Weekly Web Roundup (1/7/17)

Photo Credit: Jaetographer

Here are some interesting items that I saw across the web over the past couple of weeks:

Seven Steps to Strengthen Prayer by Bonnie McKernan (Desiring God)

"Praying should be active. We cannot truly come into contact with God and not be a different person, at least in some small degree, by the time we say, “Amen.” Struggle in prayer, wrestle with it, and let the Spirit move. Answers to prayer are a blessing, but prayer in and of itself is meant to be a blessing. Sometimes it feels like the moaning of parched lips in the desert, and we should still persevere because prayer is not just the fruit of spiritual life, but the means of attaining it."

Why Are Americans Less Charitable Than They Used to Be? by Alexia Fernandez Campbell (The Atlantic)

"The results of their research suggest that Americans’ attitudes toward giving have changed, regardless how much money they have. There is some research suggesting that poor people—those would actually stand to benefit from charity themselves—are more likely to donate money (overall, wealthy Americans still contribute most of the country’s charitable dollars). An analysis by the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that wealthier Americans gave less of their income to charity during the Recession, while the poor gave more. Those who earned $200,000 or more gave nearly 5 percent less to charity in 2012 compared to 2006, while those who made less than $100,000 increased their giving by 5 percent between those same two years, the report found. The poorest Americans—those earning $25,000 or less—increased their giving the most, by 17 percent over the same period."

Study: Christians Were 2016’s Most Persecuted Religious Group by Faithfully Magazine Staff

"Nearly 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016, equivalent to one every six minutes, according to a new study by the Italy-based Center for Studies on New Religions (Censur). The annual study, which is set for release next month, also indicated that 500 to 600 million Christians were prevented from freely practicing their faith. The number has actually declined from 105,000 in 2015, but it still makes Christians the most persecuted religious group in the world, Massimo Introvigne, director of Censur, told Vatican Radio when announcing the findings on Monday. “Without wishing to forget or belittle the suffering of members of other religions, Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world,” Introvigne said."

The Candy Diet by Seth Godin

"The economics seem to be that the only way to make a living is to reach a lot of people and the only way to reach a lot of people is to race to the bottom, seek out quick clicks, make it easy to swallow, reinforce existing beliefs, keep it short, make it sort of fun, or prurient, or urgent, and most of all, dumb it down. And that's the true danger of anti-intellectualism. While it's foolish to choose to be stupid, it's cultural suicide to decide that insights, theories and truth don't actually matter. If we don't care to learn more, we won't spend time or resources on knowledge. We can survive if we eat candy for an entire day, but if we put the greenmarkets out of business along the way, all that's left is candy. Give your kid a tablet, a game, and some chicken fingers for dinner. It's easier than talking to him. Read the short articles, the ones with pictures, it's simpler than digging deep. Clickbait works for a reason. Because people click on it."

In biblical lands of Iraq, Christianity in peril after ISIS by Moni Basu (CNN)

"Life in Bartella, as he knew it, stopped suddenly and brutally in the summer of 2014. ISIS blitzkrieged its way into northern Iraq, taking control of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest and once its most diverse city. ISIS marked Christian houses with the Arabic equivalent of the letter "N" for the derogatory term Nazarene. The militants blared ultimatums from the loudspeakers of Mosul mosques: Leave by July 19 to avoid death or forced conversion to Islam. The terror-driven exodus emptied the city of Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities. A decade ago, 35,000 Christians lived in Mosul. Now maybe 20 or 30 remain."

Election Reflections: Bridging the Gap by Philip Yancey

"Today, both parties push toward the extremes, in opposite directions.  And here is where Christians come in.  Oddly enough, we can mind the gap by withholding complete loyalty from either party. "Politics is the church’s worst problem," warned the French sociologist Jacques Ellul. "It is her constant temptation, the occasion of her greatest disasters, the trap continually set for her by the prince of this world." Christians have a divided loyalty, committed to helping our society thrive while giving ultimate loyalty to the kingdom of God. We are resident aliens, taking guidance not from a party platform but from the life Jesus modeled for us.  Sometimes that means crossing the gap, rather than widening it."

