Thirty years ago three men (Larry Burkett Terry Parker and Ron Blue) started the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF).  This year the foundation is recognizing making billions of dollars of gifts here in the United States and around the world. NCF serves more than 9 000 donors. They recently hosted a 30-year celebration in Atlanta Ga. ” and I attended as a friend of Terry Parker and NCF.  In the morning session” the moderator (David Wills president of NCF) used texting to ask the 400 people in the room to describe their giving in one of three categories:  local ” national or international.  The results were immediate and interesting. …

  My daughter Haley ” is a student at Fuller Seminary and was part of a group recently that sponsored a panel of professors talking about money and stewardship. I asked her afterward for the three or four topics that were of greatest interest to those attending. “Guilt for what we have compared to the rest of the world” was near the top of the list. A close friend of mine told me in response to a Sunday School lesson on gratitude that he was afraid to be grateful. Afraid to be grateful? “I would love to be truly grateful to God for His blessings in my life. Instead” I…

  What is your criteria  for choosing a mentor? Today’s blog was written by my father, Fred Smith, Sr.  Dad continued mentoring through www.breakfastwithfred.com into his late 80’s giving great insight into the selection process of mentoring. He passed away in 2007 leaving a legacy of wisdom, integrity, strength, and insight.   It’s important to find the right mentor. Over the years I have identified seven qualities I look for: 1. Do they have wisdom from experience? Scripture says young men are for strength, old men for wisdom. A mentor must understand the principles of life which I think are the principles of Scripture. A mentor needs depth of experience—and…

One of the best five books I've read on business management was written by marketing consultant Al Ries. The book is “Focus “” and right from the start Ries states a premise that he repeats throughout:  "The key to results is concentration. Economic results require that managers concentrate their efforts on the smallest number of activities that will produce the largest amount of revenue. No other principle is violated as constantly today as the basic principle of concentration. Our motto seems to be: let's do a little bit of everything." It's not just true for business. It's true for the rest of life and just as hard to manage. Our…