Consider these in-the-trenches, professional perspectives Church Executive: With interest rates as they are, is it still a good time to consider refinancing? Charity Kuehn: Every situation is a little different. There will be times when you’ll be forced to refinance during a higher-interest-rate environment because your loan comes due. If so, there are lots […]
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By Chris Lewis Over the last year, a dramatic shift in interest rates has served to stall a large portion of refinancing efforts. The difference in the rate a church is currently paying, and the existing market rates, is substantial in many cases. This is creating an appropriate pause in ministry refinancing because the […]
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Documenting and preserving prevention and response efforts By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris In a recent sexual abuse case, church leaders were notified of an abuse allegation stemming from events in 2014 involving a 10-year-old girl and a church employee. The allegation, communicated by the child’s mother, was addressed by the executive pastor. The mother […]
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How to protect your church’s data — and your own By Sharon McDowell Whether we realize it or not, social media is a double-edged sword. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, among others, have become an integral part of our daily lives, and a valuable tool for churches to engage with their congregations and […]
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PHLYTRAC Vehicle Telematics Program gives dynamic insights into driver behavior, vehicle stats, and more to help churches lower the risk of driver-related accidents. Church Executive: Tell us about PHLYTRAC. Andrew Shockey: We officially launched PHLYTRAC in 2016, but it was the result of about 10 years of efforts prior to that. As with many […]
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A major building project is something typical pastors undertake only once or twice in their careers, if ever. Many potential pitfalls loom without the right guidance, and far too many pastors are essentially “flying blind” when they start out. It can even lead them to burnout … and leaving their churches behind. To this end, […]
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By RaeAnn Slaybaugh After more than a decade meeting in a school, and then in a leased warehouse, Faith and Victory Church in Auburn, Wash. — a suburb of Seattle — was enjoying significant growth: 30 percent, year over year, for several years. The need for a more permanent (and suitable) church home was […]
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How federal and state law is failing to protect children By Georgia McKnight Notwithstanding significant cultural and media focus, child sexual abuse crises continue to plague the Church and Christian ministries, with the attendant damage to children. Conservative studies indicate that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually victimized […]
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For Franklin Christian Church, the road to a new facility was paved with obstacles — which turned into opportunities. By RaeAnn Slaybaugh The pre-construction planning phase for Franklin Christian Church’s (FCC) new facility began in 2016, focusing on the programming and requirements for the space. But the story of how it came to be […]
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BILL AANESTAD / EXECUTIVE PASTOR / ORCHARD CHURCH / MURRIETA, CALIF. By RaeAnn Slaybaugh As Executive Pastor Bill Aanestad and his team at Orchard Church neared completion of their construction project, they were looking for a long-term fixed-rate loan. With interest rates on the verge of a sharp increase, they wanted something predictable. Something manageable. […]
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