ADDENDUM as of 2/5/09: While I am still excited about the materials I discuss in this post, it is with great sadness that I feel compelled to note I have discovered there are reasons for caution with respect to the sources referenced herein. With respect to Vision Forum Ministries and Doug Phillips, I call your attention to the series of articles at Ministry Watchman and Jen’s Gems. And with respect to Geoff Botkin, see Who is Geoffrey Botkin? at the Under Much Grace blog.

As with my previous posts, I can only offer a small fraction of the richness contained in the Vision Forum 200-Year Plan CD set.

In describing how he drafted his own 200-Year Plan, Geoff Botkin said two considerations motivated him in his quest: Read the rest of this entry »

ADDENDUM as of 2/5/09: While I am still excited about the materials I discuss in this post, it is with great sadness that I feel compelled to note I have discovered there are reasons for greater caution with respect to Mr. Phillips than I was aware of at the time I first wrote this post. I call your attention to the series of articles at Ministry Watchman and Jen’s Gems. There is much more, if you care to search. I believe these sources should provide warning enough.

–A continuation from Keeping the long view.

The word toledoth is the Hebrew word translated as “generations” in such passages as Genesis 2:4, 5:1, etc., in the King James version of the Bible:

• “These [are] the generations of the heavens . . . “
• “This [is] the book of the generations of Adam . . . “
• “These [are] the generations of Noah . . .”
• “Now “These [are] the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth . . . “
• And so forth.

According to Wilhelm Gesenius’s Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testamament Scriptures, toledoth means “genealogy” or “pedigree” or, “As a very large portion of the most ancient Oriental history consists of genealogies, it means . . . history.”

Strangely, Doug Phillips uses this Hebrew word as a key component in the title of his second set of presentations concerning a 200-Year Plan, two presentations he described as “The Family Toledoth.”

He mentions that toledoth means “generations,” but then, Read the rest of this entry »

ADDENDUM as of 2/5/09: While I am still excited about the materials I discuss in this post, it is with great sadness that I feel compelled to note I have discovered there are reasons for caution with respect to the sources referenced herein. With respect to Vision Forum Ministries and Doug Phillips, I call your attention to the series of articles at Ministry Watchman and Jen’s Gems. And with respect to Geoff Botkin, see Who is Geoffrey Botkin? at the Under Much Grace blog.

I’ve been listening to a presentation called The 200 Year Plan: A Practicum on Multi-Generational Faithfulness–a CD set put out by Vision Forum Ministries.

It was about three weeks ago that someone suggested I look at the program. Considering my own emphasis on multi-generational, indeed, 200-year plans and more, how could I not take a look?

So I purchased the series . . . and am glad I did!

Wow! Read the rest of this entry »

Back on August 6th and 7th, I wrote about some of the things I was learning in Carol Weisman’s slim but inspiring book Raising Charitable Children.

If you have children–or grandchildren–from about four- or five-years old through high school, this book is for you. Weisman offers incredibly helpful, totally practical counsel for parents or grandparents of the entire spectrum. And she is no armchair philosopher; she has “been there and done that.” Moreover, she has obviously thought long and hard about the kinds of practical questions you’d expect most authors to forget.

Some examples: Read the rest of this entry »

Are you a business owner? If so, what is the real inheritance you pass on to your children?

Gary North, in the same article from which I blogged yesterday, suggests that the family business may not be part of it at all.

Potentially distressing insight, but if duly heeded and acted upon, it may make a world of difference–to your children and everyone they touch. Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a book for mentoring kids about money that will “blow you away.” Highly readable, complete, practical, actionable. For “kids” from 5 to 18 . . . and beyond.

How do I like this book? Let me count the ways. Read the rest of this entry »

At the Generous Giving conference we attended back in April, they gave us a sheet titled “Journey of Generosity.” It’s intended as a self-diagnostic–Where are you, really, in your journey toward generosity?–and includes three suggested “stages” in the journey: from “Emerging Giver,” through “Maturing Giver,” and, finally, to “Generous Giver.”

On the back of the sheet, then, there is one more category of person, not exactly parallel with any of the first three. This category refers to people who are motivated to help others become Generous Givers: “Giving Champions”–i.e., not people who wow others by how much they give, but, rather, people who are committed to championing the cause of charitable giving. Read the rest of this entry »

I got a call this evening from someone I haven’t heard from in years. Totally out of the blue. We used to work in the same non-profit agency 17 years ago. He had been doing research on starting a family foundation and ran across our family’s foundation in a list of local entities.

“I know the Holzmanns!” he exclaimed. And called me up.

“I’m wondering if you might be able to provide some help . . . some advice . . . about starting and operating one of these foundations . . . ,” he said. He had no idea I’ve been working on StrategicInheritance.com.

I said I thought I just might be able to help. And so we spoke.

As I noted last month, I’ve been thinking of starting or sponsoring a mastermind group myself–or encouraging Generous Giving to sponsor such groups. In fact, the local Generous Giving rep has contacted me to talk about the subject. Hopefully we’ll get together soon.

But my friend’s call this evening just reinforced to me how valuable such groups could be.