From Florida to Frankfurt to France
Fundraising is not about transactions. It’s about partnership. That truth is just as powerful in Amsterdam as it is in Atlanta.
“I Can Endure This” — A Better Reading of Philippians 4:13
Some weeks pass quietly. Others deliver moments that grab you by the collar and refuse to let go.
The Three Secrets of Life (That I’ve Learned from Donors)
Some weeks pass quietly. Others deliver moments that grab you by the collar and refuse to let go.
Fire on the Wing
Some weeks pass quietly. Others deliver moments that grab you by the collar and refuse to let go.
Beyond Hair-Pulling Leadership
“Only twenty-five percent of Christian leaders finish well.”
This One Is Special
My family has been involved in The Bowery Mission for many years. This weekend, I get to do something new.
To Plaque or Not to Plaque
The Biola Bell Tower near the center of Biola’s campus holds five iconic bells from a historic set from 1914. by Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through […]
When Warriors Stop Fighting
by Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant “Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting; they remain in their strongholds. Their strength is exhausted; they have become weaklings. Her dwellings are set on fire; the bars of her gates are broken. One courier follows another and messenger follows messenger to announce to the king of Babylon […]
Meatloaf and Jesus
by Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant About fifteen years ago, I was helping a brand-new major gift officer at The Bowery Mission, one of our clients, as he began validating his first caseload. He was starting his work with donors who had been giving generously to The Bowery Mission, but had never […]
The Midway Dip: When Campaigns and Climbs Get Hardest Right Before the Thrill Returns
My daughter and I enjoying reaching the top! Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant As previously mentioned in my blog, last summer, I took my teenagers on a climb up Mt. Fuji. Our multi-day ascent up Japan’s tallest mountain began at the Subashiri 5th Station, nestled at 1,970 meters, where the trail winds […]
Congratulations, You’re 50. Consider the Alternative.
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant There’s a mug I drink from most mornings. It reads: “Congratulations, you’re 50. Consider the alternative.” I love that mug. It reminds me that while getting older is undeniably frustrating—aches, pains, and the cruel betrayal of my once-dependable body—the alternative isn’t all that appealing either. Lately, I’ve […]
The Gig That Never Happens—and the Gift That’s Never Given
(Image: Newspaper clipping from early 2000’s of Wendy’s first CD release.) Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant Years ago, when my wife, Wendy Curl, was just getting started in the music business, she received some advice about how to break into the local music scene. A well-meaning person told her that the […]