Have you ever calculated the percentage your church spends on those outside its walls? For the first time, I researched giving at several churches. What I found surprised me. Churches I examined were giving 1-2% of their budgets to benevolence, outreach, missions, and ministry partnerships. I believe individual church members are giving more, but...
Three of my Biggest Mistakes of 2011
A window seat and my iPod create a sacred space where I’m unreachable. It is one of my favorite places for reflection. My 13-hour flight from Dulles International Airport to Addis Abba provided plenty of reflection time – and I found myself thinking about lessons I’ve learned in 2011. Here are the top three...
Why Winning Big in the NFL Isn’t the Same in Ministry
From the first time that I picked up a lacrosse stick, played soccer, or watched the New England Patriots, I have always loved competition. But I’ve started to question the impact my competitive attitude has on the way I view other organizations. Because of charity watchdogs like Charity Navigator, following nonprofit trends is like...