
November 5, 2026
Not Just on Sunday
Lonetta McKee

The February 2019 Christian Standard issue examines generosity as discipleship, with practical articles on church finance, debt, stewardship, and long-term ministry funding.
The February 2019 issue of Christian Standard focuses on generosity, church finance, and faithful stewardship in ministry. Anchored by the feature article “Generosity as Discipleship: Do Campaigns Still Work?” by Julie Bullock, this issue explores how churches can think biblically about giving, fundraising, debt, estate planning, and long-term financial health. Rather than treating money as a purely administrative concern, the issue repeatedly frames finances as a discipleship matter that reveals the heart, shapes ministry decisions, and affects the future strength of the church.
Readers will find practical leadership content on church finances, church multiplication, community-minded planning, missions giving, and debt-free ministry strategy. The issue includes a debate on whether churches should embrace and utilize debt, an article on funding ministry for the long term through estate planning, and a historical study of how finance shaped the Restoration Movement. It also features personal and pastoral reflections, including Brian Jennings on grace and transformation, Chris Brown on financial failure and hope, and Ryan Rasmussen on whether creatives can serve effectively as lead pastors.
Taken together, the February 2019 Christian Standard issue offers a strong resource for pastors, elders, ministry leaders, and church members who want to approach generosity and stewardship with biblical conviction and practical wisdom. For anyone asking whether financial campaigns still work, this issue answers with a broader and more important challenge: generosity must be formed through discipleship, not just dollars.
2-3 | Letter from the Publisher
Jerry Harris
6-7 | Letter from the Editor
Michael C. Mack
10-13 | Metrics
Church Multiplication Scorecard
Kent Fillinger
14-16 | Imagine
Eyes on the Community: Bayside Church
Mel McGowan
17-19 | e2: Effective Elders
3-D Church Finances
Gary Johnson
20-21 | Horizons
It All Boils Down to Faith
Emily Drayne
22-23 | MinistryLife
Rewritable
Brian Jennings
26-35 | Feature Article
Generosity as Discipleship: Do Campaigns Still Work?
Julie Bullock
38 | In the Arena:
Churches Should Embrace and Utilize Debt
Matt Merold
39 | In the Arena:
Churches Should Not Embrace and Utilize Debt
Chris Philbeck
44 | How to Fund Your Ministry for the Long Term
D. Clay Perkins
50 | The Financing of the Restoration Movement
Steve Carr
58 | Can Creatives Be Effective Lead Pastors?
Ryan Rasmussen
66 | My Personal Finance Story:
We Peek at the Past, We Focus on the Future
Chris Brown
80 | Biblitically Correct
Greekaholics Anonymous
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