By Jerry Harris
From its outset, The Solomon Foundation has sought to build the kingdom of God while giving investors a great return on their investment. Ministries follow their core values to help them reach their preferred future, and from the beginning, TSF’s values have guided their path to success.
When teaching about core values, Craig Groeschel relates some important guiding principles.
First, a core value is not something an organization aspires to do, but rather something it already does that is central to its purpose. When those core values are stated and understood, it keeps the ministry from the drifting that can occur due to changing circumstances, personnel, or growth. Core values define the identity of the ministry. We can aspire to values we haven’t achieved and set goals to that end; but we must not confuse our aspirations with our identity—who and what we actually are.
Second, core values need to be stated in simple and compelling terms. They need to be easy to remember and communicate. If it requires a lot of explanation or a long definition, it’s probably not what you think it is.
Third, core values must be transferable. They need to be easy to state and easy to receive, so they can be repeated over and over again. Groeschel uses words like “memorable, portable, and emotional” for core values. They need to be “tweetable, actionable, and inspirational.”
Walter Scott, the great evangelist of the early Restoration Movement, was called “the golden oracle” because of his relatable way of preaching. He is famously remembered for his five-finger exercise. He would lift up his hand and use it as an illustration of how a person could implement the gospel message in their personal life.
Scott would point to his thumb and say “faith.” He then would point to successive fingers and say, “repentance, baptism, remission of sins, and gift of the Holy Spirit.” It was such a simple illustration, but it conveyed mighty truth about receiving the gospel . . . and thousands of people responded.
Early on, The Solomon Foundation adapted that same principle of using a hand to convey its core values to those who would partner to invest in and build the kingdom through construction of church facilities.
Core Value 1: Honor God.
The thumb is the strongest of all the fingers; without it, it would be difficult to grip anything. Similarly, honoring God is the epicenter of all we do at The Solomon Foundation. Without it, TSF is just another not-for-profit . . . just another company. But with it, we are set apart from other financial institutions. Honoring God encapsulates the ultimate reason for everything we do.
Core Value 2: Point People to Jesus Christ.
The finger closest to the thumb is often referred to as the pointer finger (also: the forefinger and index finger). It serves to communicate direction. The success of TSF is determined not by financial growth so much as by the baptisms taking place in the churches we serve. The kingdom isn’t made up of buildings but of people who find the Lord, and it’s our desire to point people to him.
Core Value 3: Provide a Great Return on Investment.
If one puts their fingers together, it’s readily apparent the middle one is the tallest and, in a sense, the greatest. It reminds us that while we invest together in building the kingdom, God blesses us immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. Investing in TSF not only builds the kingdom, it provides a great return on investment not only in this life but also for eternity!
Core Value 4: Help Churches Get to the Next Step.
The next finger on the hand might be considered the weakest. Similarly, many churches today are struggling because they don’t have the tools they need to realize their kingdom dreams. TSF has always been committed to helping these churches get to the next step in order to accomplish those dreams. Churches and church leaders may wish to reach out and grow, but there are obstacles in the way, limiting or even stopping that growth. TSF uses investments to remove those obstacles and turn what had been weaknesses into strengths. Our history is a catalog of stories overcoming obstacles and helping churches to prevail. It’s what gets us fired up!
Core Value 5: Have Fun!
The last finger of the hand has a funny name . . . the pinky finger! When we accomplish our first four core values, it invariably produces a great deal of joy! At TSF, we love to celebrate the wins and we love to invest in that celebration and invite as many into it as possible! God’s Word is full of examples of celebration and joy, and we want to reflect that attitude for every victory and every harvest! God knows that ministers and ministries endure much hardship, so when great things happen, we need to relish it and enjoy it together. That’s why we invest in celebration!
These are The Solomon Foundation’s core values—it’s what we do because it’s a reflection of who we are. And we would like to share our ministry with you.
If you’re a church that wants to get to the next level, we have never wanted to be your banker . . . we don’t want a business relationship with you. We want to be your ministry partner and help you to increase the yield for an eternal harvest.
If you’re an investor, we never wanted to compete with worldly organizations for an increase of your investment dollars. Instead, we want to help facilitate the blessings God has given you to not only bless you with a great return on your investment, but also to let you realize a partnership in kingdom building that will pay eternal dividends. What 401(k) can do that?
We think that Walter Scott would be proud!
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