800 and 12 percent. 800 is roughly how many times money is mentioned in the Bible, give or take several hundred depending on who is counting. (This site even says 2,000.) It is… read more

1. Go Back to Basics. What is an offering? It is a response to the word of God, made in cash or check. That may sound disrespectful to both God and cash but cash is not much… read more

Here’s a question that I almost never hear asked: Can a church be prophetic (by which I mean witnessing to the reality of God’s Kingdom justice and love in the… read more

I stood in the aisle at Toys ‘R’ Us and I cried my little eyes out. My mom had told me that I could pick out one toy, and I simply could not decide which one to… read more

Over the last couple of weeks I have been inundated with phone calls from clergy and laity alike who are fearful about the days ahead. They watched Congress act like a bunch of… read more

I stood before our congregation in the fall of 2004 and said, “I want you to have a slim Christmas this year . . . and whatever you spend on your family, bring an equal… read more