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History was made last week as America's first African-American president, Barack Obama, was sworn into office. According to U.S. News and World Report, Pastor Rick Warren's inaugural prayer steered clear of controversy - even as he prayed in Jesus' name.Click to read articleCick to read Warren's inaugural prayer 
In his first annual letter, Bill Gates talks about his work at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He speaks candidly about what has gone well, what hasn't, and what he and Melinda are learning along with their partners.Click to read the letterRelated: Recession squeezes even philanthropies of Gates, Allen 
Hunger, the Aids epidemic, sex trafficking, lack of clean water, abortion, unrest in the Middle East: The problems in today's world are numerous, and Christians are stepping up in unprecedented ways to help solve them. But what's the world's greatest social need? According to this Christianity Today editorial, it's something that evangelicals are especially gifted to meet!Click to read article 
Beyond just writing letters to their congressmen, today's generation is combining its passion for justice with technology and creativity to help change the world. Will it have an impact? Religion writer Patrick Butler thinks so! Check out his article as well as our related links to websites of young leaders and organizations that are making a difference.Click to read articleRelated: Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission Featured in The New YorkerRelated: Justin Dillon, musician and producer of Call and ResponseRelated: Jars of Clay and Blood:Water Mission 
Pursuing Ponzi Protection
(From Financial Wolves in Sheep's Clothing)
By Gary Moore
Founder, The Financial Seminary
Sarasota, Florida
January 2009
Bernie Madoff has apparently perpetrated a fifty billion dollar Ponzi-scheme that has devastated investor confidence, as well as several charities in Palm Beach. A hedge fund operator in my hometown of Sarasota has apparently perpetrated another swindle of three hundred and fifty million dollars. It too has affected hundreds, as well as the Y on whose board I serve and several other charities. The more things change... Thirty years ago, I trained at Merrill Lynch with a broker who, after leaving Merrill, perpetrated the largest Ponzi scheme in the history of Florida until Madoff. We attended church together and played tennis at his country club. Later, I served on the board of an international ministry affected by the New Era funding scandal, probably the largest Ponzi-scheme to hit our nation's charities. I then served on another major Christian board with Ken Lay of Enron, who was considered a most gracious and generous man. It's inevitable that you will lose some money during thirty years of investing. But I've thus far avoided the worst Ponzi-schemes and scandals largely by understanding these realities: 1) Financial con men never look and act like con men. (And they are usually men, though they usually have gracious and sociable wives.) Their schemes depend on confidence so they go to great lengths to look and act impeccably respectable. 2) So with the possible exception of a heavily regulated major trust company, never, ever, entrust one person or organization with all your investments. If you do use one financial advisor, have that person or institution diversify among non-affiliated investments. 3) Ponzi operators always insist on secrecy and total control; so always separate the management and custody of your money. The custodian can therefore provide a valuation of your holdings that is independent of your manager's assurances. 4) The victims of financial schemes are usually motivated by fear or greed, rarely caring how prudently or ethically their returns are generated. Look deeper, perhaps even utilizing "socially responsible" investments that look very deeply. That might help you avoid not only Ponzi-schemes but Enron, Worldcom and so on. 5) Never believe it won't happen again or to you. Note I said I've avoided such scandals "thus far." I know all too well we live in an age of synthetics, when wolf fur can be made to look remarkably similar to wool. *** Gary Moore was a senior vice president of Paine Webber before founding his own firm as "counsel to ethical and spiritual investors." He has written five books on the ethical management of money and has been a financial commentator for UPI. Major Foundation Falls to Madoff Fraud, Boston.com
This new book, edited in part by Gathering Conference presenter and award-winning journalist Roberta Green-Ahmanson, explores how secular journalists succumb to ineffective and inaccurate reporting when they either refuse to address, or just don't understand, a news story's religious significance. Visit the Blind Spot WebsiteRead a Wall Street Journal review of Blind SpotPreview Blind Spot on AmazonWatch a panel discuss the book on C-Span
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