Fall 2012
The theme for Fall 2012 is “Resource Development.”
CLA President and CEO Tami Heim recently interviewed Joan Mussa, World Vision USA’s senior vice president of mobilization.
Mussa earned a bachelor’s degree at Augsburg College and a master’s in broadcast production and management from the University of Michigan. She started a broadcasting career in Minneapolis. After covering the famine in Africa in 1985, she was called to World Vision, where she became a regional communicator in Nairobi, Kenya, shooting f...
Did you know that "generosity” is a fruit of the Spirit? If you look it up in a Greek-English lexicon, the word rendered "goodness” may be better translated as "generosity.” For years I thought generosity was the result of my sermons or direct-mail appeals. Paul is sending a message to the Galatians (and to us): Generosity is the result of God’s work, not man’s work, in the lives of believers.
This begs the question: What is the role ...
My most successful fundraising experience ended in failure. A mutual friend introduced me to a man who was very rich, often drunk, and obviously irreligious. When I invited the man to come to campus and have lunch with me, he accepted on one condition: "Don’t talk to me about getting born again.”
Our luncheon conversation found common ground in the field of business ethics, art collections, and our Finnish ancestry. Over the next few months, our unlikely friends...
Most people have a person in their life that inspires them to think about things differently. By God’s wondrous provision, I’ve been blessed with several. I was sitting in the office of one of my mentors one day when he said this to me:
"Tell me — and I’ll soon forget. Show me — and I may remember. Allow me to experience — and I will truly understand.”
My mentor then shared a story about a coach who was trying to inspire ...
The Internet has undoubtedly changed the way we live. It serves as a valuable tool for people to communicate, research, shop, and connect. As our lives continue to revolve around technology, it only makes sense that the Internet is also changing the way we give. More Americans are getting online than ever before: 80 percent of adults and 95 percent of teens use the Internet. Twenty-five percent of those adults make charitable donations online, and that percentage continues to soar (Pew Int...
For the last 57 years, Giving USA has been published annually, providing the most comprehensive report on the sources and uses of charitable giving in America. In June, the volume of Giving USA providing data for 2011 was released — with startling findings on giving to religion in America.
While there are signs of a slow recovery in general charitable giving, not so for giving to religion. ...
God wants us to impact our world. Jesus’ last words on Earth were a clear call to action: "… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28: 19-20a). Whether through our job, our business, our church, or local and global missions, each of us is called to touch people in our sphere of influence and to work toward seeing God&rsquo...
After 31 years in the stewardship arena I have an observation — almost everything I need to know about fundraising I learned in the Bible. There are more verses dedicated to stewardship in the Holy writ than love and prayer combined. But none more pointed than the second shortest book in the Old Testament, a major lesson from the minor prophet, Haggai. These 38 verses contain a stewardship message of rebuke, challenge, and comfort.
What could a book written 2,500 years ago...
Ministry, at its core, is based on service — helping those in need and bringing people closer to the gospel of Christ. It is truly God’s work, and I marvel at the grace that exists in the hearts of people throughout the world who serve in ministry, providing their talents, time, and money to further the kingdom of Christ. The challenge in 1 John puts it clearly, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God...
God has an amazing sense of humor and timing. In early 2008 I began to feel unsettled in my job as a design manager for a large corporation. I had always enjoyed my job, but something was not quite the same. Through a series of conversations, prayers, and reading, it was affirmed to me that I was being called to serve in Christian ministries or nonprofits. Now, when was the last time you saw a design management position open in one of those sectors? This was going to be a step of faith.