Assuring Financial Integrity

Assuring Financial Integrity is one of the online training courses in the Lewis Center’s Keeping Our Sacred Trust series addressing issues of ethical boundaries in ministry. It explores what it means for church leaders, both clergy and lay, to maintain trust and transparency in matters related to giving and congregational finance. The course is designed to help prevent fraud or financial misconduct by: 1) sharing a vision for financial integrity as a sacred trust shaped by the Christian imperative of stewardship; 2) outlining best practices for maintaining financial integrity; and 3) providing an overview of issues to be considered if financial impropriety occurs.

The course is intended for any church leader, clergy or lay, with responsibility for handling any aspect of congregational finances, including pastors, church staff, seminarians, finance committee members, church treasurers, financial secretaries, counters or tellers, bookkeepers, church secretaries, or any others with responsibility for handling church funds. 

This course is presented on a custom-designed web platform that integrates written content, video instruction, individual reflection, and a final quiz. Students can do the work at their own pace. Upon satisfactory completion of course requirements, enrollees receive continuing education certificates issued by the Lewis Center. 

The cost for the course is $49. If a group is paying some or all of that cost, you will enroll using a group code. Upon successful completion of the course, a certificate of completion bearing .5 units of continuing education credit will be emailed to you. 

Assuring Financial Integrity is organized into three main parts addressing:

1. Managing Church Finances as a Sacred Trust. This section of the course examines financial integrity as a spiritual and theological imperative shaped by a biblical understanding of money and our Christian responsibility as stewards.
2. Best Practices for Financial Integrity. This section of the course looks at three components of maintaining financial integrity: 1) the roles and responsibilities of key leaders; 2) essential procedural safeguards; and 3) the importance of transparency in maintaining financial integrity.
3. Responding to Financial Impropriety. This section share information on what a church should do if misconduct occurs, including how to communicate about problems and deal with the fallout.

How to enroll in Lewis Online Learning courses

If a denominational or judicatory leader arranged for you to enroll in this course, or if you received a code for participating through the Lewis Center or Wesley Theological Seminary, your group code or link must be used when enrolling. If you are not part of such a group, you may enroll in the course independently by simply leaving the group code box empty.

After entering and confirming your email address, click the "Enroll Now" button to land on the "Enrollment account information" page. If this is your first Lewis Online Learning course, you will need to create a password. Your email address and password are your unique credentials to sign in to Lewis Online Learning courses. After clicking the "Submit to register" button, you will land on your personal home page where you will find this course listed. You may also edit your account information on this page.

If you need more information before enrolling, or if you are a pastor, denominational or judicatory leader interested in arranging enrollment for a group, call 202-664-5700 or email the Lewis Center at lewiscenter@wesleyseminary.edu.

If you need more information before enrolling, or if you are a denomination or judicatory leader interested in arranging enrollment for a group, call 202-664-5700 or email us.

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