetical. The aesthetical aspects are generally created with color and themes. Our firm has used themes such as Noah’s Ark, nature parks, outer space and warehouses to invite kids and their families to experience the ministry. We have used color to create a different environment than the ones that the “old folks” create for themselves. The opportunity to capture the hearts of children and preschool students is very diverse and allows for geographical, as well as topical, influences to reach these impressionable hearts. If a church is located in a coastal region, a theme could be the oceans. If a church resides in the mountains, the mountain scape could be a theme. Regardless, the opportunity to teach about God, His creation, how we’re a part of it, and His love for us is ever-present. Technical. As with any other type of worship space, all the technical aspects related to a worship space for children and preschoolers are essential — particularly, the needs related to music and participatory involvement. Yet, many times, the technical systems in these spaces are substantially less expansive, and sometimes less expensive. Children and preschoolers need a “home” at church, just like students. As such, the creation of environments which speak their language, encourage participation, and promote a non-threatening and relaxed churchexecutive.com

environment, produces a platform to minister. Remember that each ministry is different (as is every church) and what is successful in one ministry might work within the DNA of another ministry. Flexibility. A third element is the need for flexibility. More often than not, funds to build space-specific areas such as worship spaces for children and preschoolers are not readily available. That makes these worship spaces more multi-use environments than “big church,” as kids call it. With a multi-use environment, children’s and preschool ministries can accommodate a multitude of programs, from vacation bible school, to music programs, to Awana, to worship. The ability to quickly change is critical to the functionality of the space. We have found that simple construction elements are a must, including a flat floor, highly functional technical systems, and versatile platforms. As with student areas, the desire for stage-like functions can create challenges with most building codes. An exceptional understanding of the codes and a working relationship with the building officials can avoid numerous problems during construction. Ignoring the platform / stage dilemma can negatively impact the functionality of the space. The children’s and preschool worship space is a special design challenge; to create the desired result, it needs a great level of knowledge and understanding of the specific ministry. The personal reward of seeing these young church members worshipping Jesus and building the bridge between their hearts and the love He has for them is one of the best results we can hope to achieve in the design of religious facilities. Curtiss H. Doss, AIA is principal of McGehee Nicholson Burke (MNB) Architects in Memphis, TN. www.mnbarchitects.com Doss has consulted with church clients for more than 20 years, and his architectural practice spans more than 30 years.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

PASTOR-FRIENDLY

SOUND SYSTEMS

SPECIFYING A CHURCH SOUND SYSTEM A sound system is one of the biggest technology investments your church will make. And although you must respect your budget, it would be a serious mistake to cut corners — or just go buy something from a big-box store to save a few bucks. By Rik Kirby & Daniel Keller

A professional-caliber sound system delivers clear, intelligible sound exactly where your church needs it, with minimal reflections off walls, ceilings and other surfaces. The right system has plenty of power to deliver ample sound without strain, without wasteful overkill or sound levels that overwhelm the room. Your church’s new sound system should be designed to suit your space and the types of services and other events hosted there. Once you have the right components, they have to be properly and safely installed and then adjusted or “tuned.” There is much to consider, and it’s important to take time to educate yourself so you can make informed decisions. Get professional help Assessing the acoustics and vagaries of a room and choosing, installing and adjusting professional sound equipment is a job for a skilled system designer and installer. In the long run, the money spent on getting a pro to help plan and install your system is the best expenditure you can make. An experienced systems designer will work with you to create a system that fits your church’s space, message and budget. Your church will get a system that suits its needs for many years to come — and in the long run, it will save money. When it comes to choosing a designer, there are basically two choices: the “design build” route wherein you choose a company that will design, install and commission the system; or, you can hire a consultant to design the system, with the installation portion going out to bid. In either scenario, choose your system designer and installer carefully. If you go to an audio equipment dealer, you might only be introduced to products from the lines that dealer sells. Of course, the dealer might 20

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happen to carry exactly the right products for your room — or have access to a wide enough selection — but you can’t assume that. You might not always be made aware of all your best alternatives. This is a good argument for going to an independent systems consultant. These firms and individuals specify products from a very wide group of suppliers. Whether you choose loudspeakers from Company A or from Company Z will be a matter of which best suits your needs. In the end, the oldest method of finding an installer or consultant is often still the best: word-of-mouth. Begin with contacts at other churches in your region. Talk with people who have been through this process in recent years. Some probably had great experiences with their system designers; perhaps some were not so happy. Learn from both. Working with your system designer The designer’s job is to help specify and set up the right system for your church. A good system designer will take the time to communicate with you and get a feel for your overall requirements, budget and special considerations. For starters, discuss the types of services and events you usually host. The designer’s understanding of how the system will be used is of critical importance. Contemporary services with a praise band, worship music concerts with electronic instruments, and live music for holiday theater productions require a system capable of delivering music with great clarity at relatively high sound levels — without seeming too loud. For this, you need a system that can handle everything from low bass to high frequencies. Traditional services, on the other hand, might call for a system entirely focused on speech intelligibility. (Your church’s pipe organ and choir churchexecutive.com

probably do not need amplification.) That’s no guarantee, however, that a very simple system is right for your sanctuary. As we’ll discuss next, the acoustics of your space will largely determine the system you need. Architectural considerations The architecture and acoustics of your church are a major factor when choosing a sound system. Professional system designers have tools, experience and skills for measuring the acoustical properties of the room and designing a system that will work in your sanctuary. For instance, ensuring that everything is heard clearly in a transept or beyond an archway might present a challenge. Your systems designer should be able to assess these issues, but it won’t hurt for you to point them out. You also might have special needs related to the room’s architecture about which the designer should be made aware. Perhaps the mixing console must be located in a balcony where it’s currently hard to hear. Armed with this information, the designer might specify loudspeaker arrays that employ steered-beam technology, which enables multiple beams of sound to be directed in very precise ways. One beam might cover that mixing space in the balcony, while other beams of sound fill the main room. To design these sophisticated systems, most professionals employ acoustic modeling software such as AFMG’s EASE, which provides detailed, realistic modeling and simulation of your sanctuary’s acoustics and potential sound system performance. This takes the guesswork out of system design, helping eliminate costly mistakes and reducing installation time. The designer can predict what works and what doesn’t work before installation begins and changes become more timeconsuming and expensive. We’ll touch on one more architectural consideration: visual impact. Be aware that your new loudspeakers need not detract from your sanctuary’s appearance. Many loudspeaker companies will customize the color of your loudspeakers to match the décor, enabling the speakers to “disappear” into the background. Discuss this with your system designer, who will plan accordingly when specifying speakers.

EASE model showing the coverage of a traditional horn-based loudspeaker system. While coverage of the audience is good, there is a also lot of sound hitting the ceiling, which will cause reverberation. EASE model showing the coverage of an Iconyx Digitally Steerable Array. Again, the audience area is well covered; but, the tight control of the steerable array means the ceiling is avoided and reverberation is better controlled.

The cost Since budget is a major consideration for most churches, discuss your expected costs with the system designer from the start. With a good consultant, you are highly likely to get a knowing and proactive response. System design professionals can often find ways to save a little money in less important places in order to spend more money where you ought to go a bit higher-end. Perhaps the designer will specify a slightly less expensive speaker for the choir loft but employ a higher-end array for the main part of the sanctuary. Or, maybe by using a larger array, with more beams, the designer can dispense with extra speakers entirely. Your system designer can probably find a variety of ways to meet the room’s challenges while staying within your church’s financial means. churchexecutive.com

Testing, testing … Having assessed your church’s needs, the systems designer might bring a sample system into your church so you can hear what it sounds like in your space. Of course, the test system might not be placed exactly like the final installed system. For instance, the test system will probably be mounted on tripods, whereas the installed system might be flown. But, particularly with loudspeakers that can be aimed precisely — such as steered-beam arrays — the test system can give a close approximation of what the final system will sound like. Let’s get started As you have seen, choosing a sound system is a complex and multifaceted process. Today’s loudspeaker systems are more advanced than ever, designed to deliver exceptional fidelity, power and performance. But, designing the right system doesn’t need to be overwhelming. With the help of a qualified professional, you can create the best possible system for your service, your worship space, and for your budget. Rik Kirby is Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Renkus-Heinz, Inc. www.renkus-heinz.com. Located in Southern California for more than 35 years, Renkus-Heinz is a manufacturer of high-end professional loudspeaker systems. Daniel Keller is CEO of Get It In Writing, Inc.® www.getitinwriting.net. July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Don’t miss the bus

How to buy the right transportation for your unique church By Mike Jones Today’s growing churches are seven-day-a-week operations. The ability to transport worshippers to services on Sunday is just one need; churches are also hosting children, youth and seniors well beyond Sunday. So, your transportation needs are clear — and immediate. Before you buy, here are a few factors about your unique church that should be considered to determine the best overall vehicle investment. Church size Even if your church is small, it can obtain a church bus! Churches of all sizes use buses. Usually, it just comes down to where you want to put your ministry dollars. And really, budget can be a factor for any size church. So, look for a dealership that can provide budget-conscious financing or leasing. Leasing a bus is a great way to free up money for ministry and still have a new bus with full manufacturer warranty protection. Generally speaking, the newer the bus, the more reliable it is. However, a slightly used bus can easily fit into your church budget. Church size might also dictate how large a bus your congregation needs, or how many buses — but not always. Some small churches carry large groups of congregants to conferences and evening services. Likewise, some large churches don’t use any transportation at all. Daily, weekly and monthly passengers The number of people a church wants to be able to transport has a lot to do with the size of bus, or number of buses, it will need. In most states, any vehicle that seats 15 or fewer passengers does not require a Commercial Driver’s License, or CDL. A non-CDL bus can make finding drivers much easier for your ministry. A 26-passenger bus is a very popular mid-size bus among churches. It’s usually equipped for longer trips, offering features to add greater comfort. This size of bus isn’t overwhelming to drive, yet it can carry more passengers while being budget-friendly. While buses that seat 32 to 52 passengers are available, many churches find the higher price tag to be more than they want to spend. But, if this size of bus makes the most sense for your ministry, consider a lease. Your church’s needs might change, and this ensures you’re not locked into the bus for the long-term. Service areas — local, regional and national Service is always an important consideration! Although churches generally put minimal miles on a bus, these vehicles still require regular oil changes, tire rotation and brake service. Most service and warranty work can be done at a local Ford or Chevy dealership, since most buses are built on that brand of chassis. Be sure to partner with a bus company that will be your advocate should any service or warranty work be needed. 22

