4 Foundational Elements of a Strong Ministry Initiative

As your ministry launches innovative programs and initiatives, it’s important to lay an effective foundation so your program can create a lasting impact. The goals and outcomes of new initiatives may vary, but a strong future often relies on four basic elements of documentation: bylaws or a constitution, a statement of faith, financial records, and a strategic plan.

These documents focus on your ministry’s health and stability, allowing you to lay solid groundwork for your initiative and set it up for continued growth. As you prepare to launch a new program, review the following information within your ministry to make sure each element is updated, accurate, and complete.

Proper Documentation for Ministries

It is important for every ministry to have foundational documents, such as bylaws, statement of faith, and financial records. If you want to start a new program or initiative, it is also helpful to develop a strategic plan, complete with a description of who your initiative will serve, measurable goals for success, and a budget with clearly defined costs to indicate how potential funding will be used.

Need a starting point for developing your strategic plan? Download the Initiative Launch Worksheet for Ministries.

This documentation will also be helpful if you decide to apply for grants because granting organizations want to see that your initiative has evidence of a strong foundation and sustainable processes.

1. Constitution or Bylaws

Guidelines for governance are key to any successful ministry, and it is important to have a constitution or bylaws in place before launching initiatives. If you don’t have established operations plans for your ministry, it will be hard to establish plans for a new program. Your constitution or bylaws should be up to date, indicating that you’ve taken the time to review them intentionally over the course of your ministry’s existence. Regular updates to governing documents also ensure that these documents comply with all applicable laws.

Bylaws or constitutions should address:

The purpose of the ministry.
A statement of faith that includes sincerely held beliefs and their corresponding Scriptural references.
The structure of the organization (relationship between the church members and church leadership).
The role of pastors and their relationship to other church leaders.
The election process for church leaders.
How and when membership meetings are held, and what will happen during these meetings.
What issues require leadership approval and what issues require membership approval.
Committee roles and responsibilities.
The process required to amend the bylaws.
Information about indemnification, insurance, and dissolution.

2. Statement of Purpose, Statement of Faith, or Statement of Belief

Statement of Purpose
A purpose statement outlines your ministry’s core beliefs, mission, and purpose describing the reason for your existence and providing substance to your ministry’s faith-based beliefs. It should also distinguish your ministry’s mission from other organizations, demonstrating the compelling need for your specific programs and services and the benefit of your continued existence.

See what a sample purpose statement looks like.

Statement of Faith or Belief
Your statement of faith should be in alignment with your bylaws, serving as the foundational values of your organization. Having a statement of faith, with biblical support for your beliefs, provides clarity on topics, issues, or beliefs that people who engage with your ministry might want to know. It also helps safeguard your ministry in the event of legal challenges to your ministry’s decisions, communications, and activities. This statement shows anyone who is interested in learning more about your initiative that your ministry has taken the time to establish sound beliefs to which you hold your members, staff, and leadership accountable.

3. Financial Records

Keeping clear, details financial records is one step you can take to steward your resources well. People who donate to your ministry or volunteer with you want to know your initiative is sustainable. Careful documentation of transactions can show interested parties that you haven’t allowed expenses to exceed your income. Here are some topics to consider when it comes to effective financial management:

Annual Operating Budget
A high-level view of your budget and income shows the sustainability of your ministry and your initiatives. Relying too much on a single donor or grant could indicate challenges for longevity.
Expense Reports
Consider all your ministry’s expenses, not just material costs. What are your facility costs and staff expenses? All of the time and resources you require to operate successfully should be included in expense reports.
Designated Financial Responsibilities
It is important to have someone identified as a financial decision-maker for your ministry. It’s a good idea to have this role outlined in your bylaws to provide clarity to anyone who wants to know who has authority and oversight to approve purchases or allocate funds.

It’s also important to have financial controls in place to protect your ministry’s finances. You should know who handles finances and have written policies that keep employees and volunteers accountable to your expectations. You can share those policies and practices with people who are interested in getting involved in your initiative to show them you take financial management seriously. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) offers several resources and recommendations for ministries seeking to steward their finances well.

Use this Financial Controls Checklist to see where your ministry might have gaps in handling finances.

4. Strategic Plan

The elements of your strategic plan might be the most important piece of documentation you keep regarding your initiative. This document will show the research and planning you’ve done before launching your new program. As you put together a strategic plan, here are some questions you should answer:

What is the problem you’re trying to solve?
Explaining the problem your initiative or organization wants to solve will help you create boundaries around your goals and offer a succinct summary to anyone who wants to learn more.
Who are you serving?
No initiative can benefit everyone—which means it’s important to have a clear definition of who you are serving. The deeper you can narrow the profile, the better you’ll be able to identify where those people are and how you can reach them.
Are there other organizations that have an initiative like yours? Have you collaborated with them?
It’s important to make sure your new initiative isn’t duplicating another organization’s efforts. Do research into other programs similar to your ministry’s so you can include details about them in your strategic plan. You can explain how you partner with other organizations in your community, or explain how your initiative differs from those that may be similar.
How much will your initiative cost? What resources do you have? What are you missing?
Look at the overall costs for your program (including staffing, labor hours, equipment, etc.), and set a predicted budget for your needs. Indicate where you’ve already been able to receive funding, where your gaps are, how you plan to fill those gaps. If you can itemize a list of costs, you can provide clarity into your financial goals and the support you’ve already collected. Financial sustainability is an important element of a successful program, and taking a high-level view of your expenses and budgetary needs from the start will help you develop an effective plan.
What is your plan for sustainability?
Share your vision for the future, including your plan for helping your initiative thrive beyond your immediate needs. Will you grow your donor base? Do you hope to make your initiative self-sustaining? Including this information in your strategic plan will show that you’ve spend time thinking about the future.
What are your metrics and goals for your initiative?
Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Explain why you’ve set certain goals and how you will track them.
How will you evaluate the results of your initiative?
Explain how you’ll know when your program or initiative has been successful. When you know what you want to accomplish—and how you’ll know when you’ve accomplished it—it’s easier to evaluate the goals you’ve set. It will also help you set new goals as needed.

Documentation: A Stepping Stone to Success

Taking the time to collect all your documentation and create a strategic plan can help you in your preparation to launch new initiatives and programs. When you’re sharing information about the program with the community, engaging with potential donors and volunteers, or even applying for grants, you can use the four basic documentation elements to inform your responses and maintain consistency across all your interactions. This consistency can reinforce your credibility as you cast your vision for programs and initiatives that will have a lasting impact on the Kingdom.

At Brotherhood Mutual, we’re focused on protecting and strengthening ministry operations through guidelines on proper documentation practices, risk management insights, insurance coverage, and more. Learn about our heart for ministries on our church insurance and services page.

Additional Resources

Posted August 2023

The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.