John H Armstrong

Why Should You Give to ACT 3?

I often consider why questions. Why should I pray? Why should I faithfully attend and support my church? Why should I give to Christian missions and specific workers? Today I want to answer the why question about my work and the mission of ACT 3. Why should you give (or consider giving) to ACT 3?

• The vision of missional-ecumenism is profoundly important. Very few churches understand this message and even fewer actually do something about it. Almost none presently budget anything to support this important biblical vision. My best guess is less than 5% even think about this and less than 1% give to anything to nurture it.
• Leaders need to be “equipped for unity in Christ’s mission.” This is what I do every day -- intentionally and prayerfully “equip leaders for unity in Christ’s mission.” I do this by writing, teaching and mentoring. I do not limit this to young leaders but I specifically target them because I believe the future will require leaders who understand this vision and know how to respond to the global and North American realities that are becoming apparent every day.
• There are a lot of ministries and organizations that stress mission and missional church. (Very few actually understand the term missional and even less seek to put this into real practice.) There are even more ministries that stress ecumenism and Christian unity, though few in the evangelical Protestant world. But, and this is why ACT is crucial, there are very few that stress the two biblical truths together. Yet this is precisely what John 13:34-35, 17:20-23 and 20:21 plainly teach. The reason for ACT 3 is as plain these three texts and a theme that runs right through the whole Bible. These Johannine texts clearly summarize a great deal of Jesus’ teaching ministry on earth and his purpose for the kingdom he established through the blood of his covenant.
• I personally provide a number of resources for thinking and growing Christian leaders, both pastors and lay leaders. In fact, the growing majority of my work is in the marketplace, not inside typical churches. Churches seem intent on running business as usual. I am committed to challenging “business as usual” so my audience is not large among busy pastors who are forced to run the local organization of a congregation. (This in itself is a problem but one that cannot be addressed here.) The rise of “marketplace theology” (see The Cape Town Commitment from Lausanne 2010) is now global and ACT 3 is strategically placed to respond to this growing kingdom movement, both in North America and beyond.
• ACT 3 does not need a large amount of money to do a great amount of good. If, and this is me openly dreaming here, we had the money to meet our budget and retire our debt then, and only then, would I invest in new growth. That new growth would not be in personnel or office space. It would be in the Internet, so we could spread this message more broadly and effectively. It would be in personal conversations with leaders that would teach and motivate them to pursue missional-ecumenism in the place where they work and live. It would not be large or impressive but it would be highly effective. Most important growth and change is not seen on the surface of things.
• Christian theology must be done by all Christians together. But most of us will never learn the importance of doing theology in an ecumenical context until we actually see and experience it. ACT 3 stands as an icon, as a beacon, as a messenger, for this call to ecumenical theology. We call on leaders to “do theology” in relationships with the living and the dead; i.e. the whole Christian Church. Time and time again I’ve seen this actually happen. A few days ago, at the Acton University in Grand Rapids, I saw the power of this as Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox discussed public theology together. Friends that I influence said to me, “Seeing this and experiencing it convinced me of the power of your big idea!” Yes, this big idea has a great deal of power but you will never discover this in books!
• Finally, where can you contribute to the future of the church in a way that is profoundly biblical, deeply centered on Jesus and loving faithful to the whole Christian tradition in its fullness? ACT 3 does what our name says – Advancing the Christian Tradition in the Third Millennium. If you are convinced that sectarian Christianity is the enemy of real mission and renewal would you prayerfully consider helping us do what our name and mission express?

You can donate to ACT 3 by sending a check to:

ACT 3

P. O. Box 88216

Carol Stream, IL 60188

You can also donate online by giving a one-time gift or by becoming a regular recurring donor at ACT 3.

Donor Fatigue?

It is my intentional practice to rarely ask for donor support, through this blog or by any other means. We do not do donor meals, donor fund-raising specials or phone calling for support. I actually know most of our donors personally and most of them do not need to be reminded that we need their support. Historically ACT 3 has mailed only two appeals per year. One is the President’s Letter sent in May. The other is a Year End Appeal which is sometimes from me and more often from the chairman of our board. In the pre-Internet era we mailed our appeals via the postal service. Now we mail only one each year. This year I did not send the President’s Letter in May.

Recently I received an appeal from my friend Jim Kushiner, at Touchstone. He referred to what some have called donor “fatigue.” This is a real feeling that some have experienced in our present economic downturn. Jim noted that when he shared his concerns about "fatigue," a donor responded with the following comments:

--I work part-time as a Youth Director at a small church.  "Donor fatigue" defines my work-a-day world.

  --I have come to realize that, like myself, most people don't mind being asked when they know there is real need.

--Because people cannot give one time, does not mean they can't the next.

--I subscribe to all three of your periodicals, and have also donated to specific appeals, but I cannot this time.  I'll have two in college in the fall.

--Please don't stop asking.  If you didn't ask, I, and others, would forget and assume all is well.

This describes our donors and friends perfectly. Most are not able to give as they would like to give. I know this because you tell me so. Some of our friends cannot give at all. Those who do give really sacrifice in many cases. I understand this very well. My own salary was reduced substantially in 2008 and has never gone back to the amount of the 2008 budget. We’ve had to scramble, cut this and that out of our lives, and just make ends meet. We are not poor, not by any stretch. I actually own my home, something very few can say at age 62. This provision was itself a huge gift many years ago. (Some family and friends believed we should be debt free if we were to live on faith. That was a huge directional shift that has allowed us to stay in our lovely home. Had this not happened we would have  moved in 2008 or 2009. The taxes and upkeep are bad enough!) So any rumors of our demise are false. God sustains us and even encourages us when “donor fatigue” sets in during times like the present.

