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Three Budget Areas Your Church is Underfunding

The Church Revitalization Podcast

Release Date: 03/18/2026

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More Episodes

Most church budget conversations focus on what to cut. But what if the real problem is what you're not funding? In this episode, Scott and A.J. make the case that churches are dangerously underfunding three key areas — and the cost shows up in plateaus, burnout, and declining impact long before leaders realize why.

Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu are the hosts of the Church Revitalization Podcast and consultants with The Malphurs Group, a church health and strategic planning organization helping churches across the country move from plateau and decline toward fruitful, sustainable ministry.

In this episode:

  • [00:02:17] — Leadership Development: Why your biggest budget line item (personnel) is undermined when you invest nothing in developing those people
  • [00:07:22] — Guest Experience & First Impressions: Signage, facilities, and follow-up systems — the areas churches know need work but never budget for
  • [00:16:03] — Strategic Planning & Church Health: Why a one-time retreat with ideas on a whiteboard isn't a plan — and what it actually costs you not to plan
  • [00:21:25] — Recap & Challenge: Three categories that are dangerously underfunded in most churches, and a practical challenge for each

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