Polar bear mascot keeps slipping over on the ice

Weekly Web Roundup (9/10/16)

Photo Credit: leonyaakov

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

Is There Something Dangerous About Focusing On the Family? by Jared Kennedy (Gospel Centered Family)

"When we are strategizing ways to equip parents as the primary disciple-makers in their homes, we must also help them prioritize their own spiritual growth. We should think about slimming down our church programming in order to help families keep the Sabbath. We should think of ways to give burned-out mom's times to study the Bible together away from their children. We must take pains that family discipleship is not another burdensome duty but rather fruit that overflows from the hearts of parents who know and love Jesus."

The Main Thing You Need to Know About Fundraising by Phil Cooke

"Down through the years, as I have lived and taught this approach to major donor fundraising, some of my colleagues in ministry have recoiled. It’s too “pastoral,” they feel, not “systematic” enough. The fact is, I am a very systematic person. I like to make a plan, work the plan, evaluate the plan. But my plans and systems for extracting gifts from major donors did more to wear me down than to build up the work we were doing — and they certainly did nothing for the donors themselves.. But at the heart of this system is a truth that took me years to understand"

A Message from a Warrior About Protecting Our Sacred Lands: Why Standing Rock Matters by Liz Perez Halperin (Indian Country Today Media Network)

"A topic few are being encouraged to discuss is the issue that inspired hundreds of Native American tribes across the USA to unite and take a stand: the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline. This is the first time since the Native American movement of the 70s that tribes have come together for a cause."

White male leadership persists at evangelical ministries by Steve Rabey (Religion News Service)

"Only one of 33 major national organizations contacted for this article is led by a woman — Jane Overstreet at Development Associates International. And only three are led by nonwhite males. “Some groups are talking about greater gender diversity, while others talk about racial diversity,” says Amy Reynolds, an associate professor of sociology at Wheaton College in Illinois, a leading evangelical institution that recently appointed its first female provost in its 156-year history. “The question is, what are they willing to do to get there?”"

How to talk to black people in eight easy lessons by Leonard Pitts, Jr. (Miami Herald)

"The truth is, How to Talk to Black People isn’t all that difficult. The candidate who wants African-American support should pretend black folks are experts on our own issues and experiences — because we are. He should learn those issues, tap that experience, formulate some thoughtful ideas in response."

Companies would benefit from helping introverts to thrive (The Economist)

"And yet, if anything, the corporate approach to introverts has been getting worse. The biggest culprit is the fashion for open-plan offices and so-called “group work”. Companies rightly think that the elixir of growth in a world where computers can do much of the grunt work is innovation. But they wrongly conclude that the best way to encourage creativity is to knock down office walls and to hold incessant meetings. This is ill-judged for a number of reasons. It rests on a trite analogy between intellectual and physical barriers between people. It ignores the fact that noise and interruptions make it harder to concentrate. And companies too often forget that whereas extroverts gain energy from other people, introverts need time on their own to recharge."

Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State - CMU Football Game Winning Hail Mary

The football team for my alma mater, Central Michigan, had one of the most amazing finishes we'll likely see in college football this season in a win over #22 ranked Oklahoma State. Here's the final play:

Richest Americans Donating Less, Poor Give More To Charity

Photo Credit: Tax Credits

From Forbes.com:

"In the wake of the Great Recession, the richest Americans are donating less to charity, while the poorest are giving more, according to a new study. 

In a report released today, the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that Americans who earned at least $200,000 gave nearly 5% less to charity in 2012 than in 2006. 

Higher-income people tend to give proportionately less during tough economic times, says Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. 

“The downturn was a shock to so many of them, and they’ve been nervous and cautious,” she says. 

The shift has likely meant less money flowing into universities, hospitals and cultural institutions, which the wealthy tend to patronize. Lower- and middle-income donors often give to social service organizations, Palmer says. In part because these groups have had fewer dollars to give, those organizations have still faced a squeeze. 

Unlike their wealthier counterparts, low- and middle-income Americans — those who made less than $100,000 — gave 5% more in 2012 than in 2006, the Chronicle found. The poorest Americans — those who took home $25,000 or less — increased their giving by nearly 17%. 

“Lower and middle-income people know people who lost their jobs or are homeless, and they worry that they themselves are a day away from losing their jobs. They’re very sensitive to the needs of other people and recognize that these years have been hard,” Palmer says. 

Religiosity is another factor driving up giving among low- and middle-income Americans, she says. 

Wealthier Americans still gave more in absolute terms, increasing their donations between 2006 and 2012 by $4.6 billion, adjusted for inflation, to $77.5 billion. In that period, the collective wealth of Americans on The Forbes 400 soared by $1.04 trillion. 

Those who earned less than $100,000 gave $57.3 billion in 2012."

