Blog / Culture

Do your remember the bumper sticker, “My father was a Jewish carpenter?” I love that sticker because my dad really was a Jewish carpenter and could make just about anything. No matter what the problem was, he knew how to come up with a solution. We didn’t have much money, but that never stopped him from finding ways to make things. When I needed a bicycle, he “created” one out of old bike parts. The only time I ever saw him stumped was when Colleen and I bought our first home, a New England bungalow. We wanted to convert the attic into […]

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Flying from London to Nairobi in a 767 is quite an experience. If the expanse of that mammoth plane doesn’t take your breath away, peering down on the terrifying terrain will. After gazing at a thousand miles of Sahara Desert, the gigantic and intimidating Nile River suddenly came into view, cutting a huge swath through the vast African continent. Eyes staring and mind racing, I couldn’t imagine someone attempting to cross the Nile, much less the Sahara.    Some call trying to conquer the most fearsome parts of nature “extreme sports.” I call it a “death wish!” After failing to jump […]

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Bradley was nervous when he came into the office, visibly shaken by what he was about to announce to the leadership team. Although he was now a veteran staffer—having served for six years—it had been difficult from day one. He and his family had struggled month after month with their personal support level and his inability to provide for their basic needs. Bradley did not mention any of this, but instead spoke softly of the Lord using certain circumstances, passages, and other’s counsel to finally show them God wanted them to move back to their hometown and re-join his father’s […]

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Here’s the scene: Stella Staffer has raised her monthly support, reported to her ministry assignment, and is off to a good start. She is also being faithful to stay connected to her financial partners through newsletters, periodic phone calls, and visits. In the process, she realizes that Marla and Major Donor, one of the couples that supports her, is probably worth a lot due to the company they own, house they live in, and the ministries they support. As Stella gets with them they are curious to know about the organization’s vision and leadership and she is glad to share. […]

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I’m frustrated. Why is it taking 12, 18, 24 months for many Christian workers to raise their support and get to their assignment? Is it because of poor training, lack of faith, or a dismal work ethic? Well, maybe…but I think the guilty party may have been staring back at us this morning as we brushed our teeth! Workers come into our organizations full of hope, enthusiasm, and teachableness. If we were to tell them to jump, they’d ask “how high?” on the way up. But instead of inscribing “GO FOR IT!” on the fresh tablet of their heart, we […]

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Question: What do college students standing in line at the dining hall have in common with a group of Christian ministry staff sitting around the coffee shop? Answer: They’re all complaining-one group about the food and the other about finances. Many Christian ministries are infested with people who are constantly whining about how much things cost, what they don’t have, or how tight their budget is. They’re drowning in an ocean of discontent and don’t even realize it! This pity party called “poor talk” surfaces in the form of joking (“Maybe we’ll finally get to go out to dinner at the […]

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