WM 760 Readings in Missions: Wealth Creation For Holistic and Societal Transformation

More than Money is a wondrous journey to 11 congregations across the United States that have been transformed by living out stewardship that is more than fundraising. Important factors emerge from the lively descriptions and records of dialogue between McNamara and the pastors and lay leaders he visited: The pastor's leadership is a linchpin of stewardship endeavor; they are willing to talk directly with their members about money. The churches take seriously a biblical and theological vision of their mission and are willing to be counter cultural in reaching toward that vision. In these churches, membership is viewed as carrying a high level of meaning and responsibility.

This series addresses key issues in the discipline of biblical theology. Scholarly yet entirely accessible to students, pastors, and lay readers, these volumes avoid technical jargon, interact with the best, most relevant literature, and -- above all -- provide clear and creative insights that help thinking Christians better understand the Bible and its application to contemporary life. Few ethical concerns are as difficult for contemporary Christians to unravel as the relation of wealth to faith. This helpful exploration of the subject by Craig Blomberg illuminates the Bible's teaching on wealth and possessions and shows how it applies to Christians today. By surveying the whole of Scripture, Blomberg is able to trace the development of the biblical teaching on the place of wealth in the value system of God's people. While the Old Testament pictures a clear relationship between faithfulness and "material blessing", Blomberg shows that this theme does not carry over into the New Testament,where important new concerns are raised. Informed by a wide range of theological, ethnic, and economic perspectives, Blomberg's work provides

Fundraising is sometimes described as "fishing" for donors, but the fishing metaphor is misleading. Real fishermen bait their fish into making bad decisions. Fundraisers might strategize about "fishing in the right ponds," "choosing the right donor hook," or "reeling in a huge catch." They may even tell fish stories about "the big one" they landed or even "the one that got away." But these images wrongly imply that fundraising means luring someone into doing something they will eventually regret. Instead of fishing, a better analogy for fundraising can be seen in Jesus' lesson about prayer.

The coauthor of The One Minute Manager and the founder/chairman of the fast-food restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A create a parable teaching the joy of generosity, service, and relationships, teaching that true success in business, home, and life comes from giving time, talent, treasure, and touch to tho

CEO of Large Nonprofit Shares a New Approach to Fundraising Over the past 10 years, Peter Greer has helped HOPE International increase private fundraising at an annual growth rate of 44 percent. Much of this is the result of a relational approach to fundraising, which stands in stark contrast to conventional wisdom in the field. For many people, "fundraising" has become a dirty word. Conjuring images of guilt-inducing gimmickry, the predominant model saps the joy from both the donor and the receiver. It is time to dismantle certain shaky beliefs and practices, rediscovering a path that values the giver as much as the gift. Co-written by David Weekley, the chairman of David Weekley Homes and one of America's most influential philanthropists, this small book outlines a Kingdom perspective on fundraising in order to energize a new generation of generosity.

Fundraising for an organization or ministry is not merely an important task, it's a noble one. Successful leaders must possess the theological vision to recognize the necessity of asking, the joy of giving, and the beautifully collaborative nature of advancing the kingdom. It should come as no surprise that the literal translation of the word philanthropy is "love of mankind"- and Christian philanthropy enables us to love God through loving man. Mark Dillon has spent his career interacting with hundreds of thoughtful Christian stewards, and reframing the discussion on giving. He challenges leaders to ensure their organizations and ministries are worthy of the gifts they receive. Highly practical and refreshingly candid, Giving and Getting in the Kingdom delivers much-needed perspective on the eternal significance of our earthly transactions.

The God who created a good and perfect world, but whose world turned from him, has brought restoration through gift: The Father loved the world and gave the Son, and the Father and the Son pour out the gift of the Spirit into the hearts of humanity bringing about praise, hope, and new creation. Those who are united to the Son by his Spirit then find they have received the glorious gift of God's coming Kingdom. In other words, the Gospel is shaped by giving: God's generosity buys us out of bondage and brings us into all the blessings of belonging. But the good news is not only that God has made us to be recipients of his grace but also participants in the movement of his divine justice and generosity. Living in God's gifts, Christians discover they are free to give themselves. The cross and resurrection of Christ come to shape and define this new life of faith, hope and generosity--a life that is best lived not in isolation but as a community. Throughout the book special attention is given to the relationship between divine generosity and concern for the poor and oppressed. Kapic and Borger encourage readers to not simply discover the immensity of God's grace, but to enter into the flow of divine generosity as God has invited them to become avenues of his great gifts to the world.