To read the rest of this article please click here.

Cru - Together We Are Making A Difference

To all of our ministry partners with Cru -- Thank you for the impact that you are having in the lives of people all over the world.

American Churches & Giving

Photo Credit: oblivion9999

Here are some eye-opening numbers about churches in the United States, our current giving patterns and the potential for where our resources could go.

Taken from MagSays:

The Problem That Currently Exists In American Churches

• Christians are giving at a 2.5% per capita or tithe.  During the Great Depression, they gave at a 3.3% rate.

• Today, 33-50% of church members, those who claim they have bought in at a deep level to your ministry, give nothing.

• If we were able to have our people increase their giving from 2.5% to 10% of their annual income, an additional $165 billion would flow into the Kingdom.  

To show the global impact those resources could make, consider the following:

• $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and deaths from preventable diseases in 5 years.

• $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy in 5 years.

• $15 billion would solve the world’s water and sanitation issues, specifically at places in the world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day.

• $1 billion would fully fund the Great Commission.$100 – $110 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion.

NOTE: the source of these statistics were provided by www.generouschurch.com.

How One Church Is Blessing Their City

Photo Credit: nmiller1996

"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." ~ Jeremiah 29:7

If your church had to close its doors, would anyone outside of your congregation notice? So much of our church activity can be focused on our own needs in order to be a blessing to our own families and friends but a church with God's heart for all people will seek to be a blessing to their community and world. One church in northeastern Ohio is doing just that.

S.P.A.N. Ministries, based in Tallmadge, Ohio, recently sought to bless the community in which the church resides. S.P.A.N., which stands for Shepherd's Pasture for All Nations, is led by and comprised of a number of women and men who were involved with our Impact chapter at Kent State University. TallmadgeExpress.com tells their story:

"After an Aug. 14 service at the Northeast Avenue church, about 80 members of the SPAN congregation went to Little Caesar's on Tallmadge Circle and packed the pizza shop for about an hour.

"It was great," said Little Caesar's Co-owner Jason Zieman. "It was probably the busiest we've been on a Sunday afternoon in quite some time."

Zieman said he and other workers came in that day just to handle the rush. At one time, a line of customers stretched out the door.

[Kurran] Bishop said he was pleased with the movement's maiden run.

"It was a pretty good turnout for being our first go at it," he said. "That was just our trial run, so we hope to make it bigger."

Bishop said he got the idea for the program from an Akron church whose congregation visited a local grocery store with the goal of clearing the shelves.

"So we thought, 'What can we do to kind of bless businesses in the area on a smaller scale?'" he said. "We wanted to help out business that could use a little bit of a jolt."

Bishop has decided to target smaller local restaurants, which he feels would likely benefit the most from a modest-sized group.

The bigger picture of the "Blessing in the City" movement, he said, is to convey the church cares by giving back to the city.

"We can't just stay inside the four walls of the church to do that," he said. "We have to get out in the community and do these things."

When a church seeks to be a blessing to the community around them its members become tangible demonstrations of God's love to those who are hurting and in need. I'm proud of the way that S.P.A.N. is living this out.

To read the complete article on S.P.A.N.'s "Blessing in the City" movement please click here.

Changing The World...One Cookie At A Time

Photo Credit & Cake Creation: Lori Crocker

Our good friends, Jane & John Hursh, are making a difference in the world through a creative way to bless those in need. The Hursh's are taking Jane's love and talent for baking and turning that into a way to help others. Their business, jane's short & sweet, gives all of its profits to improving the lives of others in some of the most difficult places of our world.

Jane shares:

"The irony is not lost on us that it is with sweet products that we are turning around bitter circumstances. With your purchases of jane's, you are joining us as we come alongside local and international organizations to bring tangible and life-transforming hope where there is human trafficking, abuse, lack of educational opportunities and non-existent medical care."

To purchase your order of Jane's shortbread, biscotti or granola, please visit her website here. Trust me...they are delicious.

To get an insider's perspective on jane's short & sweet, check out this recent television interview:

Find more inspiring video, audio, and images at Growing Bolder.

What Americans Give to Churches, Charities & Foreign Missions

Photo Credit: borman818

Here are some interesting statistics from Christianity Today regarding giving patterns of Americans as it pertains to charities, foreign missions and churches:

"Churches and other explicitly religious organizations are by far the largest recipients of Americans' charitable donations. But church members' giving is decreasing in the recession, especially as a percentage of income. The amount of church-based giving that goes to missions is also decreasing significantly. From 1916-1927, about 7.9% of church contributions went to foreign missions; today it's 2.1%. (From Empty Tomb, Inc.)

