Between Monday and Sunday

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 5/7/08 -- While economists debate how serious America’s economic slowdown really is, Southern Baptist pastors report their members are still giving, in spite of the financial pressures felt by many families. A new study by LifeWay Research shows that 72 percent of Southern Baptist pastors indicate difficulties in the U.S. economy are affecting their churches negatively, yet 76 percent say offerings are at or above levels they had expected when drafting budgets several months ago. At the same time, 24 percent of the pastors say offerings are below what they had expected and 27 percent indicate their congregations will not meet budgets if current giving trends continue. View more information about the study now ... Economy pinching churches, but giving still strong For help with stewardship in your church ... LifeWay Stewardship Solutions New Day Resources

I've been glued to video.allthingsd.com watching Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher interviewing Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates at the D5 Conference. While I've been fascinated by the interview, it was a question asked during the Q&A time by Jesse Cornbluth of headbutler.com that grabbed my attention. Here's his statement, followed by his question, "Because you're not the youngest guys in the room any more it's perhaps appropriate to ask you a question about legacy. Bill, even your harshest critic would have to admit that your philanthropy work is planet shaking, incredible, and could be, if you make it, a second act so amazing that it would dwarf what you've actually done at Microsoft (audience applause)." "Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, if you had to choose a legacy, what would it be?" Bill answers, "The most important work I got a chance to be involved in, no matter what I do, was the personal computer ... that's...

One e-mail has remianed in my inbox all week because I wasn't sure what to do with it. In Bob Buford's latest e-newsletter he deals with the topic of Why the Wealthy Don't Give More . It's very helpful, especially for his "half-timer" or successful over-50 audience. His main takeaway is that the really rich are aware of three main risks to giving their money to charities. These risks are Fear – of not having enough, Failure – even embarrassment, and Doing more harm than good . I think he's on to something. In my years serving as a pastor a pastor in Hawaii, I had a chance to meet many Christian men and women who had been entrusted with wealth beyond my imagination. I feel that after years of struggling and agonizing over how to relate to, encourage, and disciple those who have great wealth, I still don't have the answers. However, I feel I learned a few lessons I'll share with you... 1. Treat them as individuals, as fellow believers, and as equal...