Here for the first time is a truly spiritual way of looking atfundraising as an opportunity to nurture current and prospectivedonors and facilitate their growth in faith. Growing Givers' Heartsexplores how development staff, executives, and board members fromacross the theological spectrum can make faith-buildingopportunities for donors their first priority; act on theirconfidence in God's abundance; draw from their theologicaltradition in their approach to fundraising; involve a vitalcross-section of staff in planning; and cultivate spirituallymature leadership. With this innovative approach, Growing Givers' Hearts empowersreaders to work in spiritually grounded, deeply creative, andprofessionally satisfying ways. Fundraisers in any Christianorganization will find extraordinary insights in this importantguide.

Fundraising has always been an essential element of the Christian life: churches, schools, and many other organisations rely on it to function. But it is a risky enterprise, fraught with questions and challenges. How can Christians raise funds with integrity? In this book Peter Harris and Rod Wilson, experienced fundraisers themselves, bring fundraising within the scope of normal Christian life and work. They consider fundraising in light of the relationships that lie at its heart--with God, with creation, and with ourselves. After first laying a biblical foundation by discussing 2 Corinthians 8-9, Harris and Wilson develop seven themes central to the giving and receiving of money: integration, people, work, success, need, method, and money. In a final section, the authors offer their own personal experiences, questions, suggestions, and valuable insights that they have gained from their many years of fundraising as Christians.

The Passionate Steward: Recovering Christian Stewardship from Secular Fundraising is a forthright and critical review of the assumptions and practices of secular philanthropy as these have been adopted and applied by the Christian Church. The Church has often been enthralled by the promise of more money, particularly if it is "easy" money, and has thus fallen into the arms of secular fundraisers, without subjecting secular methods and operative principles to the scrutiny of its own theological and biblical agenda. Archbishop Edward W. Scott’s foreword uses his experience and wisdom as parish priest, bishop and later Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to make clear just how important and ground breaking this book is for the Church today.
The Passionate Steward parses the practice of fundraising as it is frequently experienced in Churches, and finds it wanting. The author re-establishes a firm biblical and historical basis for a more theologically grounded approach, and argues convincingly for a recovery of the fullness of "passionate stewardship". The book is thoroughly researched, and moves easily and cogently between statistical analysis, theological assessment, practice, and anecdotal integration.

The Passionate Steward (as can be seen from the multi-denominational praise of Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopalians to Protestants and Evangelical experts in the field of stewardship) stands alone in its ecumenical reach and appeal. Not only does it treat the uniqueness and similarities within the range of mainline Churches: it also provides a much needed indication of how those issues are played out in both the United States and Canada. Moreover, in these trying times of sin threatening the well being of the Church (the scandal of sexual abuse in the U.S., and Residential Schools litigation bankrupting the major Christian denominations in Canada), The Passionate Steward is both timely and timeless in its relevance.

Dave Toycen, President and CEO of World Vision Canada, believes generosity can save livesboth the benefactor's and the recipient's. The act of giving without an ulterior motive inherently nurtures a need humans have for significance. The author has personally seen how philanthropy has built communities and aided in bringing social justice and peace to our troubled world. During three decades of traveling to the poorest and most desperate countries, Dave has seen and met individuals who have been freed by acts of generosity.What is generosity? What motivates a person toward benevolence? The Power of Generosity is a practical guide to developing a spirit of generosity, providing thoughtful answers and encouragement for all those looking for ways to be more giving in their lives.

Funding Principles that Empower Ministry: Lessons drawn from EQUIP Pastors do not enter the ministry because they like to ask for money, but most discover quickly that fundraising is essential if their ministry is going to succeed. In this book, Doug Carter shows how to teach givers to participate in ministry with their gifts and offerings. Using examples from EQUIP and from EQUIP partners who have successfully used these principles in their churches and ministries, Doug shows the reader how to build relationships into stewardship and then create partnerships for ministry. In his foreword to Raising More Than Money, Dr. John C. Maxwell says, "Doug's vocation in the realm of development has focused more on teaching givers to reflect the giving nature of Christ than about raising money. I'm confident that if you embrace the principles that Doug shares, it will impact your life now and throughout eternity."

