The values-expressive character of many private, nonprofit organizations is what distinguishes them from business and government organizations. The distinctive character of these organizations creates a special context for their management. This article examines the origins and development of private nonprofits in the religious realm and explores the implications of this character for management and for education of nonprofit managers.

A famous Supreme Court justice once commented that he could not define pornography, but he knew it when he saw it. There are those who make the same kind of claims about what have come to be called faith-based organizations (FBOs). Given the amazing variations in judgments by different people as to what organizations should be included in or excluded from this category, however, it seems that all such claims should be viewed with deep suspicion.At the beginning of their article proposing a typology of such organizations, at least of those in the fields of social service and education, Ronald Sider and Heidi Rolland Unruh (this issue) stated:The debates over the faith-based initiative have underscored the critical need for a new vocabulary that more accurately reflects the complex realities in contention. The current catch-all term faith-based organizations confuses and divides because no clear definition exists of what it means to be faith-based. (p. 109-110)As a long-time scholar of these organizations, as well as a person responsible for leading and managing one, I can only say, "Amen."It is certainly true that the public debates about the purposes, roles, operations, and funding of these organizations-and the research conducted on them-are made much more complicated, and often less helpful, by the ambiguity and confusion of the terms and concepts. Developing better conceptual frameworks and language ought to help resolve some of these difficulties. It is that conviction that inspired me to create the earliest effort in this direction

This article explores a concept central to much of the literature about trustees and managers of nonprofit organizations-stewardship. The concept's sacred origins show it to mean Jar more than just economic prudence. An exegesis of the biblical roots of stewardship shows how understanding of the tasks of contemporary trustees and managers in secular nonprofit organizations can be enriched and broadened.

The primary objective of this preliminary study was to ascertain the concentration of endotoxin in a variety of Australian water types, including recycled water. A total of 42 sampling sites were surveyed, the majority on at least 2 separate occasions (total number of samples analysed was 76). Samples were collected from a variety of locations throughout Australia including: drinking water distribution (12), drinking water reservoir (4), wastewater treatment train (11) and finished recycled water (15). Class A recycled waters, defined microbiologically in Australian regulations as having <10 E. coli per 100 mL, where the treatment train did not include membrane filtration, gave rise to an average measured endotoxin concentration of 2.030 Endotoxin Units (EU) per mL (N=7). For recycled Class A water samples, where membrane filtration was part of the treatment train (N=3) the average endotoxin concentration was 41 EU/mL. Measured endotoxin concentrations in drinking water varied from <4 to 119 EU/mL. Results of this preliminary study indicate that endotoxin concentrations in recycled water may be reduced to levels at least as low as those found in drinking water but for some recycled waters, where membrane filtration is not practiced, higher endotoxin concentrations may persist.

The goal of this article is to identify and explore the patterns of formation and development ofsmallerreligiousnonprofitserviceorganizations-thosethatoftenbegininthebasements of some religious congregations-and to examine the transitions that they go through to become viable, self-sustaining entities. Based on a review of the available literature and extensive fieldwork, the authors propose insights into these issues as well as suggestions regarding when external intervention and support are worthwhile.