Ten stories that inspired me — and hopefully you — during 2016
These Christians demonstrated faith, hope and love. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle I am blessed. As chief correspondent for The Christian Chronicle, I am privileged to tell the stories of Christians living out their faith — often under difficult circumstances. Over the last decade, my travels with the Chronicle have taken me to all 50 states (I finally made it to the … Continue reading Ten stories that inspired me — and hopefully you — during 2016
These were the most popular of my 200 GetReligion posts this year
My Top 10 most-viewed GetReligion posts of 2016 Continue reading These were the most popular of my 200 GetReligion posts this year
For a closed urban church, an alternate ending
Disbanded congregation’s old building purchased by Impact Houston, which plans to expand to a second location. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle HOUSTON — Another closed church. Another lost opportunity to serve wounded souls in the inner city. That could have been the story as the Lindale Church of Christ — a once-flourishing congregation in the nation’s fourth-largest city — disbanded in December … Continue reading For a closed urban church, an alternate ending
Five tips for professionals joining a church staff
Experts emphasize the unique rules and dynamics churches face. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today Jennifer Neal wanted to be successful — as a woman, as a mother, and as a financial controller at a multibillion-dollar company. “I was desperately trying to make my mark and have it all,” she said. What Neal didn’t intend was for Jesus, as she put it, … Continue reading Five tips for professionals joining a church staff
Best of GetReligion: December 2016
Links to Bobby Ross Jr.’s top columns
Oh, Politico! We’re not laughing with you, but at you, after that ‘advance God’s Kingdom’ scoop. Published Dec. 5.
False balance: As New York Times reports on divided campuses, only left has ‘real’ concerns. Published Dec. 8.
‘Just who is Dylann Roof?’: Do we really need to know what makes a mass murderer tick? Published Dec. 12.
Holy ghost in my past: How I blew my chance to explore the faith of the ‘real’ Santa Claus. Published Dec. 13.
‘He did it!’ – MLB coach beats cancer, but media remain vague on faith that sustained him. Published Dec. 15.
After Dylann Roof verdict, best stories aren’t about the killer — but resilient survivors. Published Dec. 17.
AP on religious liberty: Those bigots down in Mississippi are still up to no good. Published Dec. 19.
An old-fashioned Baptist political squabble: Hey WSJ, that’s what we call a scoop! Published Dec. 20.
Washington Post wrote about overlooked rural evangelicals; now it needs to talk to them. Published Dec. 21.
Surface-level journalism: New York Times fails to cover heart and soul of pro-Trump town. Published Dec. 28.
Click below for additional December 2016 columns.
Cold nights, warm hearts: Churches become homeless shelters
From Idaho to Maryland, congregations open their doors to strangers in need of food and rest. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Each Friday night, a van picks up 15 homeless men in downtown Nashville, Tenn., and takes them to the Woodson Chapel Church of Christ for food, Bible study and rest. Four to six weeks per year, the Dalton Gardens Church of … Continue reading Cold nights, warm hearts: Churches become homeless shelters
A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’
A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’: Leaders of Churches of Christ urge believers to put their hope in the ‘king of kings,’ not politicians. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle As Christians who voted for Republican Donald Trump see it, America avoided the worst-case scenario in a nasty election featuring two of the most distrusted, unpopular presidential candidates ever. Other people of faith … Continue reading A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’
#ElectionDay: A career journalist’s reflections, past and present
#ElectionDay: A career journalist's reflections, past and present This Twitter Moment appears at @bobbyross. Continue reading #ElectionDay: A career journalist’s reflections, past and present
Where’s the money to fix this?
Six tips that will keep a church from breaking the bank on big-ticket fixes.
By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today
Several years ago, members of the Bridge Church in Fresno, California, committed millions of dollars to a special capital campaign to upgrade facilities and expand parking lots.
But the church didn’t make a plan to set aside the future funds needed to keep its facilities running well.
“There had been pretty serious deferred maintenance for a while prior to that date,” recalled Dave Cowin, who serves as chairman of the church’s elder board.
When Cowin joined the elder board of Bridge Church in 2012, he proposed creating a capital reserve fund as part of the church’s annual budgeting process. The board chose to go with Cowin’s proposal. It was a wise decision that safeguarded the church’s resources and saved thousands of dollars for other ministry priorities just a few years later.
Like Bridge Church, many churches spend valuable time, energy, and money getting a building, but then neglect to plan — and budget — for the expenses needed to keep those buildings operating.
“They are more than happy to raise the money to move into a building,” said Tim Cool, chief solutions officer and project facilitator for North Carolina-based-Cool Solutions Group. But after they move in, churches “fail to plan for the fact that everything in their buildings has a natural life of deterioration.”
This article appears on the November 2016 cover of Church Finance Today, a publication of Christianity Today.
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 