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Desired options A variety of options can be on a bus or added: LED lighting; standard seat belts; retractable seat belts; dual hand rails at entry; overhead luggage (for small suitcases or backpacks); reading lights; aisle sliders (allows aisle seats to slide into aisle for more room); DVD player with screens that everyone except the driver can see; back-up camera; navigation system; PA system; AM/FM/CD player; trailer hitch; stainless steel wheel inserts. Some dealers (ours among them) make a lot of these options standard on church buses — and even take it a step further. For example, we realized that passengers weren’t closing their windows properly. So, when the bus was parked after use, rain came in the bus and damaged walls and floors. It even allowed birds, bees and wasps to get in and nest! So, we felt it best to spend the extra money for a solid window that eliminates the possibility of leaving the windows open. As an added benefit, we find kids can’t put their arms and hands out the windows. Also available are upgraded seat belts. When not in use, they retract instead of lying on the floor, where people can step on them or get them wet or dirty. Adding these features will add to the cost of the bus, but some dealers have some — or all — added to their stock buses, saving your church some money. What about accessibility? Most buses are easy to access for all ages. Generally, the first step is only about 12 inches high. If you pull up to a curb, the step is even lower. For seniors, dual handrails are helpful. And, most prefer riding in a shuttle bus than in a van, given the ease of entry and room to maneuver. Many churches opt for a bus with a lift for optimal inclusion. This helps individuals using walkers or wheel chairs easily board and de-board. Fuel efficiency Most gas-powered buses get 10 to 12 miles per gallon. We don’t consider alternate fuels a viable solution for the church market yet, cost- and payback-wise, given the comparatively low miles they run. Parking Be sure to plan where the bus will be parked — in a garage or outside. If it’s outside, you’ll want to park the vehicle in a well-lit area that’s as visible as possible from the road. As with everything you do as church executives, good stewardship of funds is a top priority — not only during the transportation selection process, but on a long-term-maintenance basis. Keep these deciding factors in mind before you sign on the dotted line. Mike Jones is National Sales Manager at ChurchBus.com. www.churchbus.com churchexecutive.com

Seating selection MADE SIMPLE Ergonomics isn’t just for scientists and designers — it’s an integral part of choosing the right seats for your worship space. By Amanda Opdycke

Sauder Worship Seating upholstered ergonomic pew with Vantage chairs

In seating manufacturing, Ergonomics is an integral element of the design and development process. Combined with the study of Anthropometry — the science that measures the range of the body size within a population — Ergonomics allows for maximum achievement of comfort in any number of seating products. These concepts are collated to create a superior level of comfort in pews, chairs or auditorium seating. The following details are important to consider as you begin the daunting task of determining not only what seating will enhance your worship experience, but also the level of comfort needed for the congregation to best understand God’s message. Ergonomics: not just numbers and statistics Ergonomics are more than facts and figures gathered to assist in the creation of various types of seating. Rather, the study of Ergonomics provides comfortable seating that allows the congregation to fully enjoy the sermon — the primary purpose of the worship experience. Parishioners are coming to experience the Word of the Lord. If they are fidgeting in their seats, they are no longer focused on the Word, but on their discomfort in the seats … and how quickly they are able to get out of them. This leads to a vital element of Ergonomics: design. When selecting sanctuary seating, it is important to consider comfort. Maximum comfort can be achieved when the spine is in a neutral position, similar to standing. A seated lumbar support helps in the continuation of the “S” curve shape of the spine. The construction of the seat itself is far more important than the “cushy” feel of the foam and fabric. While the latter elements are important, too, it is wise to understand the structural elements of construction. Best practices and comprehensive research will be helpful as you look for a seat that is designed to fit the contour of the upper legs through the lower back. If the seat pan is too shallow, it will cause serious discomfort behind the knees. This, in turn, impacts the pressure points behind the knee. Another seat design element to keep in mind is the structure of the seat from the front to the back. Not including a contoured seat to support the contour of the leg will result in leg and back pain. Some manufacturing processes do not include a contoured seat to support the contour of the foam. A contoured seat structure supports the contoured foam; this means that as foam naturally degrades over time, the base structure will continue to support the natural curvature of the lower body. This results in extended comfort over the life of your seating. A final component of seat comfort is the height of the seat. If the seat is too high, this too will create discomfort in the legs. churchexecutive.com

Sauder Worship Seating solid pew body with contour seat and back

Sauder Worship Seating upholstered pew body construction detailing the contour seat beneath the contoured foam

We often think of the back when we think of Ergonomics. This is a critical part of the equation — but not as critical as one might think. It is often the case that the foundation of our seat is directly related to the comfort of the back. As previously stated, the design of the back should support the design of the seat. There are a number of elements that will contribute to back comfort. The pitch of the back will directly impact the level of comfort. The lower the incline of the back pitch, the less comfortable the back will be. Another detail to keep in mind is the lowerback contour. As you try out different types of seats, it is important to notice how the lower back contour couples with the contour of your back. The simplest advice of all: sit! When selecting worship seating, bear in mind that actually sitting in the seat might be the most crucial aspect of your decision process. If possible, try out the seats over the course of a short period of time. Determine if the seats will suit your ultimate goal: maintaining attentive comfort as a means to engage your parishioners with God’s word. Amanda Opdycke is Worship Market Manager at Sauder Worship Seating in Archbold, OH. www.sauderworship.com July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Engaging Spaces

TYPES OF ADULT CLASSROOM SPACES By Allison Parrott with Paul Lodholz, AIA, LEED AP

For each church, educational spaces will be quite varied: some small, some large, some flexible, some very specific. For a design to facilitate the varied forms of religious education, it must be based on an understanding of the specific needs and goals for a particular ministry.

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In most churches, we find a need for a range of adult education classroom spaces. Often, churches define their adult education curriculum based on age range or life stage; as such, classroom spaces need to be sensitive to the group of people using them. Few other building types require such a mix of spaces and intended users. Adult classrooms in churches must be able to meet the needs of college students, emerging young professionals, young parents, parents of teenagers, empty nesters, grandparents and retirees alike. With such a broad range of ages and preferred learning styles, having a mix of classroom types is advantageous. Large group lecture spaces Typically, there is only need for one large adult classroom. These larger rooms are sometimes outfitted with operable wall partitions that allow for the room to be subdivided; however, we find that these are rarely used. When churches have this large classroom, it will seat anywhere from 50 to 150 occupants in lecture-style seating â&#x20AC;&#x201D; typically in rows of chairs and without any writing surfaces. This type of room also is often a multi-use room. And, because of its size, it makes an ideal small banquet room or group breakfast gathering area. As such, it should be located in proximity to a hospitality kitchen. This type of room also tends to be outfitted with a true stage, lectern and sound system, which makes it useful for small worship gatherings as well as large-group Sunday School / Bible Study classes. These rooms are often used for the senior adult classes or gender-specific classes that draw large crowds. In this type of room, a good rule-of-thumb is to plan for 15 to 20 square feet per person to allow for ample seating and stage space. churchexecutive.com

Small group lecture spaces Small group classes will accommodate fewer than 50 people — typically, 10 to 35. In a small group lecture format, the classroom needs to be large enough to allow for writing tables. Plan for 35 square feet per person if occupants will be seated at tables facing the front of the classroom. These types of classrooms must be outfitted with whiteboards or smart boards. A projection system or TV is nice, but not necessary. And, and rarely do these classrooms have any audio systems associated with them. Sometimes these rooms have some built-in wall storage, allowing volunteers to have an in-room space to store class materials. These spaces are often booked for new-member trainings or Bible Study classes that are a little more academic in nature.

These classrooms can be completely fluid, allowing for quick rearrangement as needs arise. Or, they can be a little more defined. Many churches are taking cues from current trends in office design and using low walls or interestingly shaped partitions in central gathering areas to define multiple classroom spaces within the central commons. Because these spaces are so dynamic, they can be difficult to plan. If you are in an existing building, take stock of your corridors, lobbies and transition areas. Are there natural areas where the corridor widens? Could you remove a portion of an existing classroom wall near an entrance lobby? If people tend to naturally gather at a certain spot, could you widen the corridor? These types of spaces tend to be more intimate than a typical classroom and generally should accommodate five to 15 people.

Small group discussion spaces These classrooms are a little less formal than the lecture-based classrooms. Although lecture-style learning can happen in these rooms, they are not designed for extensive note-taking. These classrooms can be a little smaller since only loose chairs are needed. Allocate 20 to 25 square feet per person in these rooms. Like the lecture-style rooms, these classrooms should have whiteboards and TVs, though audio systems are rarely used. Sometimes these classrooms might even have sofas or lounge furniture to lend a living room feel. These types of classrooms are often packed with couples’ classes (Young Marrieds, Empty Nesters and so on) as they facilitate curricula that allow for much more dialogue and discussion.

