Summer 2014
The theme for Summer 2014 is “Money Matters.”
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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The secret of strong donor relationships
One of the greatest challenges for any donor is being a good steward over the funds that have been entrusted to them. At the Stoller Foundation, we receive numerous requests for funding and many are for praiseworthy projects. How do we narrow them down? How do we choose? I think the answer to that question is very similar for any donor — whether it is an individual giving $100, a church donating $10,000, or a founda...
Hope International's Peter Greer on avoiding mission drift
CLA president and CEO Tami Heim recently interviewed Peter Greer, president and CEO of HOPE International.
Greer joined HOPE International in July 2004, following education and experience in the field of microfinance. He received a B.S. in international business from Messiah College, and an M.P.P. with a concentration in political and economic development from Harvard’s Ken...
Why giving truly is better than getting
One of the most familiar texts in the Bible — that we remember from our childhood efforts to memorize key texts, and that has also taken on the air of an aphorism — is from Acts 20:35 in which Jesus is quoted as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That statement engenders a variety of reactions, ranging from “You can’t be serious,” to “That doesn&rs...
Insights from Grey Matter Research
In the world of ministry fundraising, many assumptions are made about the perspectives and behavior of Christians, as though their charitable behavior is very different from non-Christians.
Christians do tend to behave differently than non-Christians in certain ways. For instance, Christians are more likely than others to pray, give money to a place of worship, have children, and be politically conservative.
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A new approach to cultivating donors
The return on investment (ROI) of acquisition. A donor costing an average of $100 to acquire, and giving an average of $75 in the first year and $125 in the second year, requires 12 months to achieve ROI … and that’s if 100 percent of acquired donors give in the second year! Many organizations report an 18 to 24 month ROI on acquisition investments.
No wonder acquisition is a challenge. Even if a sourc...
Insights from the Faith-Based Retirement Plan Survey™
The results of the 2013 Faith-Based Retirement Plan Survey™, sponsored by Envoy Financial and Christian Leadership Alliance, are in! The final report reveals common concerns, best practices, and issues impacting ministers, missionaries, and faith-based ministries in general.
Independent churches, parachurch organizations, mission-sending ministries, and denominations were the f...
ECFA's Dan Busby shares insights.
As president of ECFA, Dan Busby is out to help churches and Christ-centered organizations operate with sound financial practices. ECFA offers accreditation for organizations that meet the ECFA (ecfa.org) standards. Outcomes spoke with Busby about the importance of wise financial stewardship for Christian ministries.
How does accreditation with ECFA help ministries excel in terms of sound fin...
Transforming our roles
If you are anything like me, when you think about entering Jesus’ presence in heaven, I am sure you desire to hear what he said to the trustworthy stewards in the parable of the talents, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 25:21). Have you ever thought about what Jesus would say to you when he examines how you handled the leadership responsibilities he entrusted to you?
Jesus taught the para...
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...