Total charitable giving in the U.S. (unadjusted for population or income) dropped by about 3.6% in 2009, though individual giving stayed steady from 2008. (From Giving USA)"

Tithing

• 1968 - The average percentage of income given to churches was 3.11%
• 1985 - The average percentage of income given to churches was 2.59%
• 2008 - The average percentage of income given to churches was 2.43%

Overseas Missions Giving
How much of each selected denomination's church dollar goes to international ministries? (From Empty Tomb, Inc.)

• 11 cents - Christian Missionary & Alliance
• 6 cents - Church of the Nazarene; General Association of General Baptists
• 4 cents - Seventh Day Adventists - North America; The Wesleyan Church, The Presbyterian Church in America
• 2 cents - Southern Baptist Convention; The United Methodist Church
• 1 cent - Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Presbyterian Church (USA); The Episcopal Church

Beyond Church Giving
Americans gave 303.75 billion in 2009. Three quarters of it came from individuals. Here's where the money went (From The Chronicle of Philanthropy):

• Religion (33%)
• Education (13%)
• Gifts to Grant Making Foundations (10%)
• Unallocated Giving (10%)
• Human Services (9%)
• Public-Society Benefit (8%)
• Health (7%)
• Arts, Culture & Humanities (4%)
• International Affairs (3%)
• Environment/Animals (2%)
• Foundation Grants to Individuals (1%)

As these numbers can attest, Americans give billions each year to their local churches, favorite charities and other worthy causes. However, the richer we have become as a nation, we've given a smaller percentage of our income to that which has eternal significance.  Perhaps an appropriate question to ask ourselves is not how much we give but how much do we keep?

A Homeless Man Finds His Voice

Photo Credit: Ben McLeod

You've probably heard the story of Ted Williams, the homeless Columbus, Ohio man with the smooth radio voice.  Williams, who had previously worked in radio before alcohol and drug problems caught up with him, was spotted by Doral Chenoweth, who works in multimedia for the Columbus Dispatch.

Chenoweth gave Williams a little money and recorded a short video of him which he eventually posted to the Dispatch website.  The clip went viral and now Williams has found work, re-established a relationship with his mother (who he hadn't seen in twenty years) and is enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame.  You can view the video below.

This chance encounter isn't all that crazy once you learn about Chenoweth and the type of person he is.  Motivated by his Christian faith, it's not uncommon for him to take time to interact with those that many pass by.  CNN.com tells his story:

"But the reason Chenoweth stopped goes deeper than his job.

It's "standard operating procedure" for him, he said, to stop and talk to people who are homeless, whether he's carrying a camera or not.

"It's part of my faith," he said after some prodding about his motivations. "You may not be able to help someone with money, but you can at least say hello, how you doing, and look at them."

About 14 years ago, Chenoweth said he was assigned to photograph a homeless ministry at New Life United Methodist Church in downtown Columbus. He was so impressed by the ability of the 50-member congregation to help the homeless that he and his wife joined.

The church's pastor said that Chenoweth routinely invites people who are homeless to the church for meals and medical attention. He's also photographed people on the street and displayed their photographs to emphasize their humanity, said the Rev. Jennifer Kimball Casto, New Life's pastor.

When asked if she was surprised by Chenoweth's action, Casto said: "Absolutely not. Doral has a special heart for people who are homeless and in need."

Chenoweth's concern for people goes beyond Columbus, and even the United States. His wife said they are regular Habitat for Humanity volunteers. They've also taken seven trips to Africa with their two children, Cassie, 12, and Kurtis, 10, to serve impoverished communities. Chenoweth has documented many of the trips on his website."

There is a story behind every face and a lot to be learned through the lives of others.  For many of us, the homeless that we see by the side of the road or on the street corner are simply ignored or disregarded.  But for those of us that are Christians, we must remember that each person has inherit value and dignity as image bearers of God.  Each person is worthy of God's love.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to interact with a number of homeless individuals.  I'm ashamed to say that more times than not I have ignored them and went about my way.  But, through God's grace, there have been instances where I've stopped and offered money or food and, on occasion, had the opportunity to sit for awhile and hear their story.

