I would be doing the same thing for 2023 that you are doing by taking the immediate write off since you paid from your 2023 personal income. It's a little last minute, but it still wouldn't hurt to get advice from a tax professional on that.
In 2024, you could do what you are thinking by making equipment/materials purchases as donations. These would be donations-in-kind rather than cash donations, so the value of the donation would have to be verified in some way, and if the equipment is above a certain amount, the church would have to verify the donation amount (more paperwork). Keep in mind that making a donation this way would not be a one-for-one reduction of your income by doing so. It would be better not to receive the pay and have the church pay for the equipment. That way, you don't report any income or donation.
If you are making these purchases for the church from a different revenue source (say personal savings rather than the W2 income from the church), donating and writing off is what you will need to do. The best way to do it would be to donate the cash to the church to make the purchase and issue you a gift receipt for the cash to avoid the gift-in-kind hassle. The church will need to be a 501(c)3 religious non-profit so that the cash gift can be tax deductible, and the cash must be used for the ministry needs of the church, meaning your husband will not receive personal gain from the gift.
Again, find a tax professional who understands minister and church tax nuances and make them your best friend.