Transparency in every space In an effort to get as much bang for our buck, adult classroom spaces are often crammed down long hallways or stuck in the core of a building, with no exterior windows. This makes for a dreary, institutional feeling. Really think about these spaces; try to structure your programming so that every classroom space has some natural light. If this is not possible, think about replacing portions of the walls with storefront glass. Having large panes of glass can give the illusion of natural light, helping to make a space feel less confined and more open. This also delivers the added benefit of providing visual security.

Informal group spaces As Millennials become a larger presence in the church, the informal classroom has become a growing a trend. These spaces range from caféstyle seating, to couches tucked into an alcove, to small seating areas along large corridors, or even outdoor spaces. churchexecutive.com

Allison Parrott is the Project Manager for the Worship and Education Studio at Ziegler Cooper Architects www.zieglercooper.com in Houston. She is married to a church-planter and pastor and is blessed to be able to serve other churches through her professional work. Paul Lodholz, AIA, LEED AP is the Principal-in-Charge of the Worship and Education Studio at Ziegler Cooper Architects. He has lectured around the country on the changing nature of the church lobby and has been working with churches for more than 35 years.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Finance & Lending Trends

Does it make sense to refinance right now? (Even though you might be facing a prepayment penalty) By Dan Mikes

If you haven’t already heard while listening to the evening news, the 15-year historic graphs — shown, left — indicate that while interest rates are still relatively low, they might have bottomed and be on their way up. While many think rates are likely to increase in the future, no one knows how much they will rise or when. Now might prove to be a good time to refinance existing debt and secure a long-term fixed rate if possible. What if your religious institution currently has debt and the loan is subject to a prepayment penalty? If your leadership team believes rates are headed upward, it might make sense to pay the penalty and secure a lower rate now. But, how might you do the math to provide perspective on whether it would make sense to pay the penalty now? How much would rates need to increase to justify paying the penalty? 26

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Running the numbers The following hypothetical example is for illustrative purposes only. It might help your leadership team to answer these questions by providing some high-level perspective. The template will enable your leadership team to identify how much rates would have to rise to justify paying the penalty and refinancing now. If your team feels rates will likely pass through the break-even threshold, you should refinance now. Let’s assume, for example, that four years ago your religious institution borrowed $5 million and the interest rate was originally fixed for five years at 6 percent, on a 25-year amortization. Your monthly payment is currently $32,215. Your lender tells you that if you refinance today, you face a prepayment penalty of $75,000. You decide to shop around, and you receive an offer at 5 percent fixed for five years. Based on your current loan balance of $4,628,922, and your remaining amortization duration of 21 years, your new monthly payment would be $29,705. While it’s great to see an immediate monthly savings and avoid the uncertainty of where rates might be as of loan maturity, we still haven’t identified how much interest rates would need to rise between now and your current loan maturity (12 months from now) to justify having paid the $75,000 penalty. One way to answer this question is to compare the two scenarios — refinance now versus wait — in terms of total-out-of-pocket-expense over the next 60 months. If you refinance now, your total payments over the next 60 months will equal $1,782,300. Add the $75,000 cost to exit your current loan, and your total out-of-pocket-expense increases to $1,857,300. Conversely, if you stay with your current loan through maturity, your next 12 payments will total $386,580. When you renew your loan, if your new interest rate is 5.35 percent, your new monthly payment will be $30,723. Over the next 48 months, your total payments will be $1,474,704. Consequently, over the next 60 months the total out-of-pocket-expense equals $1,861,284. Conclusion: Over the next 12 months, if your leadership team believes interest rates will increase 0.35 percent or more, fewer dollars will exit your pocket if you pay the prepayment penalty and refinance now. churchexecutive.com

Please note that the above example only considers out-of-pocketexpense. No cost has been assigned for the loss of investment income which might have been earned on $75,000 had it been retained rather than spent to satisfy the prepayment penalty. We also did not consider the financing cost should you desire to borrow the $75,000. While no one has a crystal ball, presenting this type of analysis to your leadership team might provide useful perspective in helping them to decide whether to refinance now or wait. Examining interest rate swaps In recent years, many religious institutions have secured fixed-rate financing by entering into an interest rate swap. As rates have declined, these borrowers have sought to refinance only to learn there is an “early termination cost” associated with refinancing their debt and terminating their interest rate swap prior to the scheduled maturity. However, even if the “mark-to-market” is currently negative (in other words, you owe “early termination cost”), you might still be able to refinance to the benefit of your institution. A knowledgeable banker can explain how your swap might be restructured to a longer term, very possibly at a lower interest rate. This is often referred to as a “blend-and-extend.” In such a scenario, the borrower’s loan balance does not increase, nor does the borrower need to write a check to pay the early termination cost. Instead, the termination cost is absorbed into the fixed interest rate from the new swap. If your banker cannot explain this to your satisfaction, seek one who can. Decisive action required If you pass up the opportunity to refinance now, you might find yourself renewing your loan at a higher interest rate in the future. Seek a knowledgeable lender who can work with you to achieve a level of understanding that will enable you to make the best possible decision for your religious institution. Dan Mikes is Executive Vice President and National Manager of the Religious Institution Division, Bank of the West, in San Ramon, CA. www.bankofthewest.com

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Intelligent Church Giving

MAKING SENSE

OF MARKETPLACE

MUMBO

JUMBO What church leaders really need to know By Joel Mikell & Derek Hazelet

Data and technology provide church leaders with new ways of thinking about how to overcome financial challenges or fund growing ministry opportunities. Consequently, there are a lot of new concepts and topics being discussed across ministry circles. Before you write off the ideas as “marketplace mumbo-jumbo,” let’s consider a few reasons why they might be applicable to your ministry. An “inside look” at today’s church members Understanding the value data and technology can provide starts with recognizing the mindset and motivations of the church members we’re trying to reach.

“Learn more about how you can create an easier way to fund ministry with Intelligent Church Giving by downloading our latest resource at: www.RSIstewardship.com/IntelligentChurchGiving The expectations of your church members have changed. In a world where Amazon [ www.fastcodesign.com/1669551/how-companies-like-amazon-use-big-data-to-make-youlove-them ] provides specific recommendations based on our shopping activity, today’s church members expect you to know their preferences, interests and ministry involvement. This is about more than adapting the format or style of a worship service — people want the churches they attend to truly know them. Today’s church members still want to know they matter. They want to be connected to tangible impact and life change as a result of their generosity. This connection between giving and impact is a fundamental element of discipleship. We live in a world that is noisier than ever. There are more nonprofits competing for the attention and resources of church members than ever before. We must be intentional about earning the attention and investment of church members rather than assuming it’s automatically given. 28

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You can try to meet these expectations manually, exhausting yourself and your staff in the process. Or, you can deploy technology and tools to equip your staff to effectively disciple and cultivate generosity among your congregation.

What church leaders really need to know Familiarity with key concepts and phrases is important. Here are three terms you should know when it comes to leveraging data and technology to cultivate generosity: #1: Business Intelligence More than likely, you’re already gathering data about your church members (previous giving history, attendance/involvement, interests, etc.). However, data alone is meaningless unless you can do something with it. In essence, business intelligence is about leveraging actionable data to drive your strategy, measure your effectiveness, and improve your efforts for accelerating generosity. It’s more than collecting data and reporting information; it’s turning data into actionable information. #2: Marketing Automation Until now, the processes for prompting church members to give have been manual, time-intensive activities. Marketing automation enables you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity that isn’t dependent on a manual process. This allows you to spend less time sending emails or following up with church members, and more time doing ministry. #3: Productivity Tools How are you measuring ministry effectiveness? How are you making sure the energy you’re putting into cultivating generosity is actually moving people into deeper levels of commitment? Productivity tools allow you to organize information and automate reports so you can see what’s happening on both a macro- and micro-level in various areas of ministry.

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Why does this matter for ministry? Now that we’ve defined the terms, here are just a few of the benefits data and technology provide:

Optimization — You have access to so much information on your church members. But, are you using it to make data-driven decisions that validate or challenge your intuitions? Taking the time to optimize your data is the key to working smarter, rather than harder, when it comes to solving the ministry challenges you face. Integration — Many churches collect data in silos. Taking the time to connect the dots is key to overcoming your financial challenges. On a macro-level, it gives you the ability to see trends within your ministry. On a micro-level, it provides tangible insights to cultivate generosity in individual church members. Activation — Data and technology are useless unless you can use them to move people to action. Marketing automation and productivity tools allow you to develop a systematic process for implementing the things you learn from data to make a tangible impact. Most church leaders don’t know what they have at their fingertips. Many parachurch ministries and nonprofits are embracing business intelligence best practices, marketing automation and productivity tools to increase contributions. For-profit companies have been doing this for years. Our mission has eternal significance, and the stakes are much higher. Why wouldn’t we use the information and tools we have available to fund ministry, both now and in the future? Joel Mikell is president at RSI Stewardship www.rsistewardship.com. Follow him on Twitter @joelmikell, or find him on Facebook www.facebook.com/joel.mikell. Derek Hazelet is senior vice president at RSI Stewardship. Find him on Twitter @dhazelet or LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/derekhazelet.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

BEST PRACTICES: insurance review and planning By Therese DeGroot

The loan underwriting process is centered on determining the level of risk associated with each ministry. As a part of that risk management process, we inquire about the amount of debt, cash reserves, as well as the limits and type of insurance coverage the ministry maintains. Responses generally include the current loan amount, existing cash on hand, and the policy limits of property and liability insurance coverage. While most ministries understand the importance and value of adequately insuring their physical property and assets against potential loss, many don’t think about insuring their most important assets: the key people responsible for executing the vision of the ministry. With the important task of “Building the Kingdom,” insurance is critical. It not only protects the ministry and key staff but can also be an important benefit in recruiting and retaining key staff so they feel financially secure and can direct all their energy towards the ministry. Insurance is critical in safeguarding the ministry and solidifying the budgets and financial plans of both the ministry and staff. Therefore, an annual, comprehensive review and evaluation of Life, 30

