A Budget by Any Other Name
My budget app snobbery provided fresh perspective on the simplicity of a personal budget.
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My budget app snobbery provided fresh perspective on the simplicity of a personal budget.
On Ash Wednesday I decided to give up my afternoon cup of coffee and thus began the longest Lenten season of my life.
Faith Community CRC in Beaver Dam, WI has always found meaningful and creative ways to connect to their community in mission. Recently this required the church to decide whether their next pastor would be full-time.
It may already be too late. This creep is sneaky. Everyone is vulnerable, regardless of age, class, gender or race. I’m talking about “lifestyle creep.” It’s a thing—a very real thing.
No, my actual thoughts aren’t on fire. Instead, here are my thoughts on the FIRE (Financial Independence Retiring Early) movement that’s picking up steam and making headlines.
For better or for worse, what’s done now will tell your story later. Will your legacy reflect your Kingdom calling. . . or will it be fit for the dogs?
“Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” You know these words because you've felt them. Overwhelmed and without recourse, you've remained open to the possibilities of what only God can do.
When it comes to generous giving, it's not "either-or" but "both-and." It's not just "my family" but "my family" and "my neighbor."
Connect the dots is magical—at least for someone like me, who barely managed a passing grade in high school art class! In my work this past year, I've been connecting the dots between churches and Barnabas Foundation.
Lottery records will keep shattering. Dreams about how to spend untold millions will continue to be spun by throngs. Does that mean the Church can’t grow believers who know better?
In the past year since becoming Barnabas Foundation’s church communications director, I’ve realized many churches miss something critical that other Christian not-for-profits get. Let me share the secret.
Countless voices tell our children money makes the world go round. Parents must speak louder and say otherwise.
Few church members will receive fame and accolades the way Aretha Franklin did during her lifetime. But every believer, no matter how meager their circumstances, can learn a valuable lesson from her about important conversations with fellow believers and loved ones.
A fascinating classroom experiment at the University of Maryland illustrates an important truth. Even a handful of saints giving sacrificially can make a really big difference.
Lecturing my millennial friend on the priorities of giving won't accomplish much. Truth is, he has a lot more to say about how and when church ministry will be paid for than I do.
The uncomfortable truth is that something is missing if our prayers and serving and witnessing aren’t coupled with generous giving.
Jesus' agenda is radical because it orients us to God in the first place so that our living is shaped by God's priorities, instead of our own.
None of the volunteers drew attention to themselves. So they didn’t get much attention. For this reason, churches need to be alerted. We agreed and gave it a name: Pastor and Ministry Appreciation.
Over the next few weeks, The Network wants to join with you in brainstorming simple and thoughtful ways to say “THANKS!” to the leaders in your church.
Having some defined hours allows a pastor to plan and also allows people to plan. It is respectful of everyone’s need to plan. But exactly how many hours? This requires discernment.
Many congregations rent their facilities to emerging or established Christian congregations in their communities. This seems like a win-win arrangement. But what does Christ think about such an arrangement?
A ruling in U.S. federal district court this week may impact most ministers serving in the United States who live in their own homes.
As part of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, new health insurance marketplaces are being created where anyone can purchase coverage for themselves and their families.
Much has been written about the clergy residence deduction (CRD) which is available to clergy and other eligible individuals in Canada. To be eligible, an individual must meet both a status test and a function test.
Every person needs to feel appreciated. Pastors, and their spouses, are no exception. I remember getting movie tickets in the mail. No note, just tickets. It brought tears to my eyes. A small thing? Some would think so, but to us it was huge.