Rick Cousins

There was a time when faithful Christians were generally poor. In the early church, clutter and the overflow of material goods, knickknacks, tchotchkes and other such artifacts were simply not a concern.

Before we begin today, please ask yourself what one of the first items you'd hand to a group of underprivileged youth would be. You're a staffer of a local, urban-outreach ministry seeking to encourage and inspire. What will you choose to provide to challenge them?

Last week we talked about Galveston Urban Ministries (GUM) as it transitioned from its founder, Josh Dorrell, to its new leader, Brandon Williams. Today, we'll interview the latter about his calling and his vision for this faith-based nonprofit.

One does not look to this faith column for financial advice. Still, there are several ways that houses of worship, nonprofits and donors can lose if non-cash gifts are offered

You've met many pastors in this space. Most have been in established churches with ongoing ministries that reach into their communities from a built-out church campus.

It's hard to be sure which way established religion is headed as far as statistics suggest, but one thing we have noted with some certainty: Newly founded churches hardly ever see their tenth birthday.

Imagine, if you will, a young Marine sergeant. One who finds himself lying prone on the ground outside the southern Iraqi city of An Nasariyah back in 2003.

The burdens which fall on pastors, especially in small churches, are manifold. After leaving seminary, they encounter unexpected challenges such as insurance matters; budget, expense and accounting conundrums; and even the care and keeping of their church's physical plant.

On Oct. 16, 1966, it was the Texas City home of Josie Lee Matthews where the gospel quartet, the Voices of the Mainland, came to be. Its charter crew: L.H. McCray, Val Marie Maxey, Doyle Bryant, Robert E. Maxey and Henry White.

You might have a harder career than those of us who write for magazines and journals, but when such concerns are tallied, industrial contracting seems to fall among the most challenging.