Business and Finance Education for Christian Church Leaders:
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Bayton, Renee J.
Title Proper by Another Author
A Qualitative Study
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Allen, Brian
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Northcentral University
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2020
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
113
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
D.B.A.
Body granting the degree
Northcentral University
Text preceding or following the note
2020
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Since 1990 Christian church membership has slowly declined. Formerly successful religious organizations that accumulated money and property when congregations were at their peak membership, are now responsible for billions of dollars in assets. These assets include real properties, cash, and intellectual property. Consequently, a growing concern among religious organization senior leaders is the need for church officers and leaders to have business acumen. This is in light of estimates that 3,500 formerly successful churches are closing each year with their real properties sitting idle and unused. Approximately 90% of Christian churches had restructures or reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the last two decades. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of 32 Christian church leaders from 4 different churches of various faiths in New Jersey in relation to about their business acumen, education, and the experience. These leaders represented churches that were currently financially stable. The questions asked to study participants focused on assessing leaders' status and perceptions of business acumen, education, and experience that they believe church leaders need to successfully manage and operate a religious organization. The findings from this study indicate church leaders see the need for financial management skills and business acumen and , but do not currently require it as a requirement in in hiring, do not measure or assess these skills, and for the most part are not seeking to develop these internally through seminars or internal employee training.