What I've learned is that the man or woman on the street is no different than me.  They have the same sorts of hopes and dreams and needs in life.  They are someone's son or daughter.  Someone's brother or sister.  They were once a child that didn't dream that one day they'd live on the street.

The homeless are in their predicament because of a variety of reasons.  It could be drug or alcohol addiction or bad choices in life.  It may have been because of a lost job.  Or mental illness.  Or unfairly getting accused of a crime.  Or an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager where their family kicked them to the curb.

As a follower of Christ, Jesus tells me to demonstrate His love to those that I come across.  It's amazing what we can learn when we sit down and hear someone's story.  It's easy for us to decide in our mind that the homeless aren't worthy of our time and attention.  But the story of Ted Williams and Doral Chenoweth demonstrate that there's often more to the story if we stop and take the time to listen.     

Click here if the video player does not show up.

American Christians & Giving

Although many American Christians might claim that they agree with the concept of tithing (giving 10% of one's income to God's work), studies show that few actually practice it. Scot McKnight on his Jesus Creed blog reviews the book, What Americans Really Believe, and points out some interesting facts as it pertains to the giving patterns of Americans.

Most research indicates that American Christians give approximately 2-3% of their income to their local church and other ministries. So even if many of us say we believe in giving 10% of our income to God, few of us actually live this out. What is most interesting, as McKnight points out, that in most cases the more money a person makes translates into a lower percentage of giving.

For example Americans who make less than $10,000 annually give on average 11.2% of their income. On the other hand, those that make over $150,000 give 2.7% of their earnings. The most likely group to tithe? Widows and widowers, who give 20.1% and 16.7%, respectively.

There is even some debate in Christian circles about whether tithing is necessary for modern day Christians since it is an Old Testament principle that is not emphasized in the New Testament. The New Testament seems to place a greater importance on the idea of "generous giving" as advocated in I Corinthians 9. But I like the way a former pastor of mine put it. As Christians that seek to have generous hearts, we can look at tithing as training wheels on a bike. It's a good starting place but at some point you want to take the wheels off and go beyond where you've been.

For example, a Christian that makes 500 million dollars a year can give a tithe but still not be generous in their heart. A single mom pulling down $17,000/year could give $2,000 and exhibit extreme generosity. It is not for us to compare our giving patterns to others or to judge others based on what they do or don't give. It is up to each of us to approach God with an open and honest heart and give as He directs us.

On that note, Ben Witherington posts some startling statistics regarding giving in America:

1. If Americans who identify with the historically Christian church increased their giving to an average of 10% of income, there could be an additional $86 billion dollars available for overseas missions each year. One source estimates that $70-$80 billion would impact the worst of world poverty and $5 billion could end most of the 11 million under-5, global, annual child deaths. Also, $7 billion would be sufficient for global primary education for all children. There could also be $30.9 billion more a year for domestic outreach. (Source: www.emptytomb.org)

2. Americans spend, as a group, $2. 5 billion per year for world missions, $2. 5 billion per year for chewing gum,$ 8 billion per year for movies, $22 billion per year for hunting, $34 million per year for state lotteries. (Source: John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, Behind the Stained Glass Window)

3. Americans spend more money on gambling than groceries. (Source: Crown Ministries)

When it comes down to it, I don't think God is so concerned about whether we give 10% or not. I think he's much more concerned with the state of our heart and whether we are sensitive to what he is calling us to do. The topic of tithing becomes a secondary issue when we are primarily concerned with being good stewards.

For a great read on the topic of stewardship and giving, I recommend Randy Alcorn's short book, The Treasure Principle.

The "Grace" of Giving

From the Black Voices blog on AOL.com:

Grace Groner lived as a secret millionaire in a modest, sparsely-furnished one-bedroom house. When she died at the age of 100, she shocked the world by leaving her alma mater, Lake Forest College, $7 million. It's not every day that someone donates her fortune to a worthy cause, after living a life of great financial restraint. The Chicago Tribune reports:

"Like many people who lived through the Great Depression, Grace Groner was exceptionally restrained with her money.

She got her clothes from rummage sales. She walked everywhere rather than buy a car. And her one-bedroom house in Lake Forest held little more than a few plain pieces of furniture, some mismatched dishes and a hulking TV set that appeared left over from the Johnson administration.

Her one splurge was a small scholarship program she had created for Lake Forest College, her alma mater. She planned to contribute more upon her death, and when she passed away in January, at the age of 100, her attorney informed the college president what that gift added up to.

