Administration & Finance

Reports

Division of Administration and Finance releases Financial Report for 2008 and projections for 2009

By: Rev. Joseph Reyes
National Executive Minister - Division of Administration and Finance

In a sense, I tremble with fear at the beginning of each fiscal year as I serve as your minister for the Division of Administration and Finance. Each year is a challenge to my faith in the Lord and my faith in you as my co- workers and co-believers in CAMACOP. My faith in God is challenged each year. I ask the Lord to enable us to hurdle the difficulties of the times. My faith in you is challenged because deep in my heart, I sometimes ask myself, "Is this great march of the Church of Christ with my friends and co- workers, or am I alone?" If I am alone, I better wake up and realize that my desire and dream for CAMACOP is only a dream. If it is only a dream, which could not be fulfilled, I better come up to my senses.

The dream is turning into a reality. I know I am not marching alone. You are with me which makes the march very rewarding. Our denomination has grown financially, the number of my friends in CAMACOP has also increased. I have grown as an individual and a believer. Below, you'll find how the Lord has remarkably increased our resources. Wherever I go, travelling with other leaders of our Society, I discover many good- natured and well- meaning co- workers and co- believers. Words are not enough to explain the love that we receive and the affirmation and encouragement that are showered on us. These have caused me to grow and mature as an individual.

Now I am confident - more than at anytime in the past - that the Lord wants our denomination to grow and claim a leadership role in the religious life of our country. Now I am sure that we are leading ourselves towards a breakthrough.

We are in a worldwide economic crisis. And I can only think of Joseph in the Bible. His time was also one of a worldwide economic crisis. How the Lord led him to deal with it was a remarkable proof that no matter how economically difficult a situation may be, a Spirit- led individual and nation may still experience prosperity. [top]

You will remember that Joseph understood the dreams of the Pharaoh, and that because of this, the Pharaoh made him second in command in his land. To me, how Joseph dealt with the forthcoming famine was a marvellous example and model for us to follow. We must save. We must be thrifty. I believe that if we properly handle our resources now, a difficulty in the future will be a problem- already- solved.

The past seven years of my ministry in the national office of CAMACOP have been years of challenges and victories. Since 2002, we have been growing. This is to mean that the number of our churches is multiplying and the already established churches are growing numerically and in quality, and our financial resources are also skyrocketing. I am praying that the next years of our service to God will similarly be years of growth. I understand that the next years will be difficult, judging from reports in the newspapers and television, but I believe that we can duplicate what Joseph of the Bible did in his time. We can flourish in spite of the difficulties.

Primarily, this is the objective of our Division of Administration and Finance for the next coming years. We will strive to flourish in spite of the difficulties.

Below are some figures which might interest you in understanding our recent past and our projections for the near future.

In the year 2008, we once again experienced a surplus. Amen! Praise the Lord! Our general funds increased by 11% compared to that of 2007. Truly, the Lord is our great provider! [top]

Factors of Increased Growth

There are five factors why our finances have continued to grow. The first is the stronger implementation of our economic policies effecting to economic growth. I understand that when these policies were first formulated and implemented, many were resistant and pessimistic. I understood their disagreement. Change is always difficult. Something new is always seen as a dark alley. But we made it! Today, we can say that we have hurdled the first barrier towards our self- sufficiency.

In relation to this, I want to formally express my appreciation to all who immediately supported our call for policy changes. Likewise, I want to express my appreciation to those who followed later. This shows that we can be together. For those who are still pessimistic, my challenge is for them to look at the faithfulness of God to CAMACOP in the past years and to join us in the victorious march. Let us move on!

The second factor is better communication of our economic policies and procedures to our churches. Through letters, personal visits, open discussions, and other forms of communication, we are able to better understand the problems in our churches and of our workers, and also make ourselves understood by them. Communication is always a two- way process. It can not be us in the national office imposing what we think is good; it is also you telling us that our minds are sometimes fooling us. We should exchange ideas. We should listen to both sides. And then, we should agree on what is really the best for all. [top]

Better communication has done this to us. And we intend to improve some more our system of communication from Pasig City and Zamboanga to all our regional, district, and local church offices.

If you have suggestions, please inform us. I will assure you that we will study them and implement them if they are good.

The third factor is the steady increase in the number of our key churches and their respective contributions. Below is a table showing the contributions and the percentage of key churches against the similarly increasing number of churches in our Society.

You will notice from this table that the percentage share of contribution is increasing by the year, the amount of gross contribution is increasing, the number of participating key churches is increasing, and the number of our contributing local churches throughout the Philippines is also increasing. All figures are increasing!

