Before launching into a study of anything, I like to make sure I have at least a basic understanding of what the topic is all about.  So, before launching into church budget development I looked up a few definitions of what a budget is:

• An accounting device used to plan and control resources of operational departments and divisions. (Warren, Survey of Accounting)
• A plan of financial operation consisting of an estimate of proposed expenditures for a given period and the proposed means of financing them. (Beams, Brozovsky & Shoulders, Advanced Accounting)
• A budget is one of the most effective internal controls… (ECFA, Accounting & Financial Reporting for Christian Ministries)

Re-reading these definitions I notice several key phrases:

–     An accounting device

–     Control resources

–     A plan of financial operation

–     An estimate of proposed expenditures

–     Effective internal control

Are these definitions sufficient?