We believe that every resource we have is a gift from God and that it is our job to steward those resources well. Money is a tool we use to help us accomplish the mission we feel God gave us of leading people into a transforming relationship with Jesus.

Yes, we have a budget! We strongly believe that having a plan is crucial to fiscal responsibility and wise stewardship of resources. Our budget is created annually based on each ministry area’s goals and the costs associated with those goals. These goals and costs are submitted to our Executive Leadership Team, where a first round of feedback is given. After that the budget is submitted to the Stewardship Team and Elders for further feedback and ultimately final approval.

In the Bible a tithe is 10% of a person’s income. The idea behind the tithe is that we give our first and best to God recognizing that it all came from Him in the first place, so it is an act of gratitude and trust to give a portion of it back to Him.

At Soul City we often talk about the idea of “grippers, tippers and givers.” Grippers are people who hold tight to their resources, not trusting that God will take care of their needs. Tippers are people who give sporadically and without a plan in place, almost like throwing God a little something when things are going well. Givers are people who take Paul’s challenge in 2 Corinthians seriously and have prayerfully considered what God is asking them to give; they regularly and sacrificially give a percentage of their income – whether that’s 10% or not. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 Our prayer is that everyone who calls Soul City Church home would become a Giver in the sense that they pray about a plan and stick to it. We believe this is the best way to grow in your transformation journey with Jesus. The tithe (10%) is a helpful benchmark, but we believe that what God is really after is your heart. Do you trust Him to provide all that you need?

Soul City’s General Fund is what fuels everything you’ve come to know and love about Soul City Church from Sunday Gatherings to Soul City Kids & Students to Small Groups to our Love Works community partnerships. Also, this fund is what keeps the place running by covering our operational expenses and infrastructure. It’s how we pay the bills. A strong General Fund allows us to actively pursue our mission of leading more people into a transforming relationship with Jesus, and this is where we encourage people to start their giving to Soul City.

At Soul City we commit to maintaining high standards of financial integrity through internal control systems and an annual audit conducted by CapinCrouse LLP. If you have questions about Soul City’s financial practices, please email giving@soulcitychurch.com.

We survey similar churches across the country to see what a similar staff position pays. Then we weigh in the cost of living in Chicago. Across the board, our staff compensation is in line with comparably-sized churches.