The Christian Mind and Google

A scenario you have probably seen recently—you and your friends are debating certain issues and you come up on a question.  Where do you go to find the answer?  Just Google it.  That seems to be the first response these days.  If it relates to an event, entertainment, food, money, relationships, politics, the economy, and the like, we find today that often we go to Google for help in finding the answer.  It’s quick and easy.  Also, you don’t have to work hard for the answer.  What a joy!

Is it the same among Christians today?  When we want an answer to a question about the Christian life, do we Google it?  If there is a matter related to any of the same categories above and you are looking for an answer from a Christian perspective, do you Google it?  What about deeper issues of our faith and doctrine?  Let’s Google it and take a chance that what we see is biblical and correct.  What is the effect on the Christian mind when we do this?

This has been nagging me a lot over the past few years as a believer.   I have a hard time reconciling this with diligent, systematic Bible study.  After all, we are supposed to involved in studying the Scriptures, aren’t we?  Now I can even read the Bible in Tweets.  Maybe some of our brains can’t handle more than that anyway.  Leave it to the preachers to teach us.

But wait, now we just stay at home and get the preacher’s podcast.  I can lounge around in my pajamas Sunday morning and play the service in the background while petting the dog.  Get me a cup of Joe, the morning news, and my preacher on webcast.  Man, this Christianity thing is great!  I wonder what Jesus would do?  WWJD?

Well, apparently we are no longer asking “WWJD” but we are asking “WWGD,” that is, “What Would Google Do?”  The book has been written, I am not kidding.  The author Jeff Jarvis has prophesied in the new book What Would Google Do? that if we are not asking the question we are going to be left behind in the dust of some prior model of obsolescence.  Google is our new model for thinking, according to Jarvis, and it is hard to find a sector of life and business that has not already been affected by its influence.   Jarvis goes on to say, “Google is changing our societies, our lives, our relationships, our worldviews, probably even our brains in ways we can only begin to calculate.”

That’s where I got concerned for Christians.  We are new creations in Christ, the old has gone, the new has come.  Our minds should be set on what the Spirit desires as we live with the Holy Spirit within us; the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (see Romans 8:5-8).  We read Scripture, we pray, we turn our minds toward God, toward His goodness, toward life in the Son.  Yet we seek quick answers to spiritual things by Googling it.  Dangers abound when we do.

Fight the reflex.  That’s right, fight the reflex to Google an answer to a spiritual question.  Go to the Source.  We are told to “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).  We are even told we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).  Dwell on this a bit, and when you have a question go to God’s Word.  Ask the Lord to know your mind, to know your thoughts, and to lead you in the way everlasting (Psalm 139).

I know what I am saying may sound contrarian, but I maintain that Jesus was a contrarian.  So I am returning to WWJD next time I am seeking an answer.  I hope you will follow.

What Would You Accomplish With Billions of Dollars?

I am watching with great interest the hoopla surrounding the “stimulus package” being offered by the Democrats in our U.S. Congress.  According to Daniel Henninger’s excellent analysis in today’s Wall Street Journal, this American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (just 700 pages of reading) is more a “self” stimulus bill than it is an economic stimulus bill because of how much would be spent on rebuilding the government’s infrastructure.  For example, the boast within the bill that says 3 million jobs will be created fails to clarify that these jobs will all be on our government’s payroll with the federal government as their boss.  Is this economic stimulus?  Sounds sketchy and a bit scary to me.

Whatever happened to zero-based budgeting?  You know, where we figure out what is needed first and then assign a cost.  It seems we have reversed this process to something like, “How much money can we spend or print?” and then let’s start putting everything into categories of spending.  We can’t operate our own homes this way.

I looked over some of the numbers in the stimulus package and have never seen so many zeros in all my life.   There is $6,000,000,000 for the construction, repair, and alteration of Federal buildings.  How about $375,000,000 to rebuild trails on our Federal lands?  Or we have the Weatherization Assistance Program chiming in at $6,200,000,000.  By the way, what is that $500,000,000 of expenses included within this?  No detail, just half-a-billion dollars of expenses.

Perhaps in contrast, I became aware that Wycliffe Bible Translators launched the Last Languages Campaign.  This campaign focuses on translating the Bible into 2300 languages that remain on their list of people groups without a Bible in their native language.  Bob Creson, President of Wycliffe, gathered their staff together to pray and plan this campaign.  It was fueled by a donor who asked the question, “If I gave you $100,000,000 for your work, what would you accomplish?”  This is cold, hard cash.  The Last Languages Campaign will enable all of these remaining languages to have a translation started by the year 2025.  The price tag is $1,000,000,000 (give or take a few dollars).

