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.

3/17/2026

“Matthew 6 (is) humane, in light of God’s abundant generosity. That whole chapter is an impossible call to live in a radical way toward our neighbors, strangers, ourselves,” said Rev. Joseph Moore, a Senior Ministry Relations officer with the Presbyterian Foundation.

3/16/2026

In my work with churches I am occasionally asked about taking an offering on Easter. Should a church, on a Sunday when many if not most of the people in attendance will only be there once or twice year, ask for money? Is it better to set the offering aside on those days? Is it a missed opportunity (both financially and spiritually) if you don’t have an offering on Easter?

2/20/2026

When Zionsville Presbyterian Church in Indiana found itself in the enviable position of having a financial surplus at the end of a recent year, they faced a seemingly simple question: What to do with the extra?

They could tuck it away in a reserve account for future years when times might be lean. They could make capital improvements to the church campus, such as upgrade HVAC units or repair siding or sidewalks. Or, they could ask the congregation for ideas – which is what they did.

2/13/2026

Fundraising should not be a dirty word in our churches.

In fact, conversations between church leaders and generous saints can mean the difference between ministry happening or not. Whether it is a pastor sitting down with a generous church member with the capacity to make a matching gift or a trusted elder gathering with peers to lead the way in funding a new mission initiative, your congregation’s new ministry may only be a conversation away — if you are willing to have that conversation.

2/12/2026

This month of the lectionary, our Christian calendar explores Christ’s ministry in the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John brings about many powerful Jesus narratives that are formative in understanding the life and ministry of Jesus.

1/22/2026

Sharing bad news isn’t easy – but it only gets harder the longer you wait. That’s especially true when it comes to churches and finances.

Keys to sharing that news with your congregation include consistent messaging, talking about the church’s needs rather than its deficits, and creating a culture of sufficiency rather than scarcity, according to experienced experts.

1/21/2026

A few short days after Christmas, I wandered through several big box stores and was struck by how quickly the seasons had shifted. The red, green and gold of Christmas had already disappeared, replaced by the familiar red and white of Valentine’s Day.

1/20/2026

By all accounts, the transfiguration of Jesus was a beautiful sight to behold. Jesus and his key disciples are on a high mount with sweeping views of the ground below. Jesus appears in all his glory and is flanked by two of the greatest figures in Jewish history. Transfiguration places Jesus squarely as a prophet and leader in the tradition of Elijah and Moses.