8/14/2026

When it comes to “grumbling” in the gospels, as in “they grumbled against the landowner,” when it comes to “grumbling,” it is surprising how little “grumbling” there is in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

I am referring specifically to the word “grumble” and its variations in the Greek New Testament. If I did homework correctly, I couldn’t find any grumbling in Mark at all. Maybe with Mark being so short, the gospel writer just couldn’t be bothered with “grumbling.” In John, the Jewish leaders “grumbled” in response to Jesus’s announcement that he was the bread of life. According to John, those leaders “began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” The word translated complain comes from the same word for grumble. Luke has the most “grumbling.”

7/17/2026

How a Virginia church helps people share their connections to God via notes in the offering

What happens when you add a fourth “T” – testimony – to the traditional three Ts of stewardship, time, talent and treasure (or tithe)?

7/15/2026

Forever is one of those words that I can never fully wrap my head around. As a child, it seemed like there were many things that lasted forever. Waiting for the end of the school year seemed eternal. Having to stay inside when it rained for days on end was agonizing. Worst of all were the multiple hours spent in the backseat on the way to the beach. No matter how many times I asked, “Are we there yet?” time just stood still on the highway.

6/10/2026

We can learn a lot about stewardship campaigns by reframing a question to shift perspective and results.

It’s a bit like seeing challenges as opportunities.

6/9/2026

The car was packed and I was nearly ready to leave for a work trip. I paused at the door, doing that familiar last-minute scan of the house before heading out. My last task was to bring the dogs in from the backyard.

I stepped onto the porch and gave a whistle. That’s when I spotted an extra wiggly figure beyond the fence. Luna, our neighbor’s puppy from down the street, was joyfully darting back and forth. Her owners were nowhere in sight. Apparently, Luna made a great escape, choosing the most inconvenient moment to come looking for a playdate.

6/8/2026

When we use the word stewardship in the church, it is often in the Fall and we are talking about budgets, pledge cards, and financial campaigns. While generosity with financial resources is certainly part of stewardship, the biblical vision of stewardship is much broader and deeper. Stewardship is really about discipleship; it is about how we cultivate our lives, our communities, our relationships, and our faithfulness in response to God’s grace.

5/18/2026

How many churches put their stewardship and capital campaigns on autopilot once the “system” is in place?

It’s easy to grow complacent as long as the results are stable. But when church membership drops (COVID, industry relocating, a change in ministers) suddenly the cash flow changes.

5/14/2026

Churches have a unique opportunity to model a kind of belonging that is spacious, justice-seeking, inclusive, and grounded in the radical love and hospitality of Jesus. We can be places where people of every identity, background, and story find room to breathe and be held, and to be seen and loved for who they are.

4/20/2026

I am at the stage in my life where I am having conversations about legacy that go in two directions. I’m talking with my mom, as she edges close to 90, about what matters to her and how she wants to spend her time and income, but also with my three daughters, who are all college students in their 20s.

4/15/2026

Our May calendars might highlight special events like Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, or the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indy 500. However, this May the church calendar holds us in the final days of Eastertide (including the Ascension), and the great feast of Pentecost.

4/14/2026

In church stewardship, there is growing concern as “traditional” givers age out – they move closer to family, they enter assisted living, they reallocate their estate, or they pass away. The challenge has always been how to continually engage younger people, to connect with them and build a foundation of giving.

3/18/2026

Through the resurrection of Jesus and its proclamation, God creates communities that embody the new reality inaugurated by resurrection. Acts 2:42-47 offers a vivid depiction of such a community, and it also has implications for our understanding of stewardship.