How Much Money Is Enough? (and Other Wisdom From Proverbs)
Recent research by T. Rowe Price reveals that parents who are “trying to keep up with the Joneses” are more reluctant to talk to their kids about money, and 40% of parents are uncomfortable having money conversations with their children. In the ancient book on wisdom, the book of Proverbs, we see that the wisdom […]
The Gift of a Decline in the Stock Market
Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, but the longing and lusting for it is (I Timothy 6:10). Greed is the corruption of the good and God-given desire to manage resources well, to provide for your family, and to be fruitful in this life. Greed is the corruption of that desire to […]
New Research: 5 Types of Givers in Your Church
“Tithe” means ten percent. And lots of people still believe in the tithe, in giving ten percent of their income. In fact, according to LifeWay Research, more churchgoers believe tithing is for today than pastors believe it. Some believe tithing was an Old Testament command and in the New Testament we are simply told to […]
4 Possible Reasons Some Pastors Struggle Financially
Of the more than 700 pastors’ spouses surveyed in a recent LifeWay research project, more than half expressed that their income from the church is insufficient, and more than two-thirds are concerned they do not have enough saved for retirement. Why is this? Why do so many families in local church ministry struggle financially? While […]
6 Ways to NOT Waste Your Budgeting Process
Some people believe a budgeting process is a waste of time. I don’t mean the people who have a visceral reaction to budgets and strategy, but there are prudent and wise leaders who view a long budgeting process as bad stewardship. They say things like: We don’t even know how this year will end. “We […]
3 Reasons You Should Have Fewer Goals
In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth tells a fascinating story about Warren Buffett’s challenge to a pilot. Warren Buffett asked his pilot if he had dreams and goals other than being a pilot. When the pilot confessed that he did, Buffett gave him three steps to achieving his goals. Here are Warren Buffett’s three steps […]
3 Ways Ministry Leaders Must Live as Stewards
In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul called the overseer “God’s administrator” or “God’s steward” (Titus 1:7). Ministry leaders are stewards, not owners, as Jesus owns His Church. Jesus promised to build His Church, not ours (Matt. 16:18). The financial resources the Lord blesses a church with are ultimately for Him. The ministry leader, […]
Three Resources Leaders Must Steward Wisely
Jack Welch stated, “At its simplest, strategy is merely resource allocation.” A ministry or organization has a limited amount of resources to deploy. Where these resources are invested reveals the strategy, or the lack of one. When there is a clear strategy, leaders have declared what is critical and most important, and resources are invested […]
Three Questions to Ask as You Discern the Culture of Your New Church
Realtors love the summer because it is a time when many families move. Kids have completed a school year, so summer provides a transitional season. When ministry leaders change roles, they often do so in the summer. I know this personally as our moves from Cincinnati to Miami and then Miami to Nashville both took […]
3 Ways to Identify Your Ministry Convictions
Most church leaders will claim they have a conviction to develop leaders and a conviction for biblical community—to help people grow together in community. But it is one thing to say you have certain convictions and quite another to display those convictions in your everyday leadership. If something is a conviction in ministry, you cannot […]