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Are my donations tax-deductible?
Generally. Quest is a 501c(3) non-profit organization, and all donations that we receive are tax-deductible. However, you should consult your tax advisor to see if you can deduct your donations.
What are your basic beliefs about money?
We believe that God wants us to live generously and experience freedom financially. Every dollar given to Quest is carefully and prayerfully stewarded towards transforming unconvinced people into wholehearted followers of Jesus. We believe that part of becoming a wholehearted follower of Jesus is learning to trust Him in every area of our lives, including financially and that God’s Word is clear, if you honor Him with your tithe (10% to help fund the work of God through the local church), that He will bless you (Malachi 3). When it comes to handling money, we follow the following core principles (1) the generous giving of our church body goes directly towards funding the ministries God has called us to, (2) base your budget on what God wants to happen, not based on what you might get and (3) money is a tool for a church to use, and therefore should be spent and not saved. We believe these things strike at the heart of how God wants money to be used as seen in the Bible.
Where does Quest get all its money?
It’s the financial generosity of everyday people in our community that fuels the incredible transformation that we experience around here. Our support comes from the tithes of average people (giving 10 percent of their earnings), as well as other contributions from Quest attendees.
How does your budgeting process work?
Each ministry, which consists of paid staff and volunteers, considers what their ministry goals and objectives are for the year. Corresponding costs are then determined. The appropriate staff contacts review and approve, and may recommend changes based on the overall vision for the church. The final budget is approval by the Board.
Do you have an open book policy?
Yes. From the beginning, Quest has always sought to handle money with transparency. Each year we publish an annual giving report and make it available online. If you have any questions, simply contact our office and we will provide the appropriate information.
Does this mean I can find out individual staff salaries?
No. We find that the release of this kind of personal financial information can lead to comparison and discontentment amongst staff members and in the congregation at large. It fosters an environment of value assessments on whether or not a staff member should get what they are being paid, without being privy to the most recent performance review and other factors that contribute to setting a salary. We believe in trusting those in leadership who are making financial decisions, specifically our Board.
Who sets salaries?
The overall salary structure (including the salary of the Lead Pastor) is set by the Staff Compensation Team, compromised of governing team members and volunteers, and the overall budget is approved by the Board.
What principles are used in setting salaries?
We use several criteria, including surveys of similar churches across the country to see what a similar position pays, the standard of living in Lexington, the individual’s performance against stated goals and objectives and overall faithfulness and effectiveness of the staff member.
Why does Quest give things away?
Quest is not a capital endeavor. We are a church that wants to love people and honor God.
What happens with yearly left-over money?
There is currently a fund to bankroll the receptionist’s private Caribbean island for her retirement. Once that is paid for, all extra monies will be set aside for a private jet to ferry her to and from. Just kidding. The leftover money is put back into the ministry budget fund for the following year.
Is giving on the site safe? Is your site secure?
Absolutely. Our site uses industry-standard SSL technology to ensure that the information you enter is kept secure from prying eyes. In addition, all sensitive information that we keep in our database is stored in encrypted form so that it is not human-readable.
Will I get spam by giving you my information?
While we may occasionally use your information to contact you, Quest does not buy, sell, barter, trade or otherwise distribute your information to any organization other than for the purposes you’ve given us permission to do (i.e. we have to tell the credit card company your name in order to charge your credit card).
What does it mean to give online?
Giving online is a completely voluntary way to electronically make contributions to Quest directly from your bank account or credit card, as alternative to putting cash or check in the offering bag each week.
Does this really honor God?
Many people feel that if giving is not done in the midst of a worship service, then it is somehow insignificant. The primary principle in giving is to be cheerful. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 it says, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” The joy of giving comes from the faithfulness of people offering back to God some of the resources he has blessed them with. The method of giving is an individual choice. The ease of using online giving may help you meet your giving goals.
Is there a minimum amount I need to contribute?
No. You can choose to give any amount.
What if I want to give more to Quest on special occasions?
You are always free to make gifts to Quest in excess of your monthly contributions. Some people do this as part of their year-end tax planning. Each month, Quest takes up a Compassion Offering, which goes into a fund to directly assist people in our church body who find themselves in a challenging spot financially. This fund is managed by our Elders. Any contribution can be placed in the offering during a worship experience, mailed to the church office or given online.
What’s in it for Quest?
Our primary motivation is to make it easier to support God’s work at Quest financially by creating an alternative to making cash contributions or writing individual checks to Quest. There are also some benefits to Quest in the form of administrative savings – not having to collect, count, record and deposit as many contributions from the offering bag. While that’s helpful, online giving is really about enabling everyone to give freely & generously.
We do not provide investment advice or recommendations. We have a Financial Counselors team that is comprised of Quest volunteers who do not profit in any way from the program. No investment advice is given and no investment products are sold.
Are Workshops or Classes Available?
Quest periodically offers Financial Peace University (FPU), a 13-week life-changing program that empowers and teaches you how to make the right money decisions to achieve your financial goals and God’s plan for your life. The course includes practical lessons on eliminating debt, building wealth, giving like never before, and much more.
Also, a six-week workshop on financial freedom is available quarterly during Quest University class offerings at our midweek services.
Teaching on Finances
If you would like to learn more about God’s heart for our finances and what Quest believes about living in Financial Freedom, we would love to give you a complimentary copy of a recent talk called “Making The Most of What You’ve Got: Profit Sharing.” You can email the Financial Department at finances@questcommunity.com or call the church office at 859.277.2014 to request this message.
Financial Counseling
Provides confidential one-on-one counseling to address debt reduction, out of control spending, and personal, family and premarital budget development. You can call the church office at 859.277.2014 for more information.
Transforming Unconvinced People Into Wholehearted Followers of Jesus
©2012 Quest Community Church. All rights reserved. | 859.277.2014 | info@questcommunity.com