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Disability and Long-Term Care Insurance needs and offerings is a best practice, along with determining cost-effective solutions for the ministry and staff. An insurance review will determine if the ministry: • Has the proper amount of Property, Liability, Life, Disability and LongTerm Care coverage • Has the type of insurance that best fits the church’s needs • Has adequate liquidity and cash reserves to fund potential losses • Is paying a cost-effective price • Has the appropriate beneficiaries and assignments. Life insurance The discussion around life insurance should also include succession planning. While life insurance provides immediate liquidity upon death, there should also be a formal succession plan in place. Ministry lenders — and most ministry boards — know how important both are when a senior pastor or key employee passes, and require it as a condition of a loan. Knowing the financial obligations of the church are met allows the ministry to feel safe and secure while implementing a sound succession plan and / or searching for a new senior pastor or key person. When properly structured, this death benefit makes the unexpected and significant transition smoother by funding a possible reduction in tithes and offerings, assisting the family in meeting important financial goals and guarantees that the ministry continues as planned, even when faced with the untimely death of a pastor or key employee. Disability insurance A disability can be more financially disastrous than a death. The ability to earn a living is one of the most significant assets there is. A pastor or other key person unable to continue to earn income due to an illness or injury could be financially devastating for the person, as well as a setback to a ministry.

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Disability insurance benefits can be used to preserve independence, provide time to recover and / or retrain for a new job while conserving assets. If pastors or key leaders do not have Disability insurance, many ministries choose to continue to pay them for some period of time in an effort to respect the contributions this person has made which can place a financial burden on the ministry. Consider offering this important insurance benefit to key leadership as part of a compensation package which will ensure both the ministry and family are provided for. Long-term care insurance Another important insurance benefit the ministry can offer to key leadership, and might or might not choose to provide as part of its compensation package, is Long-term care insurance. An aging populace and medical care inflation are key in determining if personal assets are sufficient to pay for in-home care, an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Long-term care insurance is an affordable solution to personalize your choice of care options, protect your assets and preserve your freedom and dignity. The primary value of insurance is that it is a cost-effective way to shift or mitigate the often overwhelming cost of risk. Insurance offers several advantages not available from any other financial instrument. It provides peace of mind and an infusion of cash for dealing with the adverse financial consequences of events that could significantly impact a person and or a ministry. It is critical for leadership to review coverage annually during the planning and budgeting season to ensure this important risk management tool is appropriately used. Therese DeGroot has developed and managed religious lending programs for 25 years for many banks that now specialize in lending to churches, nonprofits and schools. She is Managing Director of First Bank’s Community First Financial Resources Division www.cffinancialresources.com in Lake Forest, CA.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

PASTOR-FRIENDLY

VIDEO

LED display walls: placement guidelines & suggestions By Marty Gregor

If you’ve decided LED display walls are a good fit for your facilities, the next step is to ensure they’re properly positioned — a key component for maximum ministry benefit. To this end, Daktronics uses two measuring approaches to determine an appropriate pixel pitch for an LED display: minimum viewing distance and smooth image distance. The graph below illustrates the viewing ranges of each display, with the bottom bar depicting the minimum viewing distance and the top bar denoting smooth image distance.

300 ft

90 m

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85 m

280 ft 270 ft

80 m

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75 m

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230 ft 220 ft

65 m

210 ft 200 ft

60 m

190 ft

55 m

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45 m

Minimum viewing distance — the minimum viewing distance is the closest distance at which the colors from an individual pixel begin to blend with the surrounding pixels. Smooth image distance — the point at which the video display is at its purist distance in relation to where the viewer is standing.

140 ft

40 m

130 ft 120 ft

35 m

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25 m

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15 mm

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4 mm

6 mm

15 HD

20 mm

15 SMD

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10 mm

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16 mm

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15 m 10 m

10 SMD

INDOOR

OUTDOOR

Pixel Pitch

4 mm

6 mm

10 mm

15 mm

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True Pixel Pitch

4.66 mm

6.60 mm

9.90 mm

15.85

19.81

8 SMD

Min Viewing Distance

10.51 ft. 3.2 m

14.89 ft. 4.54 m

22.33 ft. 6.81 m

35.75 ft. 10.9 m

44.69 ft. 13.62 m

18.36 ft 5.60 m

Smooth Image Distance

52.56 ft. 16.02 m

74.44 ft. 22.69 m

111.66 ft. 34.03 m

178.77 ft. 54.49 m

223.4 ft. 68.09 m

82.83 ft. 25.18 m

8.14

10 SMD

13 HD

15 HD

15 SMD

16 mm

20 mm

10.16

13.06 mm

15.24 mm

15.24mm

16.63 mm

20.32 mm

20.63 ft 6.19 m

29.46 ft. 8.98 m

34.38 ft. 10.48 m

30.94 ft. 9.43 m

37.51 ft. 11.43 m

45.84 ft. 13.97 m

103.13 ft. 31.44 m

147.3 ft. 44.9 m

171.89 ft. 52.39 m

154.7 ft. 47.15 m

187.56 ft. 57.17 m

229.18 ft. 69.86 m

201 Daktronics Dr PO Box 5128 Brookings, SD 57006-5128 tel 800-325-8766 605-697-4300 fax 605-697-4700 www.daktronics.com e-mail sales@daktronics.com Copyright © 2014 Daktronics SL-04379 Rev 01 09222014

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Viewing angles are especially important in worship environments where most congregants aren’t directly facing the pastor and pulpit.

Viewing cone of an LED video display Particularly in the worship market, viewing angles are important — especially when the majority of the congregation isn’t directly facing the pastor and pulpit. The 170-degree horizontal viewing angles of our LED video displays allow the worshippers (no matter where they’re seated) to clearly see the video display content. The viewing cones of LED video displays differ slightly, but why the difference? It’s simply a matter of geometry and how the human eye perceives light. As the congregation moves off-center, the area of focus does not remain constant; it actually increases. It’s an effect similar to shining a flashlight on a wall: The sharper the angle between the flashlight and the wall, the greater the amount of surface area the flashlight beam will cover. As the spectator’s angle to the display increases, so does the area of focus. Increasing the area of focus results in more light reaching the eye.

It enables Image Magnification (IMAG). Incorporating IMAG / live video ensures everyone can see what’s going on, regardless of where they’re sitting in the sanctuary. During a service, IMAG keeps worshipers engaged with close-up shots of the choir as they sing and the pastor as he or she delivers the sermon. No more rentals! Using permanent LED displays means churches won’t need to rent projection screens and projectors for large events. This is crucial because, in just a few years, a church will spend as much on rentals as it will to buy a permanent LED display. Marty Gregor is a video products sales expert for Brookings, SD-based Daktronics www.daktronics.com/worship, a leading digital display manufacturer established in 1968.

Quiet operation Efficient module and cabinet design eliminates the need for external forced ventilation. Standing next to the display with fan-less cabinets, the only thing you’ll hear is the clock ticking on the wall. Our company’s indoor displays are designed to enhance the visual appearance of the surrounding environment without impacting HVAC or the ambience with noisy operation. Without fans in the displays, there’s no worrying about routine maintenance that can be incurred with other manufacturers. This saves time, money, and increases the display’s longevity. As a provider focused on delivering quality service for any application, we start by keeping ease of service in mind. For example, combining front and rear access with service-friendly features — such as magnetic attachment of the modules — allows extremely tight pixel pitches to have the same front access that makes maintenance convenient for technicians. This easy access enables techs to quickly replace faulty components without powering down the display. Location — where should we put an LED display? The location of the LED display is crucial. Typical placements of LED displays are stage right and stage left; this means the displays (usually two) are located on the right of the stage and also the left. Many times, with a larger LED display, churches will consider attaching it to a rigging system to suspend it above the stage. This application is more common in sanctuaries without wide viewing angles. Another trend for many worship facilities is to install a display in the far back of the church, behind the congregation. This placement is mainly for the benefit of the pastor and choir, as it helps them know what the rest of the congregation is seeing, but from the front of the sanctuary. Another use is for the display of lyrics and hymns. How an LED display enhances worship It’s paperless. There are many benefits of an LED display, including reduced paper consumption. Cutting back on ink and paper for the weekly sermons reduces costs and saves money for the church. Displayed content can include lyrics, prayers, videos, announcements — the money-saving possibilities are numerous. It sets the mood. When members walk into a brightly lit sanctuary on a sunny morning, vivid imagery of nature scenes can enhance their mood. Using LED displays correctly (read: accompanied by uplifting messages) creates a warm, welcoming environment for everyone. churchexecutive.com

Combining front and rear access with service-friendly features — such as magnetic attachment of the modules — allows extremely tight pixel pitches to have the same front access that makes maintenance convenient for technicians. This easy access enables techs to quickly replace faulty components without powering down the display.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

CREATING A CULTURE OF

Generosity

Only 42% of churches accept online donations – new survey results By Derek Gillette

An interview with Rick Dunham, president and CEO of Dunham + Company This stat was one of the eye-opening revelations uncovered by Dunham + Company in their latest church survey. [ www.dunhamandcompany. com/2015/04/study-shows-churches-lag-behind-in-facilitating-onlinegiving ] Perhaps more startling though, is that of those churches who do offer a digital option, they only see 11 percent to 13 percent of their total contributions come through that method, on average. To better understand these numbers, and what churches can do to improve upon them, I jumped on a call with Rick Dunham, president and CEO of Dunham + Company. Q: What made you want to commission this study? We do quite a bit of work in the faith-based sector, including churches, and we wanted to get an objective feel about where the Church is in facilitating online giving. The movement to online giving is very customerdriven, and churches need to respond to changing consumer behavior, which favors a mobile-centered solution for just about everything. Q: Why do you think the 42-percent number is so low? This number was shockingly low for us. I expected to see it closer to 60 percent. But honestly, there’s a big gap between large and small churches in the study. Only 29 percent of smaller churches (less than 200 in weekly attendance) allow for online giving, while 70 percent of larger churches provide the option.