This represents billions of dollars that will accomplish something far-reaching on a scope that influences many people groups on the face of the earth.  It is not an “invest in ourselves” mentality like the Democrats are proposing, but rather an “invest in others” plan that will influence untold cultures and societies for the better.  The lesson for us, and for the next generation, is to look at how we invest in others and how we learn to be a conduit for good while we inhabit a short time on the face of this earth.  The present fades away, the eternal endures.  This must become our focus.

A Message for Nonprofits from President Barack Obama

In his inaugural address this week, President Barack Obama included a message that should induce hope in the hearts of nonprofit leaders.  He stated, “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world.”  To paraphrase, Americans must dig deep to share the responsibility for the situation we find ourselves as a nation and we must, in a dutiful way, support the causes that are near and dear to our heart as a testimony to the world.

This message will likely produce conflicting feelings of hope and despair for nonprofit leaders.  The hope is that Americans step up to the plate for their favorite causes and lend their support.  The despair is bound up in the uncertainty of the economy and whether Americans will respond to the message of hope they hear from our leader as 2009 progresses.

In his commentary in today’s issue of The Wall Street Journal, Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, points to the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI) perhaps as an indicator of where we may be heading in 2009 in the bigger scheme.  This index published by the Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy shows that the PGI over the past six months dropped from 83 to 65 on a scale of 0-100. PGI is determined by nonprofit leaders and is similar to the Consumer Confidence Index.  As a tool, the PGI is useful but does not indicate where the pain may be or by how much donors may lower their giving.

Ministries and religious nonprofits should take heart, however, according to further research by Mr. Brooks.  The logic goes like this:  conservatives give more than liberals because conservatives are more religious.  Extracting this from its political implications, folks who attend church services and who consider themselves religious tend to out-give those who are not by more than $1,100 per year.  Mr. Brooks further shows that these same people decrease their giving less during economic downturns.

I am not sure of the age demographic for all of this information.  I suspect that the younger generation that responded favorably to the fund-raising appeal of the Obama campaign heard the words “hope” and “change.”  They thought electing a new president would result in the change.  Now the task is to get this next generation to step up and become responsible supporters of the causes they hold dear.  For next generation believers, it is time to consider what stewardship really means and which ministries merit their support.  This is the mandate for us all.

Thinking About Fertility Rates, the Economy, and the Next Generation

A factor that gets little attention in the press today is the relationship of fertility rates to the economy.  This point struck a chord yesterday when I had the opportunity to hear economist Stuart Varney address a gathering of near 1000 accountants and financial professionals in Atlanta. With a bit of humor and unsettling reality, Varney explained why he thinks the fertility rates of the world should be of top concern.

A little background here—for a country to merely remain even in terms of population, it requires a fertility rate of at least 2.1.  There are 45 countries in the world that are well below this rate.  These countries include much of Europe, Russia, China, and Japan among others.  Translated, this means that population growth is negative for these countries.  The U.S. maintains close to a fertility rate of 2.1 only because of the number of immigrants here.  Of all the countries, the lowest fertility rate according to one report I read was in Spain, which was near 1.15.

Think this through with me for a moment in relationship to the economy.  An older, graying population that is living longer these days will need healthcare, housing, pensions, and other retirement benefits.  The model for providing these needs includes economic input from the younger generations.  If the populations are declining, who will help fund these needs for the older generation?

The governments think they can help. But again, with declining populations the tax rates must be much higher to even make a dent in these needs. Today, the governments sit in the unenviable position of trying to figure out the current economic crisis and it appears they struggle each day to fix on a strategy that is elusive.  The quest for a solution lingers no matter what is done.

When I observe the next generation, I see a generation less concerned with wealth creation and more concerned with solving the world’s issues.  I might suggest to them that the economy is one of the single-most important issues.  This is not to say that we want to preserve certain negative aspects of wealth creation, but that we want to consider how wealth creation enables us to address some of the other issues we face. I would ask, “What are the positive aspects of wealth creation?” This might help us adopt a better way to solve economic issues while at the same time addressing other complex issues.  The world is changing, and the next generation needs to be in a position to wisely lead when the baton is passed.  Let’s make sure we help them understand the times and extend ourselves as counselors and mentors.

