Online
Online giving is an easy and secure way to invest in the mission. You can give online using your bank account, credit card, or debit card. Giving directly from your bank account is preferred, because it saves on processing fees. You can direct your gift to the General Fund to support the day-to-day ministries and operations of the church, or to the Building Fund to support building and development opportunities across our campuses.
When you give online, you’ll be asked to choose your campus. This campus information is used for reporting purposes. Decisions about allocation of general funds across campuses rest with the Elders as they prayerfully seek God’s direction in how to steward resources invested at Watermark.
In Person
Weekend Drop-Off Locations
We don’t pass a collection plate during weekend services, but you can place your gift in any of our secure giving boxes. Look for giving boxes in the Town Center along the walls near all auditorium entrances.
Midweek Drop-off Locations
Besides the giving boxes in the Town Center, you can also drop off gifts with the receptionist on the first floor of the West Tower during office hours, Monday through Friday. The West Tower is the office building located directly next to the auditorium building.
By Text
Text “watermark” to 77977 to receive a mobile giving link.
By Mail
Mail gifts to:
Watermark Community Church
Contributions
7540 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX 75251
Giving of Stock or Other Assets
If you would like to give stock or other assets, please contact us for more information.
Acknowledgement of Contributions
Watermark will send out an acknowledgement of your contributions no later than January 31 each year. Please contact us if your address has changed, or if you have any questions about year-end giving.
Giving Through Designated Funds
You can give directly to one of our ministry partner designated funds through the links below.
Local Initiatives
Giving Toward International Discipleship Efforts
To give toward an international outreach/discipleship trip led by Watermark, please contact international@watermark.org. You may also contact the individual requesting support for further instructions.
What We Believe About Giving
Giving of our firstfruits is an act of worship that honors God (Proverbs 3:9) and reminds us that all we own, not just what we give, is the Lord's (Psalm 24:1). God gives eternal gifts (John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 2:12) as well as temporal ones (Deuteronomy 8:17-18, James 1:17), and when we as followers of Christ freely and joyfully give of our resources, we are imitating God. Your desire to give not only allows us to continue our mission of being and making disciples, but also illustrates your relationship with God (2 Corinthians 9:12-15) and how investing wisely benefits you (Acts 20:35, Luke 12:33). Let us all prayerfully consider how we might continue to invest in this mission with our hearts and God’s possessions.
Financial FAQ
Our budget is $32.2 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. We are funded entirely through the generous giving of our body. Those dollars are contributed all throughout the year, but about 25% of our annual giving is received each December.
We believe the best way to facilitate joyful giving (2 Corinthians 9:7, Matthew 6:4) is not to prompt it with a specific moment in the service, but to provide our body with opportunities to give as the Lord leads. Anyone can give online, send checks by mail, place gifts in the secure giving boxes in the auditorium, or drop off gifts in person at our offices.
86% of our budget goes directly to Kingdom work, including all weekend and midweek ministries, our staff, local and international ministry partners, conferences, and other strategic investments in churches locally and around the world. 14% of our budget goes toward operating, maintaining, and developing the facilities at our campuses, which are used all throughout the week.
Given that our economy cycles over time and we could be impacted in a downturn, we see wisdom in maintaining some reserves for the unknown. In accordance with the direction of our Business Advisory Team, we set aside funds to cover three months of operating expenses, along with a reserve account to fund repairs and maintenance as needed for our facilities.
We have rigorous processes to track every dollar in and out of Watermark, with monthly reporting for each department. Our annual financial statements are audited each year by an outside firm to ensure accuracy and accountability.
Our budget increased by $4.1 million (15%) over last year. High inflation was a significant driver. Over the past four years, our budget has increased an average of 8.5% annually. The only way our budget is maintained or can increase is through the generous giving of our body. We continually look for ways to use funds more effectively, cutting budgets where cost-saving opportunities are found. If additional staff hires are necessary to support growth, there is a rigorous process to vet all requests before they are approved. Our actual spending has consistently been less than budgeted, and any extra funds are put toward strategic priorities.
Our finance team is happy to meet with members to discuss our budget and answer finance-related questions. Please email finance@watermark.org and let us sit down with you at the Watermark Coffee Shop!
Each ministry and department builds its budget from the ground up every year, evaluating what we should keep doing, start doing, and stop doing. Budgets are then reviewed by our internal finance and executive teams; our lay-led Business Advisory Team, which provides leadership in our budget planning and implementation; and our Elders, who ultimately approve the budget.