Ah, summertime. The season begs people to go out, have fun, relax, enjoy, take a break, go on vacation, and leave their troubles behind, even if it's just for a little while. With longer days, warmer weather, and kids getting out of school, it's the perfect time to escape somewhere cooler, usually …

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In late 2023, Barna Research, a trusted source for Christian insights, shared posts from their 'The State of Generosity' series. These posts, while primarily focused on non-profit generosity and stewardship, offer valuable, generational insights that are relevant to the Christian church. Even if you …

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Those working in ministry must learn how to work through adversity to survive. It's part of the calling. Proverbs 24:10 says, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small." Adversity is a strange and wonderful way to refine and reveal character, resolve, and priorities. Admittedly, …

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We live in a time when data is everywhere. Organizations use surveys and statistics to tell all kinds of stories. Depending on who pulled and culled the data, it can look like charitable giving is up while donations to churches are down - but compared to what? Some reports compare today's giving to …

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When it comes to building a church budget, nothing is as important, sensitive, and even controversial as compensation. And for good reasons, compensation typically consumes the lion's share of the budget, somewhere between 45% and 55% for healthy churches. There is never a shortage of opinions on …

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It's almost May, and for our church, that means it's time to start planning the upcoming fiscal year's budget. In case you are wondering, our fiscal year begins in October and ends in September. That's right; we take five months to prepare the budget fully. Of course, not every church needs that …

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