Do you want to make a true difference in the world? Dr. Ron Sider does. He has, since before he first published Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger in 1978. Despite a dramatic reduction in world hunger since then, 34,000 children still die daily of starvation and preventable disease, and 1.3 billion people, worldwide, remain in abject poverty. So, the professor of theology went back to re-examine the issues by twenty-first century standards. Finding that Conservatives blame morally reprehensible individual choices, and Liberals blame constrictive social and economic policy, Dr. Sider finds himself agreeing with both sides.  In this new look at an age-old problem, he offers not only a detailed explanation of the causes, but also a comprehensive series of practical solutions, in the hopes that Christians like him will choose to make a difference.

In this book, Bruce W. Winter maps out the role and obligations of Christians as benefactors and citizens in their society. Winter's scholarly insight is enhanced through the selective use of important ancient literary and nonliterary sources. Contrary to the popular perception that early Christians withdrew from society and sought to maintain a low profile, this outstanding study explores the complexities of the positive commitments made by Christians in Gentile regions of the Roman empire.

The purpose of this book is to provide momentum to a movement aimed at the heart of every person who is involved in the process of raising money or giving money for the work of God s Kingdom. You may be a full-time development officer, an executive director, a pastor, a president, a board member, a volunteer or a faithful giver. You may have decades of experience in fund development, or this may be the first exposure to this topic. If you care about giving or raising money for God s work, this book is for you.
This movement is a realignment of priorities that places changed hearts above changed bank balances. It is a new order that seeks to develop faithful stewards whose hearts are rich toward God. It redefines development work as ministry in the Kingdom of God. And it replaces manipulative techniques and closing strategies with a dependence on prayer and relationship building as the essential tools for success.

All that sowers can do is sow faithfully and wait and hope and believe. Sowers cannot play God and cause the seeds to grow. All they can do, and must do, is sow faithfully and regularly and trust God for the increase.

For years, fundraisers for faith-based nonprofits have been inspired by Henri Nouwen's words: ""Fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry."" In the brief but impactful sermon-turned-book A Spirituality of Fundraising, Nouwen asserts that fundraising is more than an effort to support a common goal; it involves the calling and prayer for a common mission.   While serving alongside the famous priest and author in a L'Arche community for disabled persons, Nathan Ball learned firsthand from Nouwen. In A Spirituality of Fundraising Workbook Edition, Ball provides a how-to guide to accompany Nouwen's teachings. This new release from Upper Room Books combines the work of Nouwen and Ball to provide inspiration as well as practical tools for fundraisers--both professional and volunteer--whose ministries rely on donations.   This workbook edition includes questions for reflection, discussion prompts for volunteer groups, suggestions for putting theory into practice, and the complete text of its bestselling predecessor, A Spirituality of Fundraising.

As a registered dietitian, diabetes educator, and blogger, Nicole Morrissey has created a wide variety of recipes for all types of people and their diets. Her goal has always been to provide her clients and fans of her blog with light recipes and meal plans that will help them feel energized and healthy. Having worked with almond flour in her own kitchen, and having the credentials and knowledge to tout its impressive health benefits, Morrissey provides gluten-free recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and between-meal snacks in Prevention RD’s Cooking and Baking with Almond Flour. Recipes include: Honey-almond granola clusters Sesame and almond crusted salmon with cilantro chimichurri Pan-seared cod with dill aioli Green beans almondine Cranberry pumpkin bread Meyer lemon#150;raspberry cupcakes Key lime pie bites And more! Similar to her first cookbook, Prevention RD’s Everyday Healthy Cooking, Morrissey includes Cook’s Comments, Fun Facts, and Nutrition Notes that teach readers how to adjust portion sizes, make heavy recipes “light,” and convert recipes for non-gluten-free friends. In addition, each recipe includes nutrition information including the amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and fats.