Let me explain further. The amount of contribution by the churches has been increasing since 2002. It is amazing that after seven years, we have more than doubled the amount of the general fund contribution from our churches! ( note: increased growth from 11.5 million pesos to about 25 million pesos). The number of our key churches has also more than doubled, from 40 to 105! It is important to note that the steady increase of the number of our key churches has lead to the steady increase of their contribution to the general fund from 52% in 2002 to 64.2% in 2008. The number of contributing local churches has increased by 410 in the last seven years.

The fourth factor is the stronger economic services to our local churches such as the Church Revolving Fund (CBRF), CAMACOP Urban Ministry Project (CUMP), Regional Refunds (RR), Redemption of Mortgaged Coconut Land (RMCL), Alliance Retirement Plan (ARP) and Ministers� Fund (MF).

We understand that CAMACOP is composed of all the local churches and all the ministers and workers of the Society. It is not us in the national office. It is more the local churches and all the ministers and workers that we have in the field. Therefore, we know that health for CAMACOP is not found in Pasig City or Zamboanga City but in the field. The workers in the field are our front liners. If they succeed, we succeed. If they flourish, we will flourish. If they are blessed, we are blessed. Therefore we nurture and take care of them because they will strengthen CAMACOP as a whole.

This is the objective of all our programs in the CBRF, CUMP, RR, RMCL, ARP, and the MF. We want all our workers and churches to be blessed, because we know that achieving that will bless all the other sectors of CAMACOP as well.

The fifth factor is the improved financial management and more up-to-date remittances from our local churches and districts. Doubtless to say, you are the reason why we have reached this financial stability in CAMACOP. [top]

Regional Projections for 2009

Below is the projection of income from our six regions:

Notice that there are possibilities in all of these regions. We are challenging the Metro- Manila and Southern Luzon Region to actually lead all the other five regions, Metro- Manila being the financial center of our country. But West Mindanao Region and North Central Eastern Mindanao Region are doing this role. The South Central Mindanao Region is in third place.

I believe that all these six regions can actually challenge each other in leading the group. Even the Visayas Region can not be left aside because the Visayas Region is a vast area in the Philippine map and has lots of good financial institutions therein. The challenge is to plant more viable churches there. [top]

Budget Appropriation for 2009

What can be seen below is the budget appropriation for fiscal year 2009.

Note: 10% of the general fund coming from the local churches is given as assistance to all CAMACOP Bible Schools.

If you will look a little bit closer to this pie chart, you will notice that the largest chunk of our funds is invested in our regional and district ministries. These include the 23 districts and two commissions. This is rightly so, because these districts and commissions are the heart of our ministry.

I will say this again: Our funds are high because our local churches are growing. The CAMACOP ministry is growing because our local churches are growing healthy. The success of CAMACOP depends largely on the success of our local churches. Thus, we pray for our local churches. We pray for our pastors. We train our district ministry supervisors become better leaders because if they excel as leaders, our local church pastors and key leaders will excel as well.

The growth of our churches is key in the national leaders' minds because on this, hinges the growth of our denomination. This is the reason why our objectives in the Division of Administration and Finance are anchored on strengthening our churches and key leaders.

After the allocation to the districts and commissions, the second largest chunk goes to the Office of the Bishop and the maintenance of our general headquarters. The Office of the Bishop is being strengthened because we recognize how crucial this position is. The expenses of the Bishop include travel and transportation to our local churches and districts. Our Bishop stays in the homes of our pastors and accommodating church members when he travels. This keeps our expenses low. It is true that we cannot afford extravagant expenses although our finances are getting better. We still practice thriftiness and frugality.

Our headquarters in both the Pasig City and Zamboanga City both need attention. Our buildings need improvement and renovations. We are carefully planning this so that we can have the most out of our resources. Please pray with us on this need. [top]

Proposal for GA 2009

To help strengthen the economy of our local churches, we propose to lower the 17% local church dues to "a minimum" of 15% . "A minimum" means that for those churches who would want to continue giving 17% dues or more, they are most welcome. But the proposal is 15%. Moreover, the tithes of Pastors in the districts, Missionaries and National officers shall likewise give the required percentage. Consequently, regional refunds of the projected surplus shall be adjusted as follows:

Two-fold Goals for a More Progressive 2009 and Beyond

I am looking at a very positive financial condition for CAMACOP not only this year 2009, but even during the next GA year which is 2011. When we meet again for a general assembly in 2011, I am convinced that we will still be with surpluses. Our first goal will always be healthy churches which are faithful and cheerful in their giving to the Lord.

Secondly, we will see to it that local churches, the districts and regions, the national office will even be more prudent and wise in the administration of our Lord's blessings. Let us see to it that we will be faithful and careful in taking care of what is the Lord's. We want God to find us faithful and careful in this ministry of managing our resources. We are accountable to God and to each other. May God find us faithful.

Happy general assembly! May the Lord bless each one of us in a manner that reflects God's generosity and grace. More blessings! [top]