Finance & Giving

Detailed financial processes are outworked both in the day-to-day activity and the future planning of Arise Church. This is to help direct decision making, and ensure resources are stewarded well.

• Annual Budgeting

  Our overall budget is made up of about 20 budgets representing different teams and areas of the church – each campus has a budget, and each area of the Nationwide office.

  The budgeting process is a mix of top-down and bottom-up. Our Board sets some high-level parameters for the budget, taking into account the priorities for the year. Our finance team then works with each budget owner to forecast wants and needs to the following year – looking at average previous spend, any growth in congregation size or activity, and any areas for saving. These budgets are compiled, along with a list of any requests.

  The Leadership Team will take a list of priorities and the Board will then sign off on the final budget, which is input into our accounting software and communicated and confirmed to each budget owner.

• Delegated Authorities

  Any expenses that fall outside of the annual budget must be approved by someone with a sufficient level of delegated financial authority. DFA sits primarily with the Board with relatively low-level authorisation for management ($10k and under).

• Salary Setting

  Salaries are a large part of our budget, and of course represent our incredible staff team. We have a process for setting salaries.

  Each of the roles within our organization sits in a band with an associated salary range. The placement of roles into bands, and the salary range for each is informed by input from Strategic Pay, which is a remuneration consultant with market information from a variety of sectors.

  Individual salaries/raises will be set based on that staff member’s ‘placement’ within the relevant band. This is determined with equal weighting of the below factors:

  • Size of Responsibility
  • Performance/Delivery
  • People Leadership
  • Expertise
  • Tenure

  Historically, Senior Pastor salaries have fallen outside of this process, and outside of this budget. They were set independently by a remuneration sub-committee of the Board and Spiritual Oversight. This process will be reevaluated moving forward.

  Although any staff member is able to have discussions with their line manager or the Board regarding their remuneration, they are unable to be involved in the final determination of their pay.

• ARISE Care

  Arise Care is a significant part of our Church and we receive giving specifically ‘tagged’ for this area. Arise Care includes specific events such as the Big Hearts campaign and cause offerings such as disaster and humanitarian relief campaigns. Giving towards these specific events are allocated and used immediately for the purpose identified.

  ‘Tagged’ giving to Arise Care outside of these specific events operates slightly different. This is due to the need to identify, plan and outwork the increased activity that the giving would allow. Due to the time needed, and the desire to steward and spend wisely, any ‘tagged’ giving outside specific events is allocated to the following years budget, on top of the set budget.

  Part of our Arise Care budget is our amazing Arise Care staff team, who carry the vision, help outwork the heart of our Church and provide important pastoral and community care. Their remuneration is additional to the Arise Care expenses identified on the financial statements, and included in the remuneration expense line.

• Events

  Our event budgets are standalone and approved by the Board in the lead up. These budgets are set up to be break even – i.e. the income from the event would cover expenses.

• Debt Principle & Interest Payments

  Arise has a relatively low level of debt with a loan to value ratio of 31%. There is no remaining debt on the Arise Centre in Petone, and minimal debt for the Whangarei building and Christchurch land.

  We make both principal & interest payments on our Christchurch loan. We currently pay interest only on our Whangarei building (as is common practice during the construction phase), however, we put a total of $4.25m in cash towards the building last year, making a bulk principle payment of $2m and paying $2.25m directly to the project rather than drawing down on debt.

• Guest Speakers

  Occasionally we have a ‘guest speaker’ at our Church. We are grateful for the many amazing ministers in New Zealand and beyond that have sown into our Church and lives, and are blessed to be a part of the wider body of Christ. All expenses associated with guest speakers – including flights, accommodation and gifts/honorariums – are from a Board approved budget. Earlier this year the Board strengthened the guest speaker policy and standardised amounts. Each honorarium is confirmed by a non-executive board member prior to being communicated and sent.