"Oh, my God," the president said.

Groner's estate, which stemmed from a $180 stock purchase she made in 1935, was worth $7 million.

The money is going into a foundation that will enable many of Lake Forest's 1,300 students to pursue internships and study-abroad programs they otherwise might have had to forgo. It will be an appropriate memorial to a woman whose life was a testament to the higher possibilities of wealth."

A testament indeed. Grace Groner's spirit will live on through her amazing act of generosity, which will touch the lives of many students and positively influence greater society for years to come. Her act of charity is a beacon of inspiration in our trying economic times. Having lived through the Great Depression, she knew that Americans can survive anything, especially if we focus on helping each other. Although Groner was a millionaire she chose to use her money in a way that would benefit all, showing that her spiritual fortune was at least as great as her material wealth" (via The Huffington Post)

The Power of Giving

From Seth Godin:

"If I sell you something, we exchange items of value. You give me money, I give you stuff, or a service. The deal is done. We're even. Even steven, in fact.

That's fine, but it doesn't explain potlatch or the mystery of art or the power of a gift.

If I give you something, or way more than you paid for, an imbalance is created. That imbalance must be resolved.

Perhaps we resolve it, as the ancient Native Americans did, by acknowledging the power of the giver. In the Pacific Northwest a powerful chief would engage in potlatch, giving away everything he owned as a sign of his wealth and power. Since he had more to give away, and the power to get more, the gifts carried real power, and others had to accept his power in order to engage.

Or we resolve it by acknowledging the creativity and insight of the giver. Artists do this every time they put a painting in a museum or a song on the radio. We don't pay for the idea, but we acknowledge it. And then, if it's particularly powerful, it changes us enough that we become givers, contributing to someone else, passing it along.

Sometimes we resolve the imbalance by becoming closer to the brand or the provider. We like getting gifts, we like being close to people who have given us a gift and might do it again.

And sometimes, in the case of international aid, we resent the rich giver, the one with so much more power, and thus create a cycle of dependence that does neither side any good. This sort of gift isn't much of a gift at all.

When done properly, gifts work like nothing else. A gift gladly accepted changes everything. The imbalance creates motion, motion that pushes us to a new equilibrium, motion that creates connection.

The key is that the gift must be freely and gladly accepted. Sending someone a gift over the transom isn't a gift, it's marketing. Gifts have to be truly given, not given in anticipation of a repayment. True gifts are part of being in a community (willingly paying taxes for a school you will never again send your grown kids to) and part of being an artist (because the giving motivates you to do ever better work). Plus, giving a gift feels good."

Africa Gives to Haiti

From Paul Shepherd of the Black Voices blog:

"When it comes to giving on the global scale, African nations are usually on the receiving end of international largess, but the harrowing images from earthquake-ravaged Haiti have several African nations pledging financial support for the relief effort.

While the pledge offers of $2.5 million from the Democratic Republic of Congo and $3 million from Ghana are a drop in the bucket compared to pledges made by the United States and most European nations, the pledges represent the first time in recent memory that African countries have pooled their meager financial resources to help a country outside of their continent.

Aside from the individual country pledges, a campaign called "Africa for Haiti" has been started online.

Other African countries that have pledged support, include Equatorial Guinea ($2 million), Namibia and Gabon ($1 million each), Sierra Leone ($100,000), and Senegal, which has pledged $1 million and land to any Haitian emigre.

To my thinking, the size of the pledge isn't as important as the notion among African leaders that they can help bring positive change to those who are worse off than they are."

Giving Patterns of Americans

We are in the throes of the Christmas season and for many Americans that means an increase in their charitable giving. I can attest that the donors to our ministry give more to us at the end of the year than at any other time. In fact our donations can be anywhere from 20-50% more in December than at any other month of the year.

As one that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for our non-profit charity over the years, I am always interested to learn more about the giving patterns of Americans. Justin Taylor recently shared some interesting facts from Mint.com concerning the charitable giving of Americans.

Here are some statistics that stood out to me:

1. Americans are #1 in charitable giving in the world. It would take 3 French OR 7 Germans OR 14 Italians to equal the charitable donations of 1 American.

2. Americans give over 300 Billion each year to charities. However, we give over 400 Billion to Walmart.

3. There are close to 1 million public charities in the U.S.

4. The charity with the largest amount of revenue is Lutheran Services in America. They draw in over 16 billion a year.

5. The average American family gives about $2,000/year to charities.

6. Those who earn less than $20,000/year are twice as charitable (as a % of income) as those who earn over $100,000 (even though they donate 1/4 as much). The most common reason upper income people don't give to charity? They say they can't afford it.

