The fifth book I recommend is...

"Raising More Money" (Terry Axelrod)

Today's reality is that campus ministries, like most other ministries, need to become financially self-sustaining, as more and more national and regional offices no longer have the funds to provide ongoing support.

"Today's donors don't want to hear your sad story," Axelrod says.  "They want to hear your plan."  This book presents a step-by-step plan to build lifelong relationships with donors who truly understand and support your ministry.

While Axelrod's system can be used by any nonprofit organization and wasn't developed from a Christian perspective, per se, it's the most Gospel-motivated fundraising model I have found.  And it works very well.  Be aware, however, that it takes time and effort.  It starts where you are and systematically expands your base of lifelong donors.

Transforming Campus Ministries uses this fundraising model and it would be my privilege to help your campus ministry (or other ministry) learn and implement it, too.

"Raising More Money" is published by Benevon, a corporation founded by Axelrod.

Note: My next book recommendation will be posted late next week or early the following week.

The fourth book I recommend is...

"Effectiveness by the Numbers" (William R. Hoyt)

People count what's most important to them.  So do churches.  Even those that say they don't count do, in fact, count something.

However, many churches don't count accurately or what's most important.  (I won't tell you what Hoyt says is most important - read the book to find out - but I will tell you it isn't worship attendance.)

Why do so many churches fail to count accurately or what's most important?  Fear.  Many church leaders fear that their ineffectiveness will be exposed and, as a result, they may be held accountable.

"God calls us to be faithful," many of these leaders say.  He certainly does.  But God also calls us to bear fruit, and accurately counting what matters helps measure fruitfulness.

Hoyt's book will help your church accurately "count what counts" in a way that will help it set mutually agreed-upon, measurable goals that can reduce fear.

By the way, Hoyt and John Kaiser developed the Accountable Leadership strategy that's found in Kaiser's book "Winning on Purpose," the first book I recommended.  Hoyt is also a member of Transforming Campus Ministries' board of directors.

"Effectiveness by the Numbers" can be purchased from customary outlets.

The third book I recommend to you is...

"Advanced Strategic Planning" (Aubrey Malphurs)

Campus ministry had a profoundly positive impact on my life.  As such, I was thrilled when the Lord called me to serve as a campus pastor.  But I struggled at first, as few college students were interested in the love of God that I joyously sought to share with them.

(I understand that conversion is the Holy Spirit's work and I'm merely a messenger.  I also understand that the Gospel will bear more fruit if more people hear it and I'm simply saying I initially found few students who would listen.)

Eventually, I learned and implemented Malphurs' nine-step strategic planning model and the results were significant.

I have tried to implement other ministry strategic planning models in the past, but none were nearly as fruitful.  Some models were easy to understand but were so shallow that no significant results occured.  Others were too complicated and resulted in a confusing plan that was never implemented.

Malphurs' model has plenty of depth, but it's also understandable and implementable.  It's the model I use and teach.

I'd welcome the opportunity to help your campus ministry - or other ministry - develop and implement a plan that will significantly increase the number of people it serves and the impact it has on them.

"Advanced Strategic Planning" can be purchased from customary outlets.

The second book that I recommend to you is...

"Hit the Bullseye" (Paul Borden)

We can add nothing to the Gospel, but Borden's book reminds us that we can and often do get in the way of it.

Congregations face two problems, according to Borden:  lack of willingness to put God's agenda first and lack of leadership.  This is, in part, because "our current polity systems usually enfranchise those people who are the least able to lead while tying the hands of the most creative and able leaders (and) weed(ing) out those with entrepreneurial and leadership skills."

I can help your campus ministry - or other local ministry - identify, equip, and empower leaders and hold them accountable so that the ministry can focus more on its God-given mission.

"Hit the Bullseye" can be purchase from customary outlets.

As I promised last week, today's blog includes the first of several books I'll recommend to you over the next few weeks:

"Winning on Purpose" (John Kaiser)

Campus ministry isn't complicated; it's simple.  But simple doesn't equal easy; it takes hard work.  And it doesn't happen accidentally.

Having trained leaders from over 150 churches from across the country, I have discovered that most churches are governed and led by sincere persons who are hindered by dysfunctional forms of governance that lack proper authority, boundaries, and/or accountability.

In Kaiser's Accountable Leadership strategy, leaders are expected to lead within boundaries and they're held accountable.  Ministry is a "team sport" with the board, pastor, staff and congregation each playing its proper "position."

Transforming Campus Ministries uses a slightly adapted version of this model (it's a national organization instead of a local church) and it's the governance model I teach to campus ministries and other local ministries.

"Winning on Purpose" can be purchased from customary outlets.