By Megan Rawlings
Ministry requires money . . . sometimes, a lot of money. All churches and ministries have bills and payrolls and need to buy supplies. So, how can a Christian organization access funds to help with their expenses? Let’s first look to the ultimate role model.
During his earthly ministry, Jesus had physical needs just as we all do. But he had consistent support from his followers. Everywhere he went, people were willing to take care of him and his disciples; they donated their time and personal possessions to further his calling. Men and women participated in his mission.
Over time, things have dramatically changed. In today’s society, donating to religious organizations has become, at times, almost a joke among nonbelievers. Scammers, unfortunately, have abused the system of Christian giving. It has ranged from TV evangelists asking for “seed money” to gain a financial “blessing” to other leaders asking for millions of dollars to pay for jets. In the process, innocent people have been burned and hurt by the church and various ministries that have squandered their gifts for less than honorable activities and purchases. This has damaged the credibility of our faith.
But that’s not how The Solomon Foundation operates. As a religious and financial entity, we want to offer you a safe way to give with a cheerful heart. To that end, we are creating a way for you to donate to your favorite charity or to one of our endowed funds through a gift that keeps on giving. Let me explain how this works.
The Solomon Foundation is creating a set of endowments through which Christians can help fund church growth through new facilities while also blessing specific aspects of ministry. Gifts to these funds will establish endowments. The endowments will provide annual grants to multiple areas of ministry. These gifts will allow TSF to grow exponentially and provide loans to churches for construction, building acquisitions and/or renovations. As churches pay back the money, the interest on these loans will go to bless missions and missionaries, churches coping with disasters, people training for ministry, and other kingdom-advancing initiatives.
This approach to Christian giving effectively turns a one-time gift into a recurring donation.
Planned giving and donations are opportunities to honor God with what he has given you. What a privilege to know that you used God’s blessings to further the impact of the gospel.
“True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth,” said the apostle Paul. “After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8, New Living Translation). In short, let us honor the Lord by being good stewards of whatever money is left over.
Does your legacy bring joy? Have you thought about your legacy at all? I would love to help you find where your next ministry opportunity will take place. We have established five funds through which you can make tax-deductible gifts.
Disaster Relief Fund
We don’t know what the future holds, but this fund enables us to be prepared. This fund was established to help churches amid real disaster. Whether that be flooding, tornado damage, or a fire, we want to continue the legacy of uniting together to share the burden so these churches, though perhaps disrupted, can continue to spread the gospel without worrying over how to pay to clean the mess.
Missions and Ministry Fund
Do you have a heart to support missionaries around the world? We have a fund for that! Donations to this fund will support missionaries, ministries, and more. Jesus clearly instructed his followers to go to all the nations to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But he didn’t stop there. Jesus told us to teach people to obey everything he commanded us. This is the perfect opportunity to help fund those who are doing this around the globe, while also helping us fulfill the Great Commission in our own nation.
Ministry Education Fund
According to Barna, 85 percent of pastors are age 41 or older, while 50 percent are 56 or older. It seems clear the younger generation is not entering into the ministry at the same rate as in the past. Lack of funding can be a barrier to a Christian college education. We want to make sure lack of money doesn’t prevent anyone from entering the ministry. This fund was created to serve students interested in ministry and the training institutions dedicated to serving them. Let’s ensure we have trained biblical leaders to lead the church into the future.
Restoration Movement Expansion Fund
To contribute to the Restoration Movement’s legacy, we must invest to make sure the New Testament is reflected in its ministries. That’s why we have established the Restoration Movement Fund, which is dedicated to the enhancement, education, and encouragement of all things having to do with this movement. Many churches are unaware of our history, so this endowment will help highlight its importance and our heritage.
Crozier Family Legacy Fund
Doug Crozier, CEO of The Solomon Foundation, is passionate for the church and its success. It’s one of his many admirable qualities. He created TSF because he saw a need for churches to find homes that invited strangers in and made them family, just as Christ encouraged us to do. However, Doug didn’t stop with helping congregations get buildings. That was just the beginning. The next step was to care for and minister to the leaders of these churches, ensuring they had pastors of their own serving as confidantes and mentors. This fund is designed to continue this legacy.
That’s five funds . . . but there could be more. If you have a ministry that is very dear to you that does not fit one of the funds I’ve described, you can create your own and even invite others to give to your passion project.
As vice president of planned giving, I am blessed with the opportunity to partner in ministry with folks like you. I have the privilege of helping you structure plans and donations that benefit you (through tax write-offs and more) and which, more importantly, advance the kingdom of God.
You can partner with us in multiple ways, such as charitable remainder unitrusts, donor advised funds, appreciated gifts, legacy gifts, end-of-year giving, and many others. I would love to talk with you about the many options and what it could look like for your family and your legacy.
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