7. Where does our giving go?

• 35% - Religion
• 13% - Education
• 11% - Foundations
• 9% - Human Services
• 8% - Public Society Benefit
• 7% - Health
• 17% - Other

8. Conservatives are more likely to give than liberals and are twice as likely to attend religious worship services. Religious people even give more to secular causes than non-religious people do.

To learn more about the charities you give to, visit the Better Business Bureau or Charity Navigator.

The Blessings of Giving

In tough economic times as the ones we are currently in, it is easy for us to become tight-fisted when it comes to our giving patterns. The sad reality is that most Christians will discontinue giving to our churches or our favorite charities before we'll sacrifice luxuries that we can realistically do without. However, this is not the case with everyone. As a missionary dependent upon the generosity of others in order to meet the needs of our family, I have the privilege of being on the receiving end of many that give sacrificially so that we can serve in ministry like we do.

In fact, Lori and I just received a note in the mail today from a financial ministry partner of ours that had fallen behind in her giving. She apologized to us and shared that because of a decrease in income, she had been unable to fulfill her commitment. But she let us know that she had recently dropped a check in the mail to cover the months she missed and to start back up again. Notes like this really make my day! Not so much because we're receiving that money (which is nice), but because God is using our ministry as a vehicle to work in this woman's life. Ultimately, I don't think that she's really giving to us. She's giving to God's work and we simply get to be part of that process.

It is a privilege to be both on the receiving and the giving end when it comes to God's mission in the world. Andrew Jones, aka the popular blogger TallSkinnyKiwi, recently posted on this topic. This is what he had to say:

"This week I was on the phone with an Executive Director of a Foundation that gives millions of dollars to missions. Things are tight right now for them, as they are for many other faith-based Foundations, but they are doing their best to keep commitments to missionaries. Not easy during this recession when the returns on investments don't bring the kind of returns they had hoped for. Missionaries who depend on these kinds of gifts are struggling this year.
Immediately after hanging up the phone with this Foundation, I went out to dinner with a Portuguese house church pastor. His tiny church had put together a HUGE love package for our missionary family including 5 bottles of wine and all kinds of food. There was even an envelope with money as a thank you gift for our ministry in Portugal five years ago.One of the families who gave included a not-so-wealthy family with two children. One of the children, on hearing of our family's mission, donated the entire contents of his piggy bank to help the gift go further. This church leader wept when he received the gift and was really emotional when he told me the story.
The big and the small. Both important to God. Its weird being in the middle of these two disparate groups; Foundation leaders with large investments and little boys with piggy banks. The Kingdom of God moves forward on the resources of both groups."

Whatever role it is that we may play in making a difference in the world matters. I believe there is no greater cause than the cause of Christ and whether we are giving our time, prayers, talents or finances, our investments in eternity matter.

American Wealth and the Rest of the World

Lori and I are currently going through the membership class at our church and this week the class looked at the topic of biblical giving. Each member was given a copy of The Treasure Principle (by one of my favorite authors, Randy Alcorn) and watched portions of a message on giving by Bob Coy, pastor of Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. Pastor Coy's talk contained some pretty interesting facts about the world we live in and how Americans compare to others.

He stated that if we were to break down the population of the world into only 100 people, it would play out like this:

• There would be 51 women and 49 men.
• 70 people would be of a faith other than Christianity.
• There would be 70 people of color; 30 would be white.
• 80 would live in substandard housing (i.e. no running water or electricity, etc.)
• 50 would be malnourished, living off of perhaps one small meal a day.
• 70 would be illiterate and unable to read.
• And 6 of the the 100 would possess half of all the world's wealth and reside in the United States of America.

Even with the financial challenges that Americans face today, it doesn't seem as bad when you consider the following:

• There are approximately 6.6 billion people in the world today and close to half of that (well over 3 billion) live on less than $2 a day!
• There are over 300 million living in the U.S. (less than 6% of the world's population), yet Americans have half the world's wealth.

To personalize this, why don't you take a stroll on over to Global Rich List and see where you rank on the list of the world's wealthiest people? I know that my wife and I are feeling the strain of the present economic crisis, but understanding that I have more financial wealth than over 97% of the world's population puts things in perspective. It's at least something to think about.