The nice thing about the church is that no matter how incredibly boring the sermon may be, it’s still more exciting than reading the budget. Let’s change that.  The budget, I mean, you’re on your own with the sermon. While a line item budget is a necessary tool for fiscal management it really tells a lousy […]

The good people in the Conference Communications Office asked me to contribute to the fall edition of Joining Hands Magazine. This issue deals with bridging the gap between generations and below are my thoughts. If you haven’t read it yet  or don’t receive a subscription you can read it on-line. In response to the earthquake […]

Churches in Africa do things a bit differently. From what I understand the offering is a time for great joy, as congregants celebrate that they have something to contribute. In remote areas where food and water are a daily struggle, having a li’l something extra to share is truly something special. We don’t really do […]

One of the key tasks in any stewardship campaign is writing The Letter. Sometimes The Letter is written by the committee, but usually by the pastor. Hours are spent wordsmithing, proof reading, getting a fresh pair of eyes on it to make sure nothing was skipped or could be misinterpreted. This year I encourage you […]

The old adage goes that you should be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.  In stewardship I believe there is a corollary, ask for what you want, there’s a good chance you’ll get it. Which raises the obvious question, what is it we should be asking for? I will tell you that […]

Imagine a pastor preaching at his new church the first Sunday in July.  The bulletin has the unison invocation written out word for word.  At one point he prays for the sick and needy, for the missionaries, for the leaders of the church and then leads the congregation in the Lord’s Prayer.  After the closing hymn […]

I was talking church finances with a group of ministers a few weeks ago.  One asked me what our members need to hear more of in order to “get them to give more.”  It wouldn’t have been my choice of words, but you get a feel for where this conversation was going. Those of you […]

Kids are back in school and church committees are once again getting fired up.  Your Stewardship Committee is about to meet to plan the campaign and the conversation will go something like this: What do you wanna do this year? I dunno, what do you wanna do this year? Last year seemed to work. Yep, […]

I have now been writing this blog for about six months.  As you are aware some of the posts have been tightly focused on the issues of stewardship and helping that effort in the local church. Then there are others. As you and your Stewardship Committee (you DO have a Stewardship Committee, don’t you?) get […]

About a decade ago, Jerry Panas wrote the book Mega Gifts.  The book is the result of many, many interviews he conducted with people who had given huge gifts to charity.  Wouldn’t you love to sit down with those folk and ask them why they made the gift?  Panas did, and the results may surprise […]