Two weeks into my first pastor position, the church treasurer walked into my office and proudly handed me my first paycheck. While I had worked various jobs growing up, this was my first as an adult. I was […]
A recent study on the idea of Christian generosity, conducted by Thrivent, in conjunction with Barna, shares some intriguing insights in a report titled “The Generosity Story.” The study found that 91% of […]
Eugene Peterson calls discipleship “a long obedience in the same direction.” I first read his book by the same name in 2007 as a first-year youth pastor. Freshly graduated from Tabor College, I read the book with my lead pastor as a part of our […]
The minister’s housing allowance can provide incredible tax advantages for most qualified ministers. It isn’t too late to make sure that you have the right dollar amount “designated” by your leadership board for housing […]
It is estimated that Americans spent a record $127 billion during Thanksgiving weekend 2025. Online spending alone for Black Friday reached a record $11.8 billion, and a separate record $6.4 billion was […]
Free kittens. That’s what the sign said. But we all know what happens when we fall in love with that “free” kitten and take it home. What comes next is anything but free—food, litter, toys, a carrier for vet trips, vet bills. And then years of more food, more litter […]
Have you ever set out with a clear destination in mind, only to realize you’ve gone off course? That’s what happened to Stephen Macchia of Leadership Transformations in the late 1990s. He boarded a flight to […]
When we talk about teaching godly finances, many immediately think of off-the-shelf programs—budget templates, debt-reduction plans, emergency-fund trackers, and so on. These tools have helped many in […]
In 1987, I was serving as a Youth and Worship Pastor when I had the opportunity to drive a group of MB pastors in Denver. One of the pastors asked me, “What do you want to do with your life?” I had a business degree and working on my MBA […]
I have often wondered about the actions of Barnabas in Acts 9:27. Saul had met the Lord and repented on the Damascus Road and began teaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. After an […]
I have spent the last couple of weeks preparing a raised garden bed for my wife. I figure the tomatoes will cost us about three times what they would in the store, but the garden is her happy place! With the limited […]
I was recently asked by my daughter-in-law, “When are you going to retire?” I wasn’t quite sure how to answer, but in my mind, I was hearing a lot of “what ifs.” What if I don’t have enough set aside? What if Social Security becomes more […]
After preaching from Matthew 25:14-30 for more than 30 years, I’ve touched on themes about accountability, using what’s in our hands, and faithfulness with a little. But recently I came across an […]
In Fall 2020, MB Foundation began offering grants to pastors who went through the online Financial Health coursework taught by Brian Kluth of National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Over the years we have […]
The Christmas decorating party was finished and the lights of the church had been turned off. In the parking lot, Tom, who had done the lion’s share of bringing the decorations out of the attic, turned and said to me, “Preacher, I am bringing my […]
Christmas time is upon us this month, but the marketing of Christmas started months ago. Everyday we will be given a chance to own or give the latest knickknack, gizmo, sweater, etc. Nobody […]
Fall is typically the time when churches are working on their finances for the coming year. It can be a time of casting new vision, evaluating programs, and setting salaries. How churches work through these decisions is not meant to […]
Matt Bell, nationally-known stewardship author of Trusted, offers four tips for handling the weight of heavy financial burdens. I was shocked by the suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade and TV […]
The Christian Leader recently highlighted shoulder-tapping as a way to meet the growing need for vocational pastors and leaders within our MB family. We believe God is already at work as MB Foundation has been able to distribute 11 […]
In the next month, my wife and I will be moving for the 24th time. That’s a lot, but in full disclosure, some of those moves were short-term rentals (house-sitting, short-term interim work, etc.), but a move is a move! Each time, we boxed up our stuff […]
When it comes to saving money and even more specifically, planning for retirement from church ministry, it can be hard to figure out where to start! Retirement may seem like a long time away, but small steps […]
As a person of a certain age, my hearing has been declining. With a little prodding from my wife, I recently made an appointment with an audiologist. The doctor diagnosed me as having moderately severe […]
Millennials may inherit over $68 trillion from previous generations by 2030. According to Newsweek, some experts believe this “could be the largest transfer of wealth in the history of humankind.” What will […]
Charitable fundraising statistics about giving during the last month of the year tell us that 30% of annual donations are given in December and 10% come during the last 48 hours of the year! So, be […]