Wealth Transfer and the Next Generation

From time to time I enjoy hearing the advice offered to the general public by various wealth managers.  It is instructive to hear their views on the basics of wealth management, but further to hear their views on the values of the wealthy and how they handle their wealth in light of these values.

I must give credit where credit is due for getting me on this topic.  In my rapid perusal of current business news, I ran across an older video of an interview with wealth manager Stuart Lucas on the Business Week website.  Lucas is one of the heirs of the Stuart family, whose patriarch E.A. Stuart founded the Carnation Company.  Due to this connection, Lucas actively manages the wealth for at least 18 of the heirs and provides advice to many others.  He has written the book Wealth: Grow It, Protect It, Spend It, and Share It.

One of the issues that Lucas runs across in managing the wealth for this family fortune is teaching everyone to have a concern for their next generation of heirs. In particular, if the values of the family are not passed on along with the money there will be potential problems with the future value of this fortune.  Passing money on to the next generation without passing along sound values could cause adverse effects according to Lucas.

Let’s think together–how do we transmit values to the next generation? Is this not the number one question anyway? Many times among Believers we share a concern for passing along solid values to the next generation, but do we really focus on doing it?  It is a challenge that we must bolster up and address.

It would be interesting to poll some of the younger generation to see what their perspectives are on wealth. Perhaps that is what Jesus was doing when he encountered the rich young ruler as recorded in Matthew 19:16-22.  Through this interaction, Jesus got to the heart of the matter when He encouraged the rich young ruler to consider the poor, thereby laying up treasure in heaven. Then He simply ended by saying, “Come, follow me.”  This produced sorrow in the young man’s heart perhaps as he realized what values he held in his own heart and how he could not get a perspective on a future generation that could benefit from his fortune.

This angst is not the value I want to pass on to the next generation.  We must set ourselves free from the love of the world and its passing treasures, and to pass on eternal values as we teach stewardship principles to the next generation. Investing in eternity is part of God’s plan for us and the next generation.

Faith and Governance: The Roles of the Ministry Board

Wisdom. Dedication. Leadership. Advisors. These are all terms commonly used to describe nonprofit board members. And all of these terms are applicable and relevant. But what about board members of the average nonprofit ministry? Is there one role that is more needed or desired over another? Or should other roles be added to the list?

To start, ministry board members play a unique role that contrasts with the secular nonprofit boards. Ministry board members are involved in spiritual work, that is, the mission of their organization takes its lead from the Lord and so all that comes under the heading of the organization is subject to the Lord’s leadership. This may sound overstated, but you might be surprised at how some board members of Christian organizations forget their spiritual roles.

Yes, there are common obligations for both secular and Christian boards. For example, board members have responsibility for the organization’s mission and strategic direction, for ensuring its fiscal health, for hiring and evaluating an executive director, for being an advocate of the organization, for making and monitoring policy, and for developing resources. In the Christian organization, let’s add to the list these items: ensuring the witness of the institution, promoting a Christian worldview, maintaining standards based in Scripture, and keeping the organization accountable to God.

Ministry board members have a double dose of responsibility. One thing is certain–continued success for the ministry depends on regular prayer and seeking the Lord’s direction above all else. Board members should not take this role too lightly. Spiritual direction is key and should drive all other decisions of the organization.

This spills over into developing support for the ministry. Board members must view fund-raising not as a transaction, but rather a chance to be involved in the transformation of the giver. When we understand that God owns it all and that we have a duty to be good stewards of all entrusted to us, it becomes exciting to be involved in the asking process. This is a direct invitation to lay up treasures in heaven, to have something credited in heaven to the giver’s account.

As ministry board members grab hold of the transformation process and realize the significance of their roles, they will be better equipped to exercise faithful leadership for the organizations they serve.

Does God Want Me to be Rich?

I have wanted to comment on this for some time now, so now that we are mired deeper in this economic dilemma I have returned to an article on the ministry of Joel Osteen, “God Wants Me to Be Rich,” from the August issue of Conde Nast Portfolio.  Can everyone say, “prosperity gospel revisited?”

They are really packing them in at Lakewood Church in Houston.  Over 40,000 regular attendees swoon over the words of their “Reverend Feelgood” and why not?  Most of those regular congregants face high gas prices, swollen credit card balances, possible mortgage issues, and job insecurity.  We deserve to hear a great message of hope, to hear what we deserve, to hear an encouraging word on our situation.

