The financial management practices of selected Seventh-day Adventist churches in Malanje Municipality, Angola: a basis for financial strategic plan

Abstract

Not long ago, financial management matters were considered secular matters, and the church was viewed as a sacred place, where only holy objects would be handled. Sound financial management is not only crucial for financial health but also for the spiritual health of the Church. Without financial resources, the mission of the church will be impeded. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to propose a strategy to be utilized by the local church administration in the Malanje Central district of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Angola; and other governance bodies in managing financial resources effectively according to the universally accepted policies in the SDA Church. The study was conducted in the Central Malanje District, Angolan Province located in the North center of the Country. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was adopted for the study and the questionnaire was the main data collectiontool. In sum, 37 local treasurers and 252 others including pastors, elders, and other church members participated in the study. The major findings suggest that generally, the trend of giving in the Malanje central district of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the past two years from 2018- 2019 has been steady and increasing. The level of treasurers’ competencies according to the perceptions of the church members and the treasurers is high. In terms of church financial record keeping, budgetary control and financial reporting are high for both church members and local treasurers. However, there is more room for better management of the church finances in the Malenje District of SDA. Therefore, a plan of action is proposed to improve the financial management of the Malanje central District of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.