Winter 2015
The theme for Winter 2015 is “Stewardship.”
Stewarding the Jesus agenda
The meaning of stewardship has its roots in a word found in New Testament Greek. The word is "oikos," meaning household, as found in Acts 16:31. That word is in the family of words like management, administration, economics and accountability. These are all business and financial terms that point to something that has been entrusted and managed. As I look closer at the life of Jesus, I become aware that the "something" that he has entrust...
Your preeminent stewardship assignment
"YOU'RE FIRED!" Thanks to Donald Trump, these words have become a part of the American lexicon. Unfortunately, one Monday morning, I, too, heard those words drifting across the table - directed at me! I was stunned. I was given two hours to pack my office and leave. It was the first big failure in my life. Now, as I look back, it was also a time when God taught me lessons about leadership and integrity.
I believe it's...
Insights on stewarding power well
In 1887, an imposing looking man named John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, the first Baron Acton (1834-1902) penned words so memorable that they have become part of American thought and leadership culture.
Lord Acton wrote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton observed something very real, but drew the wrong conclusion. It is important for followers of Jesus to understand why. ...
Ways to share Godly giving principles
When my kids were younger, I often read them short stories with compelling storylines. I remember their innocent faces and little eyes looking intently at me as they hung on my every word. I always loved to watch them come to life as they realized the main point of the story. Then the room would erupt with great discussion about what the story meant to them. Points were clarified, but more importantly, we talked about what God w...
It starts in the heart of the leader
As leaders, we have all seen organizational change efforts come and go - kicked off with great enthusiasm, only to see the excitement wane and the initiative replaced by another. From my experience as a change consultant, I believe this happens because the most critical of all "success factors" needed for effective organizational change is the one most often overlooked, and that is the "heart of the leader."
The "heart ...
Five goals for your financial supporters
What do you want for your financial supporters versus from them?
This question has been etched in my heart lately. It's as if I cannot escape it, as though God keeps putting it right in front of me like the golden arches of McDonalds when on a road trip across the United States.
Those in vocational, support-based ministry spend so much time praying, planning and strategizing about what they want from ...
Three strategies that make sense
In my role as director of insurance plans for GuideStone Financial Resources, I work with many pastors and ministry leaders who are concerned about their ability to maintain high-quality employee health coverage. These individuals are battling the double whammy of rapidly rising health care delivery costs and the crushing regulatory requirements of the Affordable Care Act.
The Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer-Sponsored H...
Lessons from The Return of the Prodigal Son
The competitive environment of the modern organization is complex, global, automated and intense. In such an environment it has become more and more difficult to obtain an "edge." Many believe that unique competitive advantages will become more and more difficult to develop and sustain. In light of these findings, cohesive team building continues to grow in importance.
As Patrick Lencioni highlights in his book, ...
The five marks of a healthy mindset
Your digital footprint isn't just marketing or advertising. It's not just fundraising or brand-building. While we must do these things for Christian impact, digital is ministry too ... and it's ministry first.
What's your mind on?
You desire total ministry effectiveness. How you think about digital is part of getting there. What are you after? Is it transformative, integrated, purpose-fulfill...
Six steps to success
To the average person standing in line next to you at the grocery store, the title of this article appearing on a newsstand could be quite confusing. Just consider how they might apply it:
- Integrated: Perhaps it's related to racial reconciliation?
- u2028Multi-channel: Could it be about my television or Pandora?
- Campaigns: Isn't that what politicians do?
Conversely, to any of us involved in marketing or fundrai...