Author Archives: Ken

Commercials for medicinal products regularly include the message  “Use as directed.” Printed advertisements for such products state clearly: “Read and follow label directions carefully.”

That’s good advice for both medication and the “Effective Stewardship” program. The program has been designed … Read More

Everywhere my associates and I go, we encounter the same re­sponse to the “Effective Stew­ardship” program: “We have nothing like this. . . .” From de­nominational officials to pastors of small and large churches, from the east coast to the … Read More

Churches are not democracies by any means. Most have a form of government which is representative in nature. Even Baptist churches, which Jerry Clower describes as the “purist form of a democracy on earth in terms of their business meetings … Read More

In his book, Money Isn’t God, John White discusses the tension between the teaching of stewardship and techniques for fund raising. He states:

“Christian leaders have a duty to teach God’s people both the responsibility and the joys of … Read More

A few years ago, Andy Rooney expounded on gardening in his time slot on “60 Minutes.” He described those who garden as “quiet nurturers” and as those possessing “great patience.” And then he gave this counsel:

“If you are going … Read More

One of my all-time favorite commercials is one from a few years ago for Kellogg’s Raisin Bran in which a technician is trying to help three people realize that Raisin Bran not only “tastes great,” but it is also “good … Read More

Recently, I was asked to meet with two of the pastors and the board chair of a church in a nearby city. They wanted to talk about capital fund raising. I went to this meeting both out of curiosity and … Read More

Jack Carney was an impresario who held forth each weekday morning on radio station KMOX in St. Louis. With a format now common on other stations, he talked, interviewed, held court, advertised products, and reminisced in a manner similar to … Read More

A recent advertisement by a leading seminary pictured stacks of money and piles of coins under the heading, “It’s put more Christians at stake than Nero.” The ad went on to state, “Throughout history, countless Christians have fallen victim to … Read More

Bob Pierce was the founder of World Vision and later developed Samaritan’s Purse, an organization now headed by Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. In his book, Rebel With a Cause, Franklin Graham describes some instruction he received from … Read More