How to Choose the Right Bookkeeper for Your Church
When you work with bookkeepers who understand how businesses and nonprofits work, you benefit from the expertise of those who understand many of the best practices you need in order to handle your money well.
Case in point:
The local pro may or may not know how to get you everything you need to do ministry well, so it’s not wise to choose local over experts
Volunteers can be an asset to your team, though their limited experience in church finance can hold you back
Cheaper doesn’t mean it’s a better option
When you hire industry-specific or church focused bookkeeping experts, they will:
Know best practices and systems designed specifically for churches
Give you the support of a finance team (versus a single staff member) that serves hundreds of churches
Be available without vacation time, which provides zero disruption to paying your bills, processing payroll, etc
THE CHURCH-FOCUSED BOOKKEEPER
3 Categories of Questions to Ask When Choosing a Bookkeeper for Your Church
Do you have experience with churches?
How many churches do you work with, and how long have they been clients? How many previous church clients have you worked with? What have you learned from your church clients?
Do you understand the local church and its purpose?
What do you believe makes a church different from a business or nonprofit? How can you communicate effectively with a pastoral leader and their board?
Will your processes make our jobs easier?
What systems do you use to handle payables, check requests, and reimbursements? Do you use tools that are easy for church teams to use? How do your systems hold church teams accountable and protect everyone involved? What does your monthly reporting look like? Is your team readily available and accessible?
HarQuin Bookkeeping and Consulting is not just bookkeepers, but a finance team. We have a team of bookkeepers trained in church and ministry financials. Get an estimate here.