Q: Why do you think nonprofits have made the jump so much faster than churches? Funding sources. Both churches and nonprofits rely on charitable donations, but the way in which people give to churches uses the weekly, consistent, in-person interactions. Nonprofits don’t have the same amount of weekly contact, so the need for facilitating giving from a distance is different. Also, direct response efforts (mailings and emails) are a significant source for donations for many nonprofits, which means they have to create an online landing page to drive donations. Q: The 11-percent-of-total-giving is so low. Even with nonprofits, it’s only 6 percent. Why? You must remember that the 6 percent and 11 percent numbers are weighted averages. Large donation options, such as estate giving and planned giving, skew the percentage down, away from digital, for nonprofits. Regardless, these numbers are low for the Church. I’m not sure what the best practice number would be, but I did get an email in response to our survey from a gentleman who used to be in charge of online giving for his church. They grew their digital giving to 30 percent. So, numbers like these are possible when a digital giving strategy is properly executed.

Q: What are the major barriers for churches, especially those with fewer than 200 members? People are becoming more and more comfortable with online transactions, both social and commerce. The barrier for churches is simply the time and resources required to execute on this change in consumer behavior. When, as a church, you’ve had a tried-and-true method for years, it’s hard to want to change that overnight. 34

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Q: Based on this information, what are three tips for churches looking to increase their digital giving above that 11-percent number? First, the church website must be optimized to facilitate online giving with as little friction as possible. For the churches that currently don’t have such an option, they need to create it. For those that do, they need to ensure it’s optimized. Our online scorecard can provide that direction: www.dunhamandcompany.com/onlinefundraisingscorecard. Mobile optimization is everything. Transactions are increasingly done through a mobile device and just having an online form is not enough. It needs to be mobile-friendly. From start to finish, make sure your digital giving process is easy to complete on a mobile device. What are you saying in the actual service itself? This is the secret tip that many pastors don’t think about. The best digital and traditional communication strategy will never take the place of that in-person appeal from the stage. Make it clear how to give digitally, with instructions onscreen. And, ensure you’re talking about the impact donations are making through the work of the church.

Q: What role do you think mobile-specific giving could play? For those churches not sure if digital giving is for them, take a peek around next time the giving portion of your service comes around. Notice the people scrambling to pull out their wallets, looking for a checkbook, indicating they’ve not thought in advance about giving, but they’re still motivated to contribute. Mobile giving puts a method in front of them which allows a spontaneous gift easily and simply.

Q: H ow important is the difference between online and mobile giving options? As I mentioned above, people prefer a mobile-friendly experience. Textto-give and mobile giving apps, such as Pushpay, are great options, and they need to be able to capture donor information along with receiving the gift. This is crucial, as it keeps donor records clean and makes it easy for the giver to donate again the next time. As long as it’s promoted in the service, once I’m set up, I’m more likely to give again.

Derek Gillette is the communications manager for Pushpay https://pushpay.com and eChurch. http://echurchgiving.com Pushpay is the 10-second mobile giving solution. Ninety-percent who download the app, give with it; 45 percent of gifts happen on days other than Sunday; and the average gift size is $176. Continue the conversation with Gillette on Twitter: https://twitter.com/derekgilletteco

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Q: What’s the one practical step a church who is considering digital giving should take next? I recommend three things. First, make sure you have a simple online giving form with the least friction possible, including the number of fields, login requirements, etc. Then, make sure it’s mobile-optimized, meaning specifically formatted to be filled out on a phone or tablet. Finally, make sure you’re effectively communicating that to your audience.

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

SAFETY STRATEGIES

4 practical ways churches can reduce their cyber risk By Steve Robinson

In recent years, discussions about data breaches with my church and nonprofit clients have moved from “what-if’s” to, “This just happened to one of my clients.” Cyber Liability insurance is no longer a coverage that is nice to have; it’s saving organizations money, time and reputations. But, cyber insurance is only part of the risk transfer equation — we are often asked for basic tips a church can take to help prevent a cyber loss from happening in the first place. A few points to consider: #1: Have someone own it. Data breach studies have consistently shown that organizations that identify a staff member as having ownership responsibility for information security are less likely to suffer a data breach. If they do, the financial impact is smaller. We understand that for churches of varying sizes, this individual could range anywhere from a worship / media pastor who is assigned this task because he or she is computer-savvy (“Hey, give it to Jud — he likes computers!”), to a full-time IT specialist. The important thing is that someone is responsible and held accountable for ensuring other items in this article are given proper attention. Make sure that person is equipped with the knowledge he or she needs to protect your data. 36

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#2: Take inventory of the data you collect. If your church’s giving records are older than the headstones in the yard, you might want to rethink that practice. Collecting only the data that is absolutely necessary — and keeping it for the minimal amount of time — will significantly reduce the volume of information that could potentially be breached. If you are storing credit card numbers, stop doing this; transfer some of that risk to a third party who has the resources to properly secure this data. On your website, only collect data that is absolutely necessary, and make sure you have permission to collect it. You know that recycling box on the floor next to the receptionist’s desk? If that person is dropping sensitive information (confidential prayer requests and so on) in that box, make sure the practice stops immediately. Use locked boxes for document destruction, recycling, etc. #3: Remember: the best firewalls are useless if the front door of the church is left unlocked. Secure servers, laptops and any other equipment that provides a pathway to your data with locks, access limitations and unique passwords. You know that router you just bought? It came with a factory-installed password. Remember Jud? Make sure he changes that password when he installs it for your church. The bad guys know that the Juds of the world can be lazy, and this is the first place they look when trying to get in. When it comes to laptops and portable storage devices, the name of the game is encryption. Employing full disk encryption on laptops provides safe harbor under most state data breach notification laws. It is an extra step, but one that might save your church significantly if a laptop gets left in an airport on the way back from a youth conference. When it comes to computer use, make sure your staff is well-versed in the common sense practices of locking access to their computers when they step away for lunch. While trust is prevalent among ministry partners, we need to be aware of the fact that others who might not share our same ideals can enter our office space. Janitorial services, contractors, mail delivery personnel, document destruction companies — you get the picture. When employees or volunteers leave your church, be sure to immediately disconnect any privileged access they have. #4: Beware of the click. My team is working an active data breach claim as we speak, because one administrative person clicked on a link in his email that opened a door for a virus that quickly gave username and access rights to 90 users on the network. Within three weeks, the bill on IT forensics and legal assistance — just to figure out what happened — has tallied into the six figures. Seek resources on the appropriate use of email, and communicate this to your staff.

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Social media: great outreach tool / great threat to information security Churches are increasingly using social media in creative ways to connect with their members. That’s the good news. However, churches need to make sure that social media policies are implemented that don’t allow connections between social media websites and sensitive server data. Additionally, setting clear expectations on the dos and don’ts of using social media can help avoid costly claims involving invasion of privacy, intellectual property infringement and personal injury. The majority of data breach claims we receive could have been prevented with the most basic levels of due diligence on the front end. Not every claim is a sophisticated hack. Don’t get overwhelmed by the technology of it, and understand your church’s best defense can sometimes be good, old-fashioned common sense. Steve Robinson is Area President, Technology & Cyber at Risk Placement Services, Inc. www.rpsins.com, a division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and its Religious Practice, in Cambridge, MD. July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Creative & Proven

STRATEGIES

Phase 5: Giving & Follow-up The fifth and final phase of a capital campaign is all about a commitment to consistent communication. Here, Paul Gage explains why this is so critical, and how to make sure it happens. You mentioned that during Phase 5, church leaders will focus their communications on a few specific groups: those who have made financial commitments, and church leadership. Explain. Among those who have made pledges, we sometimes can segment those people and communicate accordingly. For example, if 60 percent of the congregation made a financial commitment, within that 60 percent might be a very small group of people who made large pledges. For this group, you might have special meetings or discussions to keep them well-informed of how the ministry and projects are going, because they’re making a very significant financial investment in church’s future. Then, there’s church leadership. We must keep them fully informed so they can continue to influence the people they lead regarding the positive developments in the church and the ministries that are impacting people’s lives. Everyone needs to be a positive voice, and the best way to do that is to keep the leaders motivated and well-informed. The third group are those that have made pledges and are regular attenders of the church. They also need to be well-informed and involved. As a church leader develops a follow-up communication strategy, what components or strategies that work across the board? Words of encouragement. When I say that, I mean delivering positive information to the congregation, especially during worship services. This is an ideal time to share updates and good things that are taking place related to the capital campaign. Quarterly financial reports for each individual pledge. Sending quarterly status reports keeps everyone informed and up-to-date on their pledge. Especially if it’s a three-year campaign, many people lose sight of where they are in terms of their financial commitment. Video updates. A lot of churches show video updates every month during the campaign — often during worship services, but also on their website and in e-communications. One church we’re working with is doing a $20-million capital campaign, which includes expanding its global missions. They adopted an orphanage in Haiti. They sent their people to help build the facility, manage and oversee it. They also had people taking video footage and ministering to the kids, making them feel loved and welcomed. When the church show those videos back home, the church family’s hearts are about to explode. They just want to continue supporting the ministry. Social media. More and more churches are using social media forums to communicate. In the modern digital age, we try to take advantage of that for consistent communication. 38

