Latest News Archives - Page 69 of 115

Churches are more like organisms than they are organizations. Like an organism, when church health declines, it typically does so slowly. But there are cases when an otherwise healthy person experiences a sudden deterioration. Healthy churches can also experience a sharp decline in health. There are cases of healthy churches quickly becoming dysfunctional. Below are five ways I’ve seen churches spiral downward quickly, almost overnight.

Protecting your church and religious organization against fraud

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Church Finance, church financial risk, church fraud, church fraud prevention, Church risk management, financial risk management, financial stewardship

May 4, 2015 at 1:14 pm.

Now more than ever, all organizations are exposed to risk, including cyber security breaches and internal fraud. Religious institutions — which strive on building a trusting relationship with their members and employees on the foundation of religious beliefs, coupled with tight budgets and limited financial oversight — are even more vulnerable to fraud and abuse.

5 critical questions to ask your (potential) agent

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church broker, Church insurance, church insurance coverage, Church risk management, insuring the church, selecting a broker, selecting insurance

April 29, 2015 at 11:26 am.

In the insurance world, agents — or brokers, in some instances — are oftentimes viewed as the “expert” when it comes to all things regarding liability, protection and coverage. As individuals, protecting things like personal vehicles and homes is thought of as a “no-brainer.”
What isn’t always top-of-mind is protecting the church.
As a ministry, there are innumerable assets and coverage options that should be considered when purchasing insurance. That’s where an insurance agent comes in to help.

Performance bonds: beneficial or a waste of money?

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Church building, church building project, Church Construction, Church expansion, church facility management, Church Finance, church performance bond, construction financing, facility stewardship

April 17, 2015 at 1:03 pm.

For most of my professional career, I have been anti-performance and payment bond-oriented. To me, they seem like such a waste of money. In short, they’re just an insurance policy (although the Surety industry would say they are not “insurance” but rather a “guarantee” — semantics!) in the unlikely event the general contractor on a job is unable to complete the project (usually due to a bankruptcy or other major catastrophe related to the contractor). In theory, that sounds great. It almost feels like the proverbial “Get Out Of Jail” card. But is it really?

Ordination class of 2015 shows increase in number ordained, reflects positive impact of support from families, Catholic schools, parish priests

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), class of 2015, Consecrated Life and Vocations, diocesan priesthood, ordination, priesthood, religious life, Secretariat for Clergy, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), USCCB

April 17, 2015 at 11:19 am.

WASHINGTON — The 2015 class of men ordained to the priesthood report that they were, on average, about 17 when they first considered a vocation to the priesthood and encouraged to consider a vocation by an average of four people.

Seven in 10 (71 percent) say they were encouraged by a parish priest, as well as friends (46 percent), parishioners (45 percent), and mothers (40 percent). On average, they lived in the diocese or eparchy for which they will be ordained for 15 years before entering seminary. Religious ordinands knew the members of their religious institute an average of six years before entering.

Church giving survey — win a $500 “Pastor’s Night In” package!

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church generosity, church giveaway, church giving, church survey, giving survey, Giving trends, pastor giveaway

April 10, 2015 at 9:55 am.

This “mystery grab bag” is full of items designed to help pastors relax, be inspired, and get recharged. No essay questions or homework required; just take a few minutes to respond and you could win a restorative night at home.

What makes a leader a Christian leader?

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Christian leaders, Christian Leadership, church leaders, Church leadership, Leadership lessons, pastor leadership

April 3, 2015 at 1:04 pm.

As a big fan of Major League Baseball and Christianity, I like to keep my ears open to hearing of Christian ballplayers. It’s not that their statistics are going to be any different or that they run faster or slower. I watch them to see how they live.

Dollar’s dollars: restricted gifts and abandoned projects

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church collection, Church donations, Church Finance, Church fundraising, church giving, Church legal, church legal finance

April 3, 2015 at 11:39 am.

Televangelist Creflo Dollar recently came under fire for asking that 200,000 of his followers donate $300 each to buy a $60-million luxury jet for his use. In the wake of bad publicity associated with the request, it appears that he may have cancelled the campaign before reaching his goal. The problem is: What happens to money already collected?

‘Heads up’ safety — a paramount concern

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Church liability, Church risk, Church risk management, Church schools, church sports league, church sports ministry, concussion management

March 30, 2015 at 12:43 pm.

The Christian high school had much to be proud of: a history of academic excellence; a great reputation for community service; and also, as a much respected perennial contender for state football champion.