McFate hopes his book can help churches solve financial, attendance issues

“I am just a sinner saved by the grace of God,” retired pastor and author Warren McFate said.

McFate spent 20 years of his life working on a book titled “A Formula For Your Church to Increase Its Financial Resources.” The book started out as seven pages, but has evolved into 110-page book compiling the information from slightly more than 100 writers on stewardship.

“It was retirement that gave me the leisure to do some exploration and a lot of reading,” McFate said. “My venture has lead me to read more than 100 books and visit three of the nation’s largest churches. From that I have developed this book.”

Before McFate started writing the book, he struggled with financial and attendance situations in his church.

“I have been a Methodist pastor for 43 years, and I observed from my own pastorate and others the need for serious improvement in finances and in attendance,” McFate said. “It was sort of a frustration for me to discover in my own ministry that was happening. So I said to myself, ‘There must be something truly better than that for churches.’”

McFate finished the publication of the 12th edition of his book in 2011, and after the publication, he came to realize the full potential of the book.

“It can honestly be said that it will help just about any church that desires some help in finances and attendance,” McFate said. “I know that sounds crazy to say, but its because of not any wisdom on my part, but it’s because I made the collection of wisdom of close to 100 people who have national known authority in the areas of stewardship and development.”

While the nation, and Newton, have dealt with the recession and financial issues with businesses closing down, many churches have remained open through the “rough” economic times.

“There’s many people working on that issue and I applaud them on their efforts. Finances and attendance in church is not a program issue because this deals with the whole gambit of church life believing it’s a system problem,” McFate said. “In the end, it’s an effort that if it’s not everyone working together to solve the problem it isn’t going to get solved.”

“I feel that the central need of religion today is the revitalization of the local church and that some of these other arguments are taking the head of the stage. This manual addresses the needs of ‘mainline’ churches. It’s not intended to be a debate for theology. Its intended to revitalize the local church,” McFate said.

McFate turned 93 years old and has seen the best of times and the worst of times as it comes to local churches.

“It’s been instrumental in my journey because I felt there was not just a need, but a growing need. I felt the need wasn’t being filled,” McFate said.

McFate’s dream is for someone to take this book and continue developing it long after he is gone.

“Forget who I am, try to figure out whether or not this has value for them. If it doesn’t glorify God and help people forget it because this is not an ego thing. I am too old to worry or even care about fame and fortune because it was never my purpose or intention,” McFate said.

If McFate’s dream was to come true and someone was to develop his idea to gain fame and fortune, McFate said it would be a blessing in his eyes.

“Praise the Lord and sing the doxology,” McFate said. “It’s not about me, or it’s not what I am going to do even, its about solving the problem. It would be a blessing for the kingdom, but also for the people who will be helped from it.”