Rollie Neal Dimos - Integrity at Stake: Safeguarding Your Church from Financial Fraud

Integrity manifests itself at both the macro and micro levels. In an age where opportunities seduce many, character intelligence becomes a commodity for leaders, for managers, and for us all as we steward whatever we find in our hands. Rollie offers actionables for both the heart and the hands. I recommend this book and even more so the message it summons us to.

HEATH ADAMSON, Senior Director of Youth Ministries, Global Chairman WAGF Next Gen Commission, Author of The Bush Always Burns

Once again, my friend Rollie Dimos has provided vital help for pastors and local church leaders in his new book, Integrity at Stake: Safeguarding Your Church from Financial Fraud. Rollies clear and engaging style offers valuable insights and recommendations that will keep ministry leaders from the tragedies others have experienced. Healthy churches manage their finances in careful and healthy ways. In this book, Rollie covers all the bases and will show you how to address each of the primary financial responsibilities you must manage. A must-read for every church treasurer and for the pastors who lead them!

MICHAEL CLARENSAU, DMin, Dean for the College of Bible & Church Ministries, Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Integrity is a nonnegotiable. When an organizations trustworthiness comes under question because of faulty systems or fraudulent action, the consequences are devastating. Whether you find yourself leading in a church, parachurch, or nonprofit, you owe it to your organization to read Integrity at Stake. The stories Rollie tells and the insights he provides will give you valuable keys to protect your organizations God-given influence.

JOHN LINDELL, Lead Pastor, James River Church, Ozark, Missouri

Dimos has delivered an essential and informative resource for the church. A must-read for anyone concerned about biblical stewardship.

PAUL R. MCDONALD, District Treasurer and Business Administrator, Assemblies of God, Northern Missouri District

Over the years Rollie has proven himself as one of the brightest minds and most qualified in the area of church and nonprofit fraud prevention. Several years ago our ministry opened our books to Rollie to gain his wisdom and knowledge in the area of ethical financial reporting and protection. His input was invaluable! I wholeheartedly endorse Rollies new book, Integrity at Stake, as a resource for any church or ministry that is interested in managing with integrity the Lords resources.

DON K. WIEHE, Executive Secretary Treasurer, South Texas District Assemblies of God

I highly recommend that church leaders and church boards obtain Rollie Dimoss book Integrity at Stake: Safeguarding Your Church from Financial Fraud. I have worked personally with the author and know firsthand of his outstanding expertise on this subject. If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then in this book you will receive far more than an ounce of prevention! If the counsel given in this book is followed, your church will be well protected from financial fraud.

GEORGE O. WOOD, General Superintendent, the General Council of the Assemblies of God

Integrity at Stake is well done and greatly needed. I particularly found the statistics from accounting firms to be interesting. I felt that the tips were clear and precise to help prevent fraud. And the case studies played to my curiosity factor to see who did what and how.

DR. MARK WOOTTON, Professor at Evangel University, Pastor, and Church Planter

ZONDERVAN

Integrity at Stake

Copyright 2016 by Rollie Dimos

ePub Edition December 2015: ISBN 978-0-310-52502-8

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dimos, Rollie, 1967 .

Integrity at stake : safeguarding your church from financial fraud / Rollie Dimos.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978 0 310 52500 4 (softcover)

1. Church finance. 2. Fraud. I. Title.

BV774.5.D56 2016

254'.8 dc23

2015028636

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Bradford Foltz

Cover photography: CTRd. Getty Images

Interior design: Kait Lamphere

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 /DHV/ 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For my wife and best friend, Tammy. Thank you for being my biggest fan and cheerleader. I couldnt have accomplished this book without your constant support and encouragement.

For my parents. As leaders in the church, you consistently modeled accountability, transparency, and integrity.

For my wonderful kids, Aaron and Taylor. You make me smile every day, and Im so proud to be your dad. You are amazing miracles, and I love watching you both grow in God!

CONTENTS

T HE CHURCH, parachurch ministries, and nonprofit organizations are designed to be conduits of hope and rays of light that result in the transformation of peoples lives. However, when an organization neglects good stewardship practices, it can lead to fraud and financial abuse. When this occurs, it diminishes that ministrys Kingdom influence.

There have been some improprieties that are so acute that the government is actually wondering if churches and nonprofits are complying with the law. All of this causes the church and the ministry to lose credibility and ultimately its ministry effectiveness.

If there is one thing better than a minister of a church or a CEO of a nonprofit organization publicly admitting mistakes and asking for forgiveness, its NOT having to have a public reading of transgressions!

My friend and colleague, Rollie Dimos, has devoted his life to helping Christ-centered organizations earn and maintain high levels of trust through developing high standards of accountability and practice. He gets it... both the ministry and management!

Integrity at Stake is not a fictional book. These are actual situations that caused financial setbacks and were embarrassing to the ministry. Interestingly, each of these could have been avoided if greater accountability and transparency were embedded in the ministrys policy and practice.

Caution: The subject material in this book may prevent you from experiencing any fraudulent schemes in the ministry you lead!

Doug Clay | General Treasurer The Assemblies of God National Leadership and Resource Center

T HE BIBLICAL PATRIARCH JOB understood adversity. He knew despair. He had experienced loss of health, loss of family, and loss of fortune. In the midst of unfathomable grief and loss, his wife and friends were encouraging him to turn his back on God. However, Job didnt waver in his convictions. He understood his character was on the line.

His integrity was at stake.

Job was pressured to compromise, but he stood firm in his convictions and didnt sin against God. He maintained his integrity, and he maintained his honor.