Articles

Calculating a tithe for employees is easy because they receive a paycheck.  Doing so for business owners is more difficult because there are so many organization models, income sources, and accounting system standards.  The result has been that business owners are left to themselves to identify their own methods for calculating a tithe.  I hope this attempt at identifying factors for business owners to consider is the beginning of a discussion that helps many to do what our Lord challenged us to in Malachi 3:10-12.

Some church assets are difficult to assess. Personnel, congregational goodwill, and data are just a few examples of assets whose value is usually understood only once it's gone. None of us would say our data has no value to the organization, but trying to figure out what it's worth so we can adequately protect it is challenging. Data is one of the most valuable assets a church has. Protecting it isn't difficult, but must be approached as deliberately as the fire and security protection we apply to our church buildings.

There's a lot of buzz these days about Macs, and many in ministry are asking for them. Historically this decision has been driven by the software / applications in use. PC-centric churches usually say, "No." to Mac requests pretty quickly. But Macs can run PC software now, so the question is going to keep coming. We need an updated response, and this two-part article may help.

This sounds futuristic:  virtual computers!  But they're a reality, and have been growing in popularity since the 1990s!  In fact, many churches and ministries are already saving money and enjoying the benefits of this technology.  But what exactly is it?  And is it safe?  And what does it cost?  Let's take a closer look.

Computers and data networks are vulnerable, and wise IT Directors establish policies to protect them.  They are guided by their research and experience in protecting these systems that contain valuable and sensitive data.  But many go further than necessary, and without ever intending to, frustrate their staff.  So let's talk about some 'best practices' ministry security strategies.

We are all masters of risk management!  You may not have thought of yourself that way, but it's true!  You began learning how to manage risk when your parents taught you that you shouldn't touch something hot because it would burn you.  In elementary school you learned to avoid the school bully because any encounter with him or her could hurt.  So all through our lives we've learned how to manage risk.   And, as risk managers, we need various layers of protection from those things that could hurt our ministry’s computer systems.