Summer 2014
The theme for Summer 2014 is “Money Matters.”
Equipping employees in personal finance
We love to use the word stewardship; it connotes a biblical vision for how we manage the resources of our organizations in a God-honoring way. As leaders in the religious world, much of our work depends on the generosity of donors and the careful management of legacy funds and endowments. We have faith and hope in a God-held future, and we take seriously our responsibility to manage what we have today so God can multiply i...
This generation can change everything for your ministry.
When it comes to giving generously, not a lot has changed in the past century. For example, according to John and Sylvia Ronsvalle in The State of Church Giving through 2011 (23rd edition, 2013) in 1921, for every $100 earned, the typical Christian in the U.S. gave away $2.90. In 2011, for every $100 earned, the typical Christian gave away $2.32 — $1.98 to the church, $0.34 to causes outside...
Four ways to strengthen your ministry
Being responsible for the accounting and financial operations of a ministry is no small task. While the glory lies with the programs and direct ministry, the support roles of an organization are equally important. Without them, none of the programs and ministry could happen.
The fifth module in the Financial Management track of the CLA Online Academy, for which I serve as content contributor, is called “Big ...
Lessons in giving learned early in life
When I was boy growing up in Wichita Falls, Texas, my siblings and I would often ride our Big Wheels across our driveway, down the sidewalk, and up to the front porch of our next-door neighbors’ house. We were allowed to open the brass mail slot in their front door and if we smelled fresh baked cookies, we knew we could knock, go in, and have some. To this day, I remember how much we loved those cookies! And as you m...
Why "skin in the game" is vital
Fundraising at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas is a team effort. President Steve Vanderhill shares, “I see myself setting the school’s vision, articulating its mission, gathering resources, and coordinating personnel.” Redeemer trustees sign a ministry covenant agreeing to “introduce, invite, and encourage” others to support the seminary. They pray, share their wisdom, communicate the vision wit...
Your finance team can accelerate ministry!
When I evaluate people for openings on my team, I place a premium on character.
“Wow! I am not used to that kind of acceleration and power … ,” I muttered to myself in my empty rental car on a recent business trip. My “sports car” rental provided a much different driving experience than my four-cylinder economy car back home. Normally, when I step on the gas in my...
Great insights on Christian leadership, money matters, and more!
Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches
By Peter Greer and Chris Horst (Bethany House Publishers, 2014)
Too often, as Christian organizations grow, the gospel often becomes cursory, expendable, or even forgotten. Often, leaders have watched their ministries, businesses, and nonprofits professionalize, expand, a...
Getting noticed in a distracted world
It has been said by many that the age we’re living in right now could well be the most distracted in all of human history. Researchers say at minimum we are bombarded with 3,000 images per day. The problem is that we only notice half of what flashes before our eyes. Our brains have become increasingly numb to this massive infiltration of noise into our minds. We simply cannot process 3,000 visual “pop-ups” ...
A new paradigm for maximizing fundraising
At the heart of major gift fundraising is a strong relationship with donors: growing relationships with existing donors and building relationships with new donors. Building a new relationship with a donor begins by gaining trust. Frequently the first barrier we face is an irrational fear from the donor that somehow we are going to “take” money from them that they don’t want to give. The single most chal...
Poverty and the Grace of Giving
How does the generous heart grow?
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. (2 Cor. 8:2)
In the book Creating Congregations of Generous People, (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999), author Michael Durall identifies experiences needed to develop a spirit of generosity.
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