Church of God Ministries (CGM) has released eight current employees in an effort to reduce overall expenses to within projected income. The staff reductions are among numerous steps CGM is taking to ensure compliance with the Ministries Council’s Ends Policy, which specifies that Church of God Ministries have a balanced budget.
The terminations are effective November 28, 2008. The elimination of these positions, combined with seven other full-time and four part-time positions that have been vacated and not filled, represents a reduction in the CGM workforce of approximately 25 percent.
“These are agonizing times for the staff and leadership of Church of God Ministries, and especially for those we have had to let go,” said Dr. Ronald V. Duncan, general director. “Those losing their jobs are valued employees who have dedicated their work to the service of the Lord and the collective ministries of the church.”
A protracted decline in giving to the World Ministries Budget, as reported during the 2008 General Assembly, forced CGM to cut costs. Since the Assembly meeting, CGM completed a detailed financial review and analysis of income streams, expectations, and anticipated expenditures.
“Our Leadership and Management Teams have worked diligently to cut expenses, find efficiencies, and increase revenue and yet we find our selves in a difficult place,” said Duncan. “In order to be good stewards and keep expenditures within anticipated revenue, we ultimately had to cut personnel.”
Those losing their jobs included a team director, three ministry administrators, a graphic designer, an educational administrator, a church and donor relations consultant, and a part-time ministry assistant. To help them through this difficult time, CGM is offering a separation package.
During the 2008 General Assembly, CGM proposed a baseline budget process to better align the budget with actual income. This resulted in a 10 percent reduction of the Basic portion of the 2008 World Ministries Budget. However, the church’s giving to the Basic budget has continued to decline.
CGM will release the 2009 and 2010 budgets in early December. These budgets will enumerate additional reductions related to ministries (either reduced or deleted) necessary to realign the CGM budget. And in spite of the current challenges, Duncan remains optimistic.
“Our vision and mission remain the same—to transform culture by being the body of Christ,” said Duncan. “I firmly believe the Church of God at all levels, from the local congregation, through the state and regional assembly, to the national agencies and around the world, can and will make a difference for the Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for the church and our efforts here at Church of God Ministries as we coordinate the collective ministry of the Church of God at the national level. The Lord is good and greatly to be praised, even in these difficult times.”
If you would like to make a gift to support the collective ministries of the Church of God, please click here.
Article by David Farlow