To say that the congregation with which I worship is late to the technological revolution is an understatement. We’ve been one projector short for weeks and no one seems to notice the blank screen on the left. The church’s website is difficult to navigate. Our Facebook page has racked up a grand total of 15 [...]
Don’t let your church be a casualty in the offering wars
January 28, 2013 By 6 Comments
Move over worship wars. There’s a new battle brewing in North America’s churches, this one focused on the Sunday morning offering. Fewer of the faithful carry cash these days, and for younger worshipers, writing a check is as old school (and annoying) as email. But tradition dies hard. Stewardship stalwarts cling to their collection plates [...]
Damned if you tithe and damned if you don’t
September 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Lost in the kerfuffle over Mitt Romney’s tax returns is a sorry story about how Americans’ (including good church folks) have come to think about charitable giving. When a family of limited means is faithful in tithing a full 10 percent, we cheer. Nothing beats a good widow and her mite story for warming hearts. [...]
Finding mojo in a church basement
August 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Way back in 2000, when Thom Jeavons and I first sang the praises of abundance thinking, the scarcity crowd accused us of being Pollyannas. Today, the positive high-road is all the rage, despite (or maybe because of) the tough financial times in which we find ourselves. Thom and I made our case for abundance based [...]
For faith and generosity, it’s déjà vu all over again.
August 22, 2012 By 2 Comments
The folks over the Chronicle of Philanthropy have just released a special report titled “How America Gives,” and surprise, surprise, faith is a major factor in the findings. As has been the case in every study ever done of philanthropic activity in these United States, the religious shine. When it comes to the faith and [...]
Generosity in quotes
August 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
“One image and symbol in particular brings together the dynamics of mission and stewardship in a fundamental way—the Eucharist table. It’s no wonder that the early Christians gathered daily around table for fellowship and the breaking of bread. It’s around the table that our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. It’s to the Eucharistic [...]
What the kids should know about your finances
July 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
During tough economic times, it’s understandable if parents shield their kids from the harsher facts of the family’s financial life. Growing up is hard enough. No need to stress the young ones out about money. But think again, writes Wall Street Journal columnist Demetria Gallegos. It’s not a totally negative thing for children to “learn [...]
A seven-step plan for raising generous kids
July 11, 2012 By 2 Comments
For several years now, I’ve subscribed to the Family Giving News – a publication that bills itself as “the nation’s most widely read e-newsletter for giving families.” Although aimed at an audience living well above my pay-grade, the advice provided is almost always useful to any family for whom generous matters — including my own. [...]
The juvenilization of Christian philanthropy
July 4, 2012 By 2 Comments
Every few months, along comes another diagnosis of what ails the faithful in the United States. The latest is Thomas Bergler’s The Juvinilization of American Christianity – in book form and as a Christianity Today cover story. Since reading the CT piece, I’ve thought a lot about the impact of a “self-centered, emotionally driven, and [...]
Remembering my father, who taught me well that generous matters.
June 17, 2012 By 4 Comments
Over the years, I’ve been blessed by stories of godly parents and grandparents who both talked the talk and walked the walk of generosity. This includes the following tale told to Thom Jeavons and me as we did research for our book, Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as Ministry. A woman recalled learning about tithing [...]