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You emphasized the importance of offering “on-ramps to giving” throughout the campaign, right up and into Phase 5. What do those look like? For multi-year campaigns, we recommend having annual commitment and offering weekends. It’s a mistake to have one initial pledge and commitment service at the beginning, and then hope for the best for the remaining three years. That annual commitment weekend brings new people onboard financially. Other onramps can be offered two or three times a year as special offerings, and they might be tied directly to a project. For an example, a church we’re working with is building a new children’s wing. Its location is where the church parking used to be, so they have to add parking spaces. We broke down the cost of adding 100 new parking spaces — about $1,500 each — and gave people the opportunity to invest in one, or commit to paying for one for 90 days. Any creative special gift of offering opportunity we can do is an onramp to giving. And we find a lot of people will give to those who maybe didn’t otherwise make a pledge to the campaign. Financial seminars and workshops are another onramp. In a three-year capital campaign, a lot of churches might have one or two of these, led by an up-to-date financial or estate planner. This is good for people who might want to have a living trust or to establish the church as a beneficiary in their estate. Debt-reduction workshops or seminars are another onramp. Especially over the course of a few years, this frees up more resources to support God’s work. What percentage of pledges should a church realistically expect to collect by the time Phase 5 concludes? In a two- or three-year campaign, most churches will collect 75 percent to 80 percent of what’s pledged. To exceed that, the things we’ve talked about in this installment are essential: consistent communication; commitment and offering weekends; onramps to giving. If a church is good at all these, it will greatly benefit the fulfilment of pledges. And, as more people come into the church, it has greater potential to exceed 85 percent. If a church collects 90 percent to 95 percent of what’s pledged, it’s because it has done a great job in all these areas. — Reporting by RaeAnn Slaybaugh Paul Gage is founder and president of The Gage Group thegagegroup.com in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX.

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How metal buildings have changed the way we think about lasting church design By Dan Walker, P.E.

Which building material lasts longest? Which will build fastest? For churches with hectic event calendars and limited budgets, metal buildings provide an alternate solution to expensive and time-consuming construction involving wood, stone or brick. Metal buildings have come a long way in the last decade, offering stunning architectural treatments that help build a church’s brand and reputation. Since a church building is an extension of the church family, metal buildings are valuable because they provide the flexibility to adapt to the look, feel, attitude and direction of each specific congregation.

At Beacon Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, a costefficient metal building clad with brick offers a dramatic visual exterior. The striking and attractive entry helps build the church’s image as a progressive and dynamic community. Inside, its column-free structure allows excellent site lines and abundant sanctuary seating.

Photos provided by Metal Buildings Manufacturers Association

Here’s how it works. • Your building committee works with an architect or design / build professional to define your building needs. • Your architect / design-builder partners with a metal building manufacturer to refine your design. • The manufacturer custom-engineers all primary materials for your building structure and assists with procuring all secondary items, such as windows, façade materials, etc. • Your unique, custom manufactured materials are delivered to your building site. • Building construction is typically complete in just a few months. Construction can typically be completed in about 30-percent less time than traditional methods. Additionally, we have found that insurance costs are consistently lower than wood structures, and further expansion can be seamlessly performed as the congregation grows or its building needs change. Steel roofing has a tremendous track record, with a life span of many decades, low maintenance needs, consistent-quality appearance, and a powerful ability to withstand hail, wind and snow loads. Light-colored metal roofing (a.k.a., “cool roofs”) can also help churches keep energy costs down. Darker-colored traditional roof materials — such as asphalt — build up heat in the sun. Cool metal roofing helps keep the interior cooler, which reduces the temperature in the building and leads to airconditioning savings. For the earth Church communities are known for their compassion — not only for people, but also for the natural environment. Metal buildings respond to this way of thinking. Their longevity, for example, helps conserve resources. After all, the longer a building remains functional, the fewer resources are required to repair or replace it. churchexecutive.com

Moreover, metal buildings are made from recycled materials. In fact, steel is the most recycled building material available and is 100-percent recyclable. At the end of a building’s life, you can take it apart and recycle it and repurpose it for other uses. The environmental responsibility of metal buildings extends to the way they use energy. That’s important, given that commercial buildings account for about one-quarter of the energy consumed in the United States. The metal building industry has developed time-tested methods for insulating buildings and boosting thermal efficiency so that energy savings can be significant, year after year. What churches want Every church community has differing needs — another reason why the flexibility of metal buildings is gaining traction. Here are some of the items a church building committee might want or need, which are all offered by metal buildings: • Large open areas, with no walls or support columns interfering with the layout of sanctuaries, gymnasiums, dining halls, etc. • Expandability by removing a wall and adding to the existing metal building system • Creative options, such as sloped roofs, exterior finishes, daylighting July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

The Strength of Excellence in Church Facilities

Our experience in the metal buildings industry puts us out front in churches and religious centers. Since 1947, ABC has enjoyed growth as dynamic as the metal buildings industry itself. A division of Nucor Corporation, ABC manufactures metal building systems that are ideal for churches, religious facilities and family life centers. Custom-designed, clear-span systems meet all your needs for open spaces, as well as child care, lounge, food service and more. Metal buildings are a more economical solution for religious centers, gyms and other multipurpose spaces with large clear spans. And, construction costs are lower when compared to conventional construction. The economical construction process can allow you to invest in additional facilities and amenities. Overall, the affordability, design flexibility and energy efficiency of metal building systems make them a very appealing solution for churches and religious facilities.

Metal Building Systems from ABC: The Right Choice for Religious Facilities Design Versatility and Custom Engineering Faster Design and Erection The Sustainability and Recyclability of Steel Energy-Efficient Metal Roofing Systems Lower Life-Cycle Costs Energy-Efficient Coatings Insulated Wall Panels Accommodates Open Spaces The Financial Strength of Nucor Corporation

Experienced Network of Authorized Builders American Buildings Company Marketing Information Line 888.307.4338 www.americanbuildings.com

INNOVATION. TECHNOLOGY. SOLUTIONS.

The First Baptist Church Covington Recreation and Outreach Center in Covington, LA, reflects the playful, engaging atmosphere that helps draw the community into its doors.

elements, semi-circular and segmental arches, colors and textures, intriguing options for defining mass, space, proportion and symmetry • A facility that stands the test of time (Note: Metal buildings constructed in the 1930s are still functioning well today.) Choose wisely One very important consideration for any church is to carefully choose its building manufacturer. Be sure to purchase your building only from an IAS AC472-accredited manufacturer; a list can be found at www.iasonline. org or www.mbma.com. This means your building supplier’s processes have been carefully audited and monitored by an independent third party. Consequently, its engineering, ordering, designing and fabrication processes are certified to conform to high-quality standards. Additionally, the building approval process can be expedited because many building code officials can automatically deem AC472-accredited manufacturers as approved fabricators.

Plan for success Selecting the way it wants to build is one of the most important decisions your church will make. The other steps will naturally follow from your early choices. As you begin to plan your building, consider using a design / build / fast-track approach. Through this method, your church will typically hire a design-build general contractor with an architect and engineer on staff with experience in designing and constructing this type of facility. The process is designed to enhance collaboration and bring together the considerable expertise of a professional team. It can eliminate extra steps and condense the time frame for your church. In the end, a congregation is best served with a low-risk, high-value building solution. To this end, metal buildings offer a documented 50-plus-year performance record; are resistant to mold, mildew and termites; incorporate coated steel which enhances the building life cycle; and provide well-documented levels of fire resistance. Dan Walker, P.E., is the assistant general manager of the Metal Building Manufacturers Association www.mbma.com and a registered professional engineer.

To learn more about using a metal building for your next church project, you can: • EXPLORE a gallery of church projects at: www.mbma.com/project_Religious.asp • VIEW an introductory short video about metal buildings at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=99nbe4ry2TM •C ONTACT MBMA-member manufacturing firms to locate qualified builders in your area and to view their portfolios of religious facilities: http://mbma.com/System_Members.asp

If you’re looking to get more space for your growing congregation, Peak Steel Buildings can custom-design the building to meet your needs at an affordable price. Peak’s church buildings are perfect for: • Worship centers • Fellowship halls • Recreational centers • Classrooms • Nursery or preschool rooms • Administrative offices • More Our iron-clad promise to you is that you’ll enjoy the beautiful and energyefficient space your congregation needs to grow. Contact the church building experts at Peak Steel today!