But a closer look may reveal that Americans still look to Scripture for answers, especially to those large questions about their finances.  This is good—God wants us to look to Him for answers, for help, for trust, for mercy.  These represent those attributes of our Heavenly Father that make us run to Him over and over again through life.

Can one man soothe the suffering?  Does Osteen bring anything new to the plate that helps us understand the care of our Lord in these troubled times?  We might want to examine closely the words of all of our spiritual leaders as we move through this part of history together.  Do they invoke Scripture as support for their position?  Do they defer to the masses over tricky doctrinal issues that deserve closer attention?  Are they avoiding the issues in order to remain popular?

One thing for sure—many of our spiritual leaders today have perfected their “branding.”  Osteen made his brand the “inspiration brand.”   I am waiting to hear from someone who says he has been “branded by God.”

The next generation deserves better and we must encourage them to embrace a biblical perspective on the economy and their personal financial situation.  It seems easy to talk about what we deserve; it is harder to talk about what we should give up for the sake of the Kingdom.

Stewardship and the Ultra Rich

Conde’ Nast Portfolio published a feature article called “The Generosity Index” in their November issue.  This profiles the upper tier of philanthropy in the U.S., complete with a ranking of the wealth and generosity of billionaires whose giving is known to the public.  They are quick to point out that the list may not include billionaires who choose to do their giving in private (apparently a sizable number of the wealthiest choose to remain anonymous).  As Scripture says, do not announce your charitable deeds with trumpets (Matthew 6:2); I wondered if that was what they were thinking.

During this time of great economic uncertainty, the ultra rich could seize an opportunity to set an example of generosity.  But do they?  As I looked over the short profiles of these billionaires, I saw that their gifts were directed largely toward three areas:  education, the arts, and health care.  Poverty and the environment come in there in lower numbers.  Curiously absent from these profiles was any major giving to religious causes.  It almost seems that the ultra rich want to play God instead of lending their largess to those ministries doing the Lord’s work here on earth.

A theme that emerges from this article is that the rich give to try to outdo one another.  One fundraising consultant summed it up, “Successful men and women want to outdo other successful men and women.”  One possible result of this one-upmanship is philanthropic dollar inflation.  In other words, an eight-figure gift can’t get you any respect these days.  The consultants are saying you have to have a $100 million gift in order for your charity to upgrade.  The billionaires are coughing up more, but doing it over a multi-year period in order to get into the category of nine figures.

I have wondered many times whether philanthropy on these levels really accomplishes much.  It seems that billions have been spent in the name of finding cures, increasing scholarship, and defining quality in the arts.  What has been the lasting effect?  One has to wonder.  I remember reading something by economist and educator Howard Bowen written back in the 1970s that dealt with “the revenue theory of cost” in higher education.  Essentially, this theory stated that in higher education the costs will always rise in accordance with how much money can be gotten or raised. Bowen argued in his works that the economics of higher education centered not on profit motives, but rather on prestige and increasing the quality of students’ educational experience.  I would argue that prestige might be the number one factor in organizations seeking larger and larger gifts.  It seems the one-upmanship of the givers has been transferred to the charitable organizations they lavishly support.

Should the next generation look to these billionaires as embodiments of stewardship?  My thinking is that we might learn from these folks, but the true lessons learned are by being faithful with the amounts we have—whether large or small.  The Lord looks on the heart.  I wonder what the hearts of some of these rich look like and I hope that they one day might experience the heart change that Christ has to offer.  Let’s learn to give from the heart, and not from our desire to attract the admiration of men.

Responding to Economic Uncertainty–Some Practical Tips

After seeing the Presidential debate last night, I felt a little uneasy.  Yes, the primary topic was the economy and I was not real sure if either candidate knew a proper solution to our current situation.  In fact, I was hoping to hear someone invoke the need for prayer and how we need to rely on God during these times.  There was never a mention of appealing to God about anything.  I wondered who were the candidates’ primary economic advisors.   We listened for reassuring words and got nothing.

As a believer, we know we are stewards of God’s things so why worry?  In Him is the assurance we need.  Happiness is not based on what we have and do but rather on who we are in Christ.  We keep telling ourselves these things during tough times, however the uneasiness creeps in.  What are some practical things to do now to help us respond to the economic uncertainty we see?

