Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fishes

Clergy are trained to preach, teach, and lead a congregation in spiritual matters. However, there is very little training for clergy when it comes to the “business” matters of the church-finances, debt reduction, fundraising, and building maintenance. The added and sometimes unexpected load for clergy can become cumbersome and extremely stressful. In addition, the decline of the church and the passing of key funders of churches leave many pastors with dying churches and few resources to do anything about it.

Author Rosario Picardo has been in this very position. As a pastor, Picardo launched a church in a movie theater with no people and very little financial support. He also revitalized a dying congregation in a deteriorating physical structure. Through trials and failures, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, God provided, and Picardo learned new ways for reaching the least and lost, and for growing disciples. In Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fish, Picardo shares the lessons he’s learned with confidence that other leaders can do the same. He demonstrates how, step by faithful step.

Although surrounded by a deteriorating building, Rosario Picardo revitalized a dying congregation. He also launched a church in a movie theater, even though there were no people and very little financial support. So he knows what it’s like to be a pastor in a church with few resources and feel the stress of managing “business” matters like finances, debt reduction, fundraising, and building maintenance. Through trials and failures, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, Picardo learned new ways for reaching the least and lost and for growing disciples.  He shares the lessons he’s learned with the confidence that other leaders can do the same.