844-333-PEAK www.peaksteelbuildings.com churchexecutive.com

July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

Why a church café? From fellowship to ministry-supporting revenue potential, there are lots of reasons to consider a church café. By Jim Wendt To set the stage for this new series, our team surveyed dozens of church café managers, as well as the specialty beverage experts at Kerry, a global leader in food and beverage products and technologies. Praise the latte It helps to first understand the café landscape and marketplace. Long gone are the days of simply ordering a cup of coffee. Consumers want greater variety, flavors and options than ever before. Today, latte and frappe menu items far exceed coffee options. People are seeking out healthier alternatives to coffee. The increasing variety of formats and flavors in the U.S. market attract younger consumers. More consumers are seeking out coffeehouse treats. This trend supports the 16.5-percent growth in coffeehouse sales from 2008 to 2013, which reached $28 billion in annual sales! Forward-thinking churches have adopted these trends, offering everything from coffeehouse drink stands to fully constructed and branded cafés on church premises. Focus on: church café operators In an effort to better understand our church customers, we surveyed dozens of church café operators. Here’s what we found: • Nearly one-third (27 percent) of their cafés have been open for two years or less. The rest have been in operation between three and six years. • More than 70 percent serve lattes, blended frappes, blended ice coffees, coffee and hot teas. • More and more are expanding their beverage offerings to appeal to consumers’ broader tastes: 56 percent now serve chai tea lattes and fruit smoothies; 50 percent offer iced teas; and 27 percent offer lemonades. • Only 13 percent offer Sunday-only beverage service; 69 percent open their cafés in conjunction with other weekly events and activities. And, 19 percent — mostly in larger houses of worship — are open every day. Driven by community and fellowship We asked church café operators a critical question: Why do you offer café-style beverages at your church? The vast majority (82 percent) said that creating a pleasant atmosphere for parishioners was very important or critical. Additionally, encouraging young people to attend was a primary consideration for 93 percent. But — with a 100-percent response rate — the overwhelming motivation was to encourage fellowship and a sense of community. What about planning? Beverage product selection topped most respondents’ lists when planning their church cafés. It’s no wonder, then, that these forwardthinking church cafés offer so many drink options. The old adage “location, location, location!” rings true, too; 81 percent said the café location was very important or critical to its success. Most (75 percent) picked locations where a large number of people could gather, and 44 percent chose locations that were previously underused. 42

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Additionally, 100 percent of respondents were concerned about resources, and 94 percent considered costs to run the café. Electricity availability (to operate blenders and other equipment) and proximity to a kitchen or back office area also weighed in. Keeping operational costs in check, 93 percent say they use volunteers to man barista stations. Others (20 percent) pay support staff. Others (7 percent) use existing church staffers to help with the administrative tasks for purchasing and setup. Revenue building According to our survey, the average cost of a specialty drink — to the church — ranges from $.30 to $1.75. To the customer, specialty drink prices ranged from $3 to $4; so, church cafés can generate $1.25 to $3.70 per drink. This can add up quickly: respondents serve 100 to 1,000 drinks per week! That’s a monthly revenue increase between $500 and $16,000 — vital funds for supporting existing ministries or funding new ones. No barista needed When asked to rank their selection criteria for specialty beverage products, church café operators cited flavor and taste as No. 1. Food safety concerns (which make recognized brands preferred) are also very important, followed by customer service — especially, accurate and fast shipping (before-Sunday delivery) and the ease of purchasing online. Preparation weighed in heavily, too. “Many churches like the ‘just add water’ approach to making gourmet drinks,” explains Levi Andersen, Kerry’s Beverage Specialist and former coffeehouse owner. “[Churches] like beverage mixes from brands like Big Train and DaVinci Gourmet, because anyone can learn quickly, including church volunteers.” And, for Karen Maitoza, who represents Summit Christian Church in Sparks, NV, the types of products she likes to purchase come down to a few key criteria: “shelf-stable; no refrigeration space needed.” All in a name Creating a brand name can create some excitement and intrigue while keeping parishioners coming back. Respondents shared some of their own cafés’ clever names, including: • Intersection Café at New Castle Bible Church (Mackinaw, IL) • Crosswalk Café at Central Church (Collierville, TN) • Grace Café at Grace Christian Church (Sterling Heights, MI) What do they all have in common? A focus on fellowship and faith. Whatever you end up naming your café, focus on building a great gathering place where a growing population of drink enthusiasts will want to congregate. Select easy-to-make products your volunteers can quickly master. And, pick diverse products — that taste great — to keep the fellowship strong. Jim Wendt has more than 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and business development. He is the eCommerce Marketing Manager at Kerry, responsible for digital marketing for Kerry’s North American Food and Beverage Brands, including Big Train www.bigtrain.com, DaVinci Gourmet www.davincigourmet.com, Oregon Chai www.oregonchai.com, Goldendipt (griddle, baked goods, batters and coatings products) and Golden Ladle (soups and culinary sauces). churchexecutive.com

Streaming Made Simple Not streaming yet? 3 excellent reasons to get started By Andrew Ng

“Streaming” — the constant flow of digital media across the Web — has become a key form of communication to audiences and viewers around the world. It’s a rapidly growing field which Teradek aims to democratize — not only for professionals, but also for everyday people … especially church leaders. Here’s why streaming makes so much sense in houses of worship. #1: It’s cost-effective. Perhaps the best reason to consider streaming is stewardship — namely, its low-cost barrier to entry. Because this technology has stemmed from the television, music and sports industries, a vast infrastructure of economical solutions already exists. Whereas traditional broadcasting in houses of worship usually requires a large budget for equipment, the production team and more, streaming runs on cost-effective platforms and technologies. Many of the companies working to make streaming more affordable (Teradek included) have roots in traditional broadcast and high-end production. As such, quality and reliability of the technology is at the forefront, as is a focus on affordability and — hugely important — simplicity. #2: It’s not as complicated as it sounds … and you’re not going it alone. For pastors who are unfamiliar with live streaming, the best thing they can do is surround themselves with people and companies who are. Fortunately, many companies, like Teradek, are invested in making live streaming more affordable and accessible. For comparison’s sake, let’s look at the three main technology components required for traditional broadcasting: transmission connectivity (usually satellite connection), capturing tools (cameras and additional content), and transmission tools — the hardware and products that actually send the capturing tools to the final destination. Each of these key components can be scaled to suit a live streaming format. Transmission connectivity. Connectivity essentially determines the stability and quality of any broadcast or live stream. In the traditional broadcast world, connectivity is typically achieved via satellite connections. So, when you see a local news van driving around with a large dish antenna at the top of the vehicle, they’re using a satellite to make that connection. This is a very stable — yet considerably expensive — means of transmitting data and video. For the everyday live streamer (including a house of worship), connectivity can be achieved using a business-grade and even consumerlevel internet connection from a local service provider. And, because internet is already being provided to businesses and residential locations, it’s a technology that already has a reliable infrastructure and support. Recently, cellular connectivity has hit the radar, as well. Amazingly, the same connection that a personal cell phones uses is now able to provide the amount of bandwidth needed for live streaming. These speeds are most commonly identified by carriers advertising as LTE, 4G and 3G, to name a few. Cellular connectivity is popular because it’s basically available anywhere you can make a phone call. So, for portability and remote live streaming (retreats or mission trips, for example), this is an excellent solution that Teradek supports. churchexecutive.com

Capturing tools. Cameras come in all shapes and sizes. Features are virtually endless — as are price points. In the past 10 years, however, costs for great cameras have really come down, making them much more accessible. All Teradek’s products have been created with this availability in mind. Regardless of the Teradek streaming device you choose, it’s designed to work with virtually all cameras with video output, of which the two most popular connections are HDMI and HD-SDI. Transmission tools. Whether your church is doing traditional broadcasting or live streaming, the workflows call for an encoder. This piece of technology takes the audio and video and uses the transmission connectivity to produce a product for an audience. Encoders receive the full-quality video signal from cameras and, in real-time, convert the video to a format that’s able to send over the transmission connectivity. Like most of the other key elements in the workflow, these devices are specialized and produced for professionals in demanding environments. Providing a solution to this component in the workflow is Teradek’s specialty. The quality of real-time conversion and encoding comes from the highest level of traditional broadcasting; it’s just packaged in products that are more affordable — and easier to use — for everyday organizations. #3: Its reach is virtually limitless — and immediate. Right now, the Internet is able to reach virtually anybody, anywhere. The same can’t be said of traditional broadcasts. This far-reaching immediacy is one of the best reasons for church leaders to consider streaming. Whether it’s communicating to church members who can’t make it to an event, or spreading the Word to audiences around the world, streaming is an incredibly powerful vehicle for communication, expansion and expression. Many houses of worship that are already streaming consider community a top priority. For them, the ability to constantly share and document events has proven essential in developing and maintaining strong communities. Now that streaming has become more widely available — and at lower costs — church leaders can harness this technology and free themselves up to focus on what they truly love: ministry. Andrew Ng is Marketing Manager at Teradek in Irvine, CA. www.teradek.com July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

INSURANCE ESSENTIALS

Learn the language How to read and understand your church insurance policy By Andy Noga

You have just met with your insurance agent to decide what type and amount of insurance coverage will best meet your church’s needs. But, before you make a decision, it’s important to read and understand the terms and conditions of the policy being offered.

Often, there is additional coverage, or endorsements, that a church can purchase to help better protect itself, and reduce the types of loss excluded under a policy. Since insurance policies are fairly standard and the language of those policies is often approved by the state insurance department where your church is located, amendments to policy forms are typically made by using similarly pre-approved endorsements. An endorsement is “a written document attached to an insurance policy that modifies the policy by changing the coverage afforded under the policy.” Endorsements can add or remove coverage, and understanding how the endorsements to your policy operate is critically important to understanding your church’s insurance protection. Common insurance terms More often than not, there will be terms within an insurance policy that you might be familiar with, but the meanings of those terms within the insurance policy might be slightly different. It’s important to note that most insurance policies, before being approved, must pass a readability test. This test is designed to ensure that a policy is easy to read and easily understood. However, not all policy provisions are uniform, and knowing the differences in language is critical. Following are several terms commonly found in church insurance policies. Deductible — An amount of loss (money) that the insured church must pay before the insurance company begins to make payments. Example: Your church’s insurance deductible is $500, and the church has just been hit by a tornado, causing $2,000 worth of damage. The church would first pay $500, and the insurance company would then pay the remaining balance of $1,500. Coinsurance — In property insurance, a coinsurance provision requires that the policyholder carry insurance equal to a specified percentage of the value of property to receive full payment on a loss. If the amount of insurance limit acquired is less than the required amount, then the policyholder pays a larger percentage of the loss for being underinsured. This is often referred to as the “coinsurance penalty.”

