Sharing bad news isn’t easy – but it only gets harder the longer you wait. That’s especially true when it comes to churches and finances.

Keys to sharing that news with your congregation include consistent messaging, talking about the church’s needs rather than its deficits, and creating a culture of sufficiency rather than scarcity, according to experienced experts.

Shortfalls happen for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes church membership drops. It could be several key families relocated, or a local industry closed or moved, taking with it salaries and jobs. Over decades, communities change – incomes rise, incomes fall. Being mindful of these changes can prevent financial surprises.

Reviewing church financial reports can help flag important changes to economic health. Some downturns may be temporary (due to increased costs for a major HVAC replacement or staff changes) while others may show up year after year (decreasing church membership, lower household incomes). The important thing is to keep the congregation informed.

“Talk about ministry yet to be funded, not shortfalls, and use intentional language,” said Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley, a Presbyterian Foundation Ministry Relations Officer. “How you share bad financial news and with whom you share it is important. You don’t want to scare off visitors or friends. Don’t put it in the bulletin, but share important financial news via a letter mailed to members.”

Olanda Carr, Jr., Assistant Vice President of Ministry Relations at the Foundation and also a Ministry Relations Officer, said being upfront with church members about everything, all the time, creates a center of trust in the information.

“Share financial status reports regularly,” he said. “Open communication builds trust” especially when the news might not be rosy.

Shortfalls in stewardship happen – but that challenge creates an opportunity to share your church’s vision and mission, and how gifts help achieve great things in the church and the local community.

“Imagine the possibilities” is a phrase that Johns-Kelley uses when helping churches frame their stewardship message. While paying for annual operations is critical, it’s not necessarily an inspiring message for your church members.

Donors want to know how their gifts will make a difference beyond paying the electricity bill. Will their contribution support the winter warming shelter, or an after-school tutoring program? Will their recurring gift add to the church’s work with Habitat for Humanity? These specifics are even more important when addressing budget shortfalls.

Sometimes you have to re-frame the issue and tell the story again to re-connect with the audience – in this case, the congregation. Telling that story throughout the year, and not only when it’s time to pass the budget or launch the stewardship campaign, keeps the message consistent, Carr said.

It also can help to position the conversation as “what does your financial gift help the church achieve,” rather than “what must the church do to get by.” Reviewing the annual budget in light of continuing shortfalls can also open the conversation to difficult but important subjects such as:

• Could we be served by a part-time pastor?
• Do we have a church member who specializes in solar energy, and would investing in solar panels pay dividends in the long-term?
• Are there parts of the church building or campus we can close off to reduce heating and cooling costs, without affecting humidity or causing mold concerns?
• How else can we trim expenses to get past the shortfall?

The Presbyterian Foundation and its Ministry Relations Officers are tremendous resources for help in this and other stewardship arenas.

Don’t wait for a crisis to ask for help. Holding back bad news is like hiding dead fish under the bed – time is not your friend.