Listen to “Jars of Clay or Faberge?”   A conversation this week with Dan Haseltine, the lead vocalist for the band Jars of Clay and the founder of Blood: Water Mission started me thinking about the origin of the band’s name. Why “Jars of Clay”? “We chose it after studying the passage in 2 Corinthians 4 and it expressed who we desired to be as artists. We wanted to deflect the attention from the band and concentrate people on the message – the treasure inside the container.” I grew up believing the phrase described our frailty or feet of clay or even our disposition toward the weakness inherent in anything earthen.…

Listen to “More Than A Singing Cow.”   It’s not often I ask someone to pray for me before going to a museum or library. But last year I did ask that of my brother-in-law because going into the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte N.C. was a test of my skeptical nature. Growing up in the middle of the post-WWII evangelical culture, I was exposed to some of the giants of that era: Bill Bright, Elton Trueblood, Billy Graham, Henrietta Mears, Ray Stedman, and others. They were men and women of great faith and vision living in a time of extraordinary expansion of the parachurch movement, seminaries, megachurches, and global ministries. Sadly, many…

Listen to “Catch a Wave.”   Several years ago, our local Chamber of Commerce brought in a renowned demographer to talk with a large group of business and civic leaders about the future impact of immigration (legal and illegal) on our community of 100,000 people. “Your community will soon experience the full force of a tsunami of brown, young, unemployed, fertile, sometimes violent, non-English speaking immigrants from the South. It is going to affect every institution and, as it has everywhere else, the economic resources of your city and region.” I raised my hand and asked if he thought there were any opportunities or was he suggesting we all move…

Listen to “I Want Your Job.”   People often ask how they can get a position as a grantmaker with a foundation. It seems sensible that donors with foundations would want help in the work of giving money. Over the years, I have had scores of people looking for individuals, families and private foundations who recognize the need for staff or consultants to assist them in their giving. I am sure there are some degree programs out there that are designed to help prepare someone for the work. For instance, The Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University has a degree program in philanthropic studies. The RGK Center for Philanthropy at the…

Listen to “Nothing Left To Prove.”   All of my ‘aha’ moments in life have come from reading, silence, or listening to others. Except one, and that was at lunch with a friend. We were talking about the Parable of the Three Servants and how we were using our gifts and our giving to the best use. It’s fair to say both of us had felt almost haunted by the moral of the story. How could we know which servant we would turn out to be? How much would be enough for the Master when he returned for an accounting? What had we done with what we had been given?…

Listen to “A Better Life.”   As I handed him the check for the work he had been doing for us he paused before folding it neatly and putting it in his shirt pocket. “Are you happy with your current lifestyle? Would you like to know about a business opportunity that could help you get more income and be able to afford a better life?” I knew what was next and, fortunately, I had a prepared answer that stymied him completely. “I really don’t want any more money than I have. In fact, I probably have more than I need right now.” I had the feeling that was a response…