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 […]
The Courage to Try: What One Doctor in Africa Taught Me About Fundraising
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant This past weekend, I was honored to attend InterVarsity President’s Fellowship gathering—a room filled with some of InterVarsity’s most generous and faithful supporters. But what stayed with me long after the event ended wasn’t a conversation about strategy or InterVarsity—it was a story told to me by […]
Yes, I Know a Guy—How Leaders Become Bridges Between Generosity and Restoration
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be a fundraiser. In high school, I was the VP of just about everything—driven, eager, and definitely not imagining I’d one day lead a consulting company helping others raise money for Kingdom work. And yet, here I am. Most of the […]
Please, Please, Please
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant I’ve always been a big Dolly Parton fan. She’s one of those rare people who somehow manages to be wildly successful, deeply grounded, generous, and hilarious—all at the same time. Her music, her storytelling, her philanthropy—it’s all wrapped in this sense of authenticity that makes you believe […]
When the First Answer Isn’t Good Enough
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant About five years ago, I got one of those phone calls. You know the kind: the ones that stop you in your tracks. The ones that make the rest of the world go quiet. Our family was in Africa at the time, combining a work trip with […]
Don’t Ask for a King: Prioritizing Faithfulness in Fundraising
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant “But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, ‘No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations…’” —1 Samuel 8:19–20 When Wendy and I were newly married, we lived in a small duplex […]
Chains and Freedom: A Tale of Two Ministries
Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant Recently, I had the incredible gift of being with two of our clients who, on the surface, couldn’t be serving more dissimilar groups of people. One serves male prisoners in Houston’s Carol Vance Unit (a correctional facility), and the other, college students at Arizona State University. But […]