If this is the first time your church is purchasing insurance, then you might be unfamiliar with all the insurance jargon, making it difficult to understand what you’re about to buy and what insurance protection you will get for the money. Conversely, even if you’ve heard several of the insurance terms and conditions used in general conversation, you might not fully appreciate what they mean in the context of your policy when it’s called upon to reimburse your church for a loss. The terms and conditions of an insurance policy provide all the details of your church’s coverage. Insurance policies can be lengthy, and use complex language that’s familiar to insurance companies and agents — but not easily understood by policyholders. Unique policy language is often used as a means for insurance companies to communicate all the details of the coverage being offered in as concise and readable fashion as possible. There are several key sections that you should know and understand well before agreeing to and accepting an insurance policy. What’s covered? The insuring agreement and exclusions Most likely, you and your agent have discussed numerous coverage options for your church, price plans and, hopefully, your duties and responsibilities as a church policyholder. The next step is to carefully read the policy to ensure that you understand exactly what’s covered, and excluded. The “insuring agreement” typically defines what’s covered under a policy, and often defines certain key words used in a policy. The “exclusions” describe what’s not covered under the policy, and it’s important to understand both what is, and is not, covered in the standard form before you buy insurance. 44

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Claim — A request made by the church for payment of the benefits provided by the policy. This is a formal request or application that’s reported directly to the insurance company. The claim is then reviewed by the insurance company to determine if the loss is covered by the policy, and if covered the claim is then paid, subject to any deductibles or coinsurance being applied. Insured Value — The maximum amount an insurance company will pay if an insured asset is deemed a total loss. The asset’s insured value can either be its replacement cost or its market value, depending on the provisions of the insurance policy. Liability Insurance — Protects the church from the risks imposed by lawsuits and similar third-party claims, typically bodily injury claims (for example, slips and falls), in the event that the church is sued by others. Reading the language of your insurance policy can be tedious and sometimes frustrating. However, understanding what your church is buying — and the financial protection afforded — will better help you to prepare for the unexpected. Reading and understanding your policy will confirm the insurance limits, who and what is insured, and reduce the risk that you and the congregation will be unpleasantly surprised when disaster strikes. Andy Noga is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for GuideOne Insurance in West Des Moines, IA. www.guideone.com Noga is responsible for overseeing GuideOne’s Legal, Subrogation and Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Departments. Footnotes were omitted.

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CHURCH FACILITY STEWARDSHIP

Facility Management vs. Maintenance By Tim Cool

Over the past 30-plus years, I have met with dozens of church business administrators, executive pastors, operations pastors / directors and facility personnel. I have observed their roles, job descriptions, budget, means and methods. As I have evaluated these experiences, I believe there to be a significant discrepancy between facilities management and facilities maintenance. For many people, this might sound like a matter of semantics; but I think it’s much, much deeper than two “words” that some would consider synonyms. In fact, I believe that many in leadership roles actually confuse the words and think they have staffed for one when in actuality they have staffed for the other. Let me describe what I’ve witnessed, and then you decide if there is or isn’t a difference. Not simply semantics First, let’s explore how dictionary.com defines these two words: man-age-ment 1) The act or manner of managing: handling, direction, or control 2) Skill in managing; executive ability 3) The person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business, institution, etc. main-te-nance 1) The act of maintaining 2) The state of being maintained 3) Care or upkeep, as of machinery or property As I’ve studied these definitions — and others — I see a few attributes that clearly set the terms apart: 1. Management appears to define the act of being proactive— developing a way to maintain the status quo, or just keeping things running / operating. 2. Management requires a skill to lead and direct activities of an organization or team. It’s focused on the care, repair and / or upkeep of something which might be seen as reactive. There has been much discussion and many books written about the difference between management and leadership. From a business perspective, I understand the differences. However, in this instance, I would suggest that facility management is more congruent with leadership than facility maintenance. In fact, if the industry would allow, I would change the name to “facility stewardship,” and those entrusted with these responsibilities would be “facility leaders” … but, I rarely get my way. churchexecutive.com

What words could be used to describe management versus maintenance? Below are the word associations I suggest: MANAGEMENT

MAINTENANCE

Proactive

Reactive

Preventive

Corrective

Lead

React

Plan

Respond

Systematic

Scramble

Save over the long term

Spend as needed

Increase life cycle

Band-aid fix

In many secular markets, the term “facility management” is often interchangeable with “asset management.” The church world, however, rarely envisions facilities as assets. In secular markets, facilities are usually an appreciable asset with depreciable tax benefits. For a church — a 501(c)3 — the buildings it builds and / or buys aren’t typically appreciable assets (although I’m seeing a shift in this line of thinking). In fact, many (if not most) church facilities are more of a liability from a value proposition, as they’re single-purpose structures, built to commercial construction standards, located in non-commercial settings. As such, they have a decreasing real estate value and many church leaders don’t consider them assets, but rather a means to an end. Generally defined, asset management (facility management) is a strategically focused approach to making meaningful decisions related to the development, use, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and preservation of an organization’s infrastructure — buildings, grounds systems, applications and so on. Did you catch a critical part of that explanation? Did you see the other “m” word: maintenance? Management — whether of assets or facilities — encompasses maintenance. Maintenance is not synonymous with management; management has a subset of maintenance. These are two very different skill sets and actionable items. As you examine your facility stewardship personnel (and systems), what role do you really have on your team? Remember: if you’re the church administrator or executive pastor and you have a facility maintenance person, you’re the de facto facility manager. Just one more title to add to your already lengthy list! Tim Cool @TLCool is founder of Cool Solutions Group, and has assisted nearly 400 U.S. churches (equating to more than 4 million square feet) with their facility needs. He has collaborated with churches in the areas of facility needs analysis, design coordination, pre-construction and construction management, as well as life cycle planning / facility management. Cool Solutions Group is also the developer of eSPACE software products, including Event Scheduler, Work Order Management and HVAC integration. Cool has written three books: Successful Master Planning: More Than Pretty Pictures; Why Church Buildings Matter: The Story of Your Space; and Church Locality, which is co-written by Jim Tomberlin, as well as a manual series entitled “Intentional Church.” July / August 2015 • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

NEVER AGAIN

POLICIES AND PARAMETERS How to protect your church before tragedy strikes By Crispin Ketelhut A church decided to hire a coach from the congregation for its intramural sports league’s youth softball team. It conducted an extensive screening process with professional background checks, an application process, reference checks and two face-to-face panel interviews. Once hired, the coach was provided with an unmonitored smart phone and left to conduct his coaching and communications as he saw fit. Since his position description encouraged him to use social media to reach out to youth, he immediately began to “friend” the congregation’s teens using his personal social media accounts. A year after he was hired, Lena, one of the 15-year-old girls on the softball team, was hospitalized for attempted suicide. Her mother reviewed Lena’s cell phone and found dozens of “sexts” and naked images sent between Lena and the coach. She also discovered cyber-harassment from the coach via private messages on Lena’s social media accounts, threatening that he’d anonymously publish Lena’s nude photos for the whole church to see. Lena’s suicide attempt was an extreme coping response to the cyberharassment and bullying from the coach. Eventually, Lena’s mother sued the church for negligence, stating it was responsible and subsequently negligent in monitoring its employee and his technology devices — and that Lena’s physical, psychological and emotional trauma was entirely preventable. Didn’t the church do everything possible to prevent the possibility of risk? Imagine a well-cared for, impenetrable fence designed to keep vermin out of a prosperous, highly visited vineyard — an excellent way to ensure protection from pests. Now envision a gatehouse attached to the fence where guests must go through access-control procedures. However, once inside, near the fruit, there aren’t any rules to stipulate proper behavior. Comparably, it wasn’t what occurred during the hiring process that put the children and church at risk; it was what didn’t occur after. Even though prior due diligence was performed, rules were never established prescribing conduct and policies weren’t written — nor were acknowledgement receipts signed and kept on file. The coach had sole, unfettered access to the youth via the Internet in intrinsically private electronic communications, without oversight or monitoring. What should the church have done? To protect not only the youth within their care, but also its reputation and financial assets, the church should also have established the following policies, including but not limited to: • A written policy with definitions and parameters to foster accountability, outline specific behavior, delineate ministry timeframes, etc., for each method of communication, including all social networking sites / applications. • Safe-environment training. Employees / volunteers must be held to the same standard, with training on the reality of abuse, appropriate behavior, 46

CHURCH EXECUTIVE • July / August 2015

“[I]t wasn’t what occurred during the hiring process that put the children and church at risk; it was what didn’t occur after.” expectations, warning signs and communicating concerns. This helps the church take preventative measures in reducing the instances of risk and also be proactive in addressing a problem. • Checks and balances. Every social media account representing a church ministry needs monitoring to include oversight from multiple, unrelated adults with password access who regularly review messages and content. Under no circumstances should private accounts be used for ministry purposes, and no adult should “friend” or contact individual students from a personal account. • Permission slips denote what forms of communication are preferred by the parents when communicating with their children. Hard lesson learned Churches can’t always prevent bad situations. But, we can at least create a safer environment where, ultimately, risk is lessened because acceptable behavior and expectations are clearly stated, and there’s less opportunity for grooming / bad actions to occur. And if they do occur, we know how to respond because of safe-environment training. As representatives of church communities, we have a responsibility to protect the vulnerable among us before we can foster ministry. Creating safe environment policies — and following up on them — is an important step in risk control. It’s a whole lot easier to prevent issues than to have to deal with violations and terrible consequences once they occur. Don’t learn this the hard way; protect your church and congregation before tragedy strikes. Crispin Ketelhut is the national Associate Director of the VIRTUS Programs, NCS Risk Services, LLC. The VIRTUS Programs are highly recognized in providing educational materials / training for the prevention of child abuse and risk management. For training options and sample policies, visit www.virtus.org. churchexecutive.com

When happens, giving doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to change.

70% of Pushpay churches saw an increase in their giving last summer.

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