Studies on global philanthropy indicate that cultural traditions, religious norms, political histories, and the economic strength of individual countries have profoundly shaped giving in individual countries and geographical regions, creating a rich and diverse global philanthropic landscape. However, some commonalitiesRead more…
Timeline for Planning a Profitable Fundraising Event
Many ministries and churches use events to raise funds. The attached timeline and worksheet might be useful in planning fundraising events.
Why most people will never accumulate surplus financial resources?
Proverbs 21:17 says, “He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” Solomon offers a telling observation – people focused on pleasure and consumption will be poor because they spendRead more…
Five slow steps for rebuilding credit after bankruptcy or foreclosure
Whether you’ve already gone through bankruptcy or foreclosure, or you’re considering bankruptcy, or facing foreclosure, you’re probably wondering how you’ll ever be able to recover. As you well know, both bankruptcy and foreclosure don’t look so great on your creditRead more…
Stop Medicating Your Church
A couple of years ago, one of our girls came home with a troubling look on her face. She was flushed and downcast. Her typically joyful seven-year-old attitude was gone. “Daddy, my throat started hurting at lunch time and it’s stillRead more…
Transforming Scrooge – How do you shift the culture in a church from greed to a way of generosity?
During the last Christmas season I reacquainted myself with Charles Dickens’s Ebenezer Scrooge, one of the nastiest, mean-spirited old men in English literature. He’s found, of course, in A Christmas Carol(published 1843), Dickens’ short novel about a man addicted to moneyRead more…
6 Types of Stories that Spur Giving
As a fundraiser, you aim to change how people perceive your organization’s work and cause, then motivate them to give. Connection is the lubricant for this conversion, but the deadly dull way so many organizations discuss their work frequently getsRead more…
A Resounding Gong
In I Corinthains 13, we hear that “if we speak in the tongue of mortals and angels, and have not love, I am only a resounding gong.” I’ve been thinking about this in relation to our churches and wondering ifRead more…
Opened Eyes
My first year of teaching, I taught in the same city where I grew up. I taught in the second poorest school in the district and was astounded at the poverty I saw in the faces of my students. ItRead more…
Would Jesus be on Twitter?
I’ve head this question asked before in relation to the topic of technology and the Church, but the fact of the matter is, we don’t know. We don’t know if Jesus would have counter this cultural trend or whether heRead more…