Money talk may be the biggest taboo in the church today—even more than sexuality. It seems that the principalities and powers of our age have stuffed a gag into the mouths of our preachers, prophets and sages. Lack of transparency and conversation may mask a deeper spiritual issue. From the Mennonite Church USA. (Photo: Brandon […]
The end of the accounting year always means lots of work and headaches for the church finance team, but this article can help them get through it in accordance with legal and bookkeeping proficiency. From FreeChurchAccounting.com. (Photo: www.SeniorLiving.Org, used by permission)
Almost every day the news tells of another financial scandal, and the church is not lost in this situation. In today’s culture, the church cannot afford to be reactive, but remain proactive in managing its finances above reproach. The following golden rules, from LifeWay, can help churches maintain integrity and trust. (Photo: Anssi Koskinen, Creative […]
Thanksgiving is a delightful holiday with a simple premise of counting our blessings. How unfortunate that it’s become sort of starting gun for a frenzy of shopping and consumerism. In this thoughtful essay Lori Sanders reflects on how to keep the spirit of thanks alive even as the world goes shopping. (Photo: Marco Verch, Creative […]
With the possibilities for small-church budgeting being so flexible, are there guidelines that are universal? Writing in ChristianityToday.com, Karl Vaters says there are. He lists nine principles that can help leaders develop a budget that will serve the ministry needs and keep the church’s financial train on track. (Photo: taxcredits.net, Creative Commons)
Here’s a brainy, in-depth look at the ethics of big-dollar philanthropy. The New Yorker‘s Elizabeth Kolbert looks at the issue from the days of Andrew Carnegie to the present and questions whether ultra-rich donors achieve the positive results they purport to desire. (Photo: Mykl Roventine, Creative Commons)
Money is a leading cause of stress, and it seems everyone wishes they earned just a little more. But control over money has less to do with how much we make, and a lot more to do with how we manage what we have. As followers of Christ, we need to get a handle on […]
Money! It can motivate us, enrich us, and certainly frustrate us. We cannot live without it today. And if we’re not careful it can take us over. Fortunately, as people of faith, we have tools to help moderate the way money can take over our thoughts, says this article from Beliefnet.
“White space” began as a publishing term for parts of a page on which nothing is printed. Designers include white space to keep the words and artwork from looking too crowded. We need white space around all areas of our lives, including our finances, writes blogger Dawn Sparks in SimpleMoney.com
Jesus talked a lot about money, and not always in the most positive terms. Yet his ministry used money, and the New Testament even tells us that it was Judas, his betrayer, who was treasurer. So what were the financial needs of Jesus’ ministry and who met them? This insightful CNN article explains. (Photo: ThrasherDave, […]
