ECCU Blog

Back in late 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley wrote to six media-based ministries asking for responses to questions about ministry governance, expenses, and executive compensation. Interestingly, only two of the six ministries agreed to participate. While I’m sure the four ministries that didn’t respond believed it was the best decision, as someone “in the business” it troubles me that they may lack the transparency critical to operating a healthy ministry.

In the press release published by Senator Grassley on January 6, 2011, he provided detailed reviews of all six ministries. The reviews outlined the responses (or no responses) from the ministries, along with detailed investigative work on each of the ministries—especially those that had not responded. What was interesting to me was that even though these four ministries chose not to respond, much public information was available and gathered, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.

So what’s the lesson learned? The importance of transparency in the work of ministry. Its not that we have to share every piece of information, like how much the custodian makes, but it is important that we operate in an environment where we show our stakeholders (as well as the world) how we are using the resources entrusted to us.

None of us got into ministry because we thought we would get rich or famous, but rather to impact the world for Christ. In the end, while God is certainly the only judge of our actions and motivations whose opinion we should care about, I do think we have a duty to operate with nothing to hide. I want my ministry practices to bring glory to God and not do anything to detract from that. What do you think?

I want to touch on a subject that we don’t hear much about: kindness. For the believer, kindness is rooted in our response to how much God loves us, and the sacrifice He made on our behalf.  He lavished the riches of His grace on us.  From that abundance we love others and in large measure express that love through acts of kindness.

Kindness is not just saying kind words but doing them, living them. The Lord Jesus was a perfect example of kindness. He went around helping all manner of people. They lined up for hours, maybe days to hear his words and receive healing. But the Word says that Jesus helped people regardless of whether they deserved it. He ambushed them with kindness. For many, it was the last thing they expected. Remember the woman at the well? Instead of judging, the Lord was kind to her.

There are a lot of examples in Scripture. Remember when Paul and the other criminals were on that ship to Rome and they got shipwrecked in the last part of Acts? They swam ashore from this sunken ship to the isle of Malta. It says in Acts 28, “When they had been brought safely through, then we found that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and the cold they kindled a fire and received us all.”

We also find a wonderful story in 2 Samuel 9 about King David showing unexpected—and life-changing—kindness to a young disabled man by the name of Mephibosheth. This story is in the context of the Lord Himself showing extraordinary kindness to David.  Psalm 18:50 says, “He gives great deliverance to His King, and shows loving kindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” Kindness ultimately is an expression of the very character of God. David recognizes that he is the chief recipient of God’s loving kindness and, in turn, shows kindness to another.

Then there’s this wonderful reference in Acts 9 about a young woman in Joppa named Tabitha. “This woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity, which she continually did.” Can you imagine being referenced in the Bible and the only thing it mentions is that you’re kind, doing acts of charity and love? Not bad.

God calls us to be kind and gentle people. For me, it doesn’t come very quickly or easily. But by God’s grace all of us can be kind in ways that glorify Him in very practical, tangible ways. Colossians 3:12 says, “So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

What does kindness look like in your ministry? I know of one church—Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA—whose vision includes a significant financial commitment to meet the needs of impoverished children worldwide.

How are you, as a ministry leader, perpetuating kindness in your ministry? How would embracing kindness influence your mission and vision and the funding to pursue them?

I look forward to your comments.

Much is being written about how pastors lead and why many need to lead differently. The bold title of a recent blog by Ed Stetzer underscores the seriousness of this issue: “How Christian Consumers Ruin Pastors and Cheat the Mission of God.”

Stetzer lays much responsibility in the leader’s lap: “The pastor who insists on being the focus of local ministry trains the body of Christ to sin…God cannot receive glory in the church when pastors are always up front receiving the credit and doing the things that their consumerist congregants should be doing.”

A 2009 Leadership Journal article with a less incendiary title—“Open Source Activists”— offers a relevant alternative to the top-down leadership style. Of that model, Pastor J.R. Kerr writes: “This kind of organizational environment expects leaders to know and control virtually everything in the life of the community.”

His alternative? “My generation is hungry for something more than the 15 principles for building a better team…They are a generation that isn’t content receiving a vision; they want to be part of shaping and creating the vision. My generation believes in open source influence.”

Here’s a question: How might this different kind of leadership look for those who manage a ministry’s finances? What do you think?

I recently ran across an article in Leadership Journal that posed this question: Should pastors know what people give? I wanted to hear more on the subject, so I did a little research of my own.

My first call was to Doug Roller, associate pastor at Grace Church of Orange, CA. He told me that who gives what is never brought to the pastors’ attention—it is strictly between the giver and God. “However,” says Roller, “we are very intentional about teaching what the Bible says about giving and fostering a culture of generosity within the church.”

Brian Kluth, former senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs, CO, writes that pastors should not be completely in the dark about giving patterns. He suggests that perhaps a more appropriate question is, “What should a pastor know about people’s giving?” Kluth builds a strong case for certain instances when it is wise for the pastor to be notified about an individual’s giving habits, like a sharp decrease in giving or when being considered for a leadership position within the church.

Others have taken a similar middle-of-the-road approach. Joe Ward of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield, TX (featured in the Leadership Journal article), encourages churches to periodically evaluate giving practices and notify senior leadership when appropriate. “While consulting for a church a few years ago…a giving analysis showed that 80 percent of the church’s income was given by two individuals in their mid-70s… [The church] was two funerals away from losing their cash flow. This information allowed the pastor to see the need to develop leadership, do more on stewardship, and challenge people with a vision.”

And some believe that, without a doubt, pastors should have full visibility of giving practices. They see it as an opportunity to know their sheep and “provide specific counsel and spiritual development tied to members’ tithing,” according to the Leadership Journal article.

Whatever your church’s policy, Leadership Journal recommends disclosing it to your congregation because donors need to have a realistic expectation of privacy. 

So, what’s your ministry’s policy? Post a comment and share your thoughts.

A couple weeks back, I had the privilege of traveling to Nashville for two days to rub shoulders with 20 executive pastors from large Southern Baptist churches.

This group of leaders gathers annually at the Metro XP meeting to fellowship, network, and share best practices on topics related to the operation and administration of their organizations. This year, conversations ranged from staffing, budgeting, and leadership to volunteer management, organizational design, and worship style transitions.

While the topics themselves were not always exciting, what struck me about this group was the passion each had to his calling and the commitment to help one another. And the two days were anything but boring. There was plenty of laughter, camaraderie, and even some tears.

Here are a few take-aways worth passing along to you:

1. Don’t forget the big picture. It’s easy to get so immersed in the day-to-day of leading or managing your ministry that you forget what’s most important. This is true whether you’re the senior pastor, business administrator, bookkeeper, or youth pastor. Take time to connect back to your calling and mission.
2. No need to reinvent the wheel. Chances are, someone out there has been there and done that. Learn from the successes and failures of others. Implement and improve on someone else’s ideas.
3. Connect with others like you. You can find powerful encouragement from others who are in roles similar to yours. Fellowship with like-minded and gifted individuals will help to inspire and re-energize you.

There are a many great local and national associations for leaders and ministry professionals to connect with and learn from. Ask your denomination if you are part of one. Or, check out some cross-denominational organizations, such as the National Association of Church Business Administration (NACBA), Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA), and Willow Creek Association (WCA).