Working in the accounting department for a church or non-profit can be a thankless job. When you walk into a room, someone says, “Oh, Finance is here. What did we do wrong?” or you begin to notice that ministry leaders suddenly duck into the restroom when they see you coming. Rather than correctly coding a credit card receipt, you put on your Cowboy hat to wrangle up some receipts or your Private Investigator hat to figure out why a ministry made a purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods the day after the 4th of July.
It can be a lonely position that makes you feel less like a ministry partner and more like a nagging mom. Let’s look at a few things to help us step into the trusted partner role we have been called to when processing credit card receipts for ministry.
Start With Prayer, Not Paperwork
The first step is the easiest, or sometimes hardest, of all: Pray for your ministry leaders and their role in the church. As you look at a credit card transaction, pray for the cardholder, the event for which they made the purchase, and those who will be impacted by that purchase. It doesn’t have to be a long, elaborate prayer, but just a quick nod toward heaven that asks for the blessing of that ministry.
Praying for the ministry partners softens your heart toward their ministry and allows you to walk in their shoes in a sense. Compassion and genuine care about the ministry that is fueled by your prayers for them will come out in your conversation with the ministry team. Instead of getting straight to the point of your call or email, ask how the ministry event turned out or let them know you are praying for them. Then ask for the receipts you are missing. Putting the relationship first will get you further in the conversation and more cooperation from the ministry.
Snap, Send, Simplify
Second, if you don’t have a phone app that helps with tracking expenses, encourage your card holders to snap a photo of the receipt as soon as they get it, either at the checkout counter or back in their car. They can then go back to that date in their phone to find the receipt photo. Many vendors these days will text or email a copy of the receipt. Encourage cardholders to use this option as often as it is available. You might even consider setting up an email just for receipt copies that they can send them to.
Upgrade Your Tools, Elevate Your Ministry
Finally, if your credit card company does not offer an online expense management system along with their cards, then subscribe to a third-party system such as Expensify.com. While these typically cost money, it is worth the expense to cut down on time sorting through hard copies of receipts or getting stacks of expense reports every month. There are also platforms, such as Bill.com Spend & Expense, that offer FREE expense management for credit cards issued on the line of credit they approve. This is a highly customizable platform that streamlines expense management and approvals and integrates with many of the mainstream accounting software platforms. The app allows a cardholder to take a picture of the receipt, classify the expense, and provide a business purpose as soon as the transaction is completed.
As Accounting and Finance professionals, our calling is to be good stewards of not only our church’s money but also of our time. Following these steps can help you do both. But even more importantly, they help us shift from being seen as enforcers to being trusted partners in ministry. When we lead with prayer, lean into relationship, and use the right tools, we not only create healthier systems—we cultivate deeper trust. And when trust grows, so does our shared impact for the Kingdom.
Jennifer Aufrecht
