As I mentioned in my Public Service Announcement earlier this week, I want to make every effort for this site to be a helpful place, and not be perceived as the rantings and ramblings of a disgruntled missionary. I’m thoroughly gruntled. Continue reading “Thankful Thursdays: Raising Support.”
About Ramen Noodles, Sally Struthers, and Not Having Bills to Pay.
I gave the standard spiel. Then she said:
“We like what you guys are doing a whole lot. But we’ve got lots of bills these days, so we’re not going to be able to give.”
I know, I know, what she meant was that they have more bills than they have money. Been there, done that, understand. But what she said was that simply the fact that they have bills is a good enough reason to not give to our ministry. So, let’s chase that rabbit, shall we? Continue reading “About Ramen Noodles, Sally Struthers, and Not Having Bills to Pay.”
Is Business Inherently Good, Neutral, or Evil?
In these days of red states and blue states, polarizing cable news networks, and increasingly vitriolic rhetoric from both sides, I want to make a case that one of the problems that needs to be confronted is the demonizing of business in popular culture.
Words like “profit” rarely have a positive connotation. “Big Business” is a political tagline that liberals use to illustrate points, and never a phrase you’ll hear defended. The assumption is that being “big” makes a business crooked. There can’t be millions or billions of dollars of profit without somebody being greedy or oppressive.
To illustrate my point: name one benevolent businessman (who was still a businessman at the end of the film) in a movie. Now, name 5 crooked businessmen in films. Or, just go and search “Businessman” at IMDB.com. Better yet, I’ll save you some time. Here’s the top 8 “partial matches” to accompany the word “businessman” at IMDB:
So it looks like your options in film are either to be an evil businessman or to be an Asian businessman. And you might even still be evil if you’re Asian.
I just finished a fascinating little book (via the Kindle app for my phone/computer) by Wayne Grudem called Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business. I cannot more highly recommend it. It walks through the biblical underpinnings of business (without ignoring the potential in each category for corruption and sin). It’s a quick read, but well worth your time. In it, Dr. Grudem makes a compelling, concise case for not just moral neutrality when it comes to business, but the inherent moral goodness of business.
What do you think? Is it possible to be a businessman or businesswoman who is morally upright?
About Using the Wrong Excuse to Not Give.
“We’d love to support you financially, but my husband is just an engineer.”
Sometimes these posts just write themselves.
Unemployed? That’s a good reason not to give. Engineer? Some people go into engineering solely for the money. If you had said “freelance harmonica player,” it would have set my mental payscale in the proper range to set off some not-big-giver alarms. Continue reading “About Using the Wrong Excuse to Not Give.”
About becoming an Involuntary Marriage Counselor
I’ve written before about folks telling me all of their financial secrets. But this takes it to an entirely different level.
“Id love to give to your ministry, but my wife doesn’t know I have Continue reading “About becoming an Involuntary Marriage Counselor”