1.  Resist the urge to compartmentalize. Compartmentalization leads to reliance on self rather than reliance on our Lord.  If you take all of the areas of life, i.e. family, finances, jobs, hobbies, church, friends, there is a tendency to keep some of these areas separate from the others.  It is like we are not an integrated whole.  When we place all these things with Christ at the center, then we move away from compartmentalization and see our lives as integrated wholes in Christ.  Finances probably fall into the compartmentalization problem more than others just by its nature.  Resist the tendency and lean on the Everlasting Arms.

2.  Focus on the attributes of God. I have been so encouraged by reading through passages of Scripture referring to the attributes of God.  Our God is faithful, He is love, He is truth, He is good, He is wise, He is omnipotent, He is omniscient, and He is patient.  Because of who He is, we have stability, we have certainty, we have hope, and we have assurance.  I would encourage anyone to take time to go through key passages in the Bible and rest in knowing that we serve a God who truly cares for us as we face the issues of the day.  As Psalm 121:1-2 expresses, “. . . where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

3.  Give yourself first. This may sound simple.  I recommend keeping it simple.  Reach out to others during this time and give of yourself.  Fellowship and sharing are good for the soul.  We need more of this during times like these.  Also, give yourself first to the Lord before you stress over stewardship issues.  Just like the Macedonians that Paul commended in 2 Corinthians 8:5, they gave themselves first to the Lord and this undergirded their generosity in all matters.  Uncertainty fades away when we know others are experiencing similar things.

4.  Remind yourself where your devotion is. I always say, “when you love, you give.”  This is an underlying stewardship principle.  Don’t stop giving in troubled times.  Find ways to give.  Giving expresses devotion, trust, reliance, honor, dependence, and gratitude to the Lord.  This is not the time to argue about topics like tithing and investing.  Merely give and show your devotion to He who is greater than all these things.

This list could go on and I would encourage you to personalize your list of ways to combat the uncertainty of today’s economy.  Make the list, and then put it into practice!

Ministry Development–Revisit the Fundamentals During Difficult Times

Bear Stearns.  Lehman Brothers.  Merrill Lynch.  WAMU.  AIG.  Just the mention of these stalwarts of American business and finance send thoughts of uncertainty into our minds.  The present climate of instability in our economy can make each day seem longer than it really is, at times gnawing away at our security if we place undue focus on the things of the world.

If you serve as a development person for a ministry, or even a board member or leader, surely this adverse economic environment influences your days and perhaps your moods.  I am not an alarmist, but I do believe that just like with our faith we need to return to the fundamentals to settle things a bit.  When you are responsible for raising support and for running a development program for a ministry or nonprofit, it helps to revisit the fundamentals during difficult times.

Here are some suggestions for revisiting the fundamentals of stewardship and development for ministry leaders:

1.  Is our case for support compelling?  Strong?  In need of revision?  Elements of our case for support include our mission, communication of needs (broken into annual needs, expansion needs, designated needs, future needs), and communicating how to give.  Take a close look at each of these components of your case for support to insure your message is clear during tough economic times.

2.  How can we energize our lapsed donor base?  Along these lines, are we properly stewarding our donors?  What can we do to improve retention?  The answers to these questions help rejuvenate a stodgy donor base.

3.  Thinking in terms of moves management, what are effective ways to get people close to your ministry and to keep them there?  This may include a review of your cultivation techniques, as assessment of effectiveness of special events, and an evaluation of all manners of communications.

4.  How can we better leverage our base/contacts?  How can we best get new prospects/contacts?  It helps to revisit the important task of prospecting to determine is everything is being done that is prudent.

Here are some other thoughts that may clarify your thinking during challenging times:
•    A typical challenge for ministries and nonprofits is trying to build your organization without the guarantee of multi-year funding.  Review your planned giving strategy.
•    Spend less time worrying about competition for the donors’ dollars, spend more time figuring how to communicate your ministry’s unique case for support.
•    No need to resort to gimmicks, sales techniques, etc.
•    It is what it is—we don’t have to make our ministry something it is not, so avoid puffed-up notions of ministry potential and impact.
•    Raising funds is more an art than a science.  Raising funds is spiritual work where the Spirit is involved.

My prayer is that you will go to the Lord first for wisdom about your situation.  Ask Him to help you with the fundamentals of ministry and development.  Review, clarify, communicate, and never give up.