But, and this is so important, you are our sole means of financial assistance. You – the readers of my work (through blogs, via the ACT 3 Weekly, by published books, etc.), churches and ministries that receive my teaching without charge, leaders who I mentor day-in and day-out, and good “friends” who simply love us -- you make ACT 3 happen through your gifts and prayer.

Our typical gifts come from ordinary people who sacrifice. Some sacrifice in remarkable ways! Most are people like us without great wealth at all. We receive regular gifts from people living on small retirement checks. We have even received gifts from people who gave because of an inheritance received from a deceased parent. Every single gift passes by me after it has been deposited and receipted. I thus pray for every single donor!

Our needs are not great. Our total operational (revised) budget is around $180,000. This includes two salaries, expenses for daily operations, travel (the largest portion besides salaries), Internet costs, an automobile, etc. We also continue to pay down a business card debt that left us with an unpaid balance at the end of the disastrous year of 2008. (This card was always paid off month-by-month and then paid in full by the end of each year if there was any balance. It was used for operational expenses until we could no longer pay the full amount at the end of 2008. This had never happened in the 14 years prior to the Great Recession. Now we pray that we can someday pay the balance in full while in the meantime we pay down small amounts each month.)

Summers usually bring the biggest challenge. We have missed more paychecks, and often struggled the most, in the summer months. This is the time when we must manage our lives in view of partial checks or no checks. The good news is that this is not likely to happen this summer! There are several reasons for this but as recently as March of this year we had such a financial crisis. God mercifully intervened and things are more stable right now. This happened because friends rose up and gave in a fantastic way when the need was made known. This doesn’t mean that we do not need gifts now just that we can plan on the next few weeks without the concern of not getting a paycheck. (Some of you reading this are out of work and this reminds me of how we’ve been spared the worst in this bad economy. Those of you I know who are in this place I pray for often and pray for you to get work.)

I know almost every ministry under the sun appeals for help in the summer. Please realize that no one enjoys doing this at all. But it is the way things are in a non-profit world, especially when money is not coming from large grants. Such appeals come to me almost every day. I give as much as I can, especially to friends I admire and trust who are doing solid kingdom work.

This brings me back to the question of “donor fatigue.” I am sure this is a real experience for some of you. I am fatigued myself at times. But I still find giving a great joy. It is in that vein that I ask you again to support ACT 3 now or even later in 2011. You can send a check to:

ACT 3

P. O. Box 88216

Carol Stream, IL 60188

You can also give online at ACT 3. There is a secure giving feature at this web site which allows you to give a one-time gift or even to set up regular gifts. Receipts will be sent for all gifts.

Tomorrow: Why Give to a Mission Like ACT 3?

The Stewardship Principle in the Epistle to the Hebrews

A resource that I have come to increasingly cherish, through regular use, is the NIV Stewardship Study Bible. It sounds rather boring doesn’t it? Who wants a whole study Bible just on stewardship? But if you think about it what could be more important, at least for real Christians, than to get a better grasp on what the Word of God says about our being good stewards? Stewardship is a virtual synonym for discipleship in the New Testament so I submit this study Bible is a genuinely worthwhile tool. The Stewardship Council, formed in Michigan in May of 2005, the Acton Institute, now over twenty years old, and the publisher, Zondervan, all three partnered to create this lovely, unique resource. Donors made it possible for every person who attended the Lausanne gathering in South Africa last October to each get a copy of this Bible.

The Stewardship Council seeks to reclaim the privilege of our role as stewards of our gracious and generous God. Its mission is to produce resources to foster effective stewardship. The mission of Acton Institute, which I have the privilege of serving with as a teaching fellow, is to promote a free and virtuous society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles. Acton aims to educate the leaders in the church, in business and in the academy.

The Stewardship Study Bible suggests in the introduction to the Letter to the Hebrews that “the looming persecution of the church reveals the primary stewardship principle of Hebrews: to throw off what hinders” (1606).

The point here is that you cannot successfully run a race with excess cargo. Christians are called to run in a race, not to walk in a leisurely stroll. Contestants in this race of life must “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (12:1). While it is not extremely difficult to spot sin, especially if you’ve been a Christian for some time, it is much harder to acknowledge those things that hinder us. Why? Things that hinder us are not always sinful. They are not even bad for us, at least in themselves. The issue is not “right” versus “wrong” when it comes down to buying this or indulging that. The issue is: “Will this hinder the pursuit of the kingdom of God and my divine holiness?” What is truly best for my spiritual growth in holistic stewardship? This, says the NIV Stewardship Study Bible, is how we determine what is best for our long term race.

Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that one of our greatest stumbling blocks in pursuing whole life discipleship is the pursuit of material stuff. Things are not evil. But our pursuit of things takes time, attention and much of the energy of our mind and heart. These can easily divert us from the joy that has been set before us as people of faith (12:2).

What Do You Really Sacrifice for the Kingdom?

Self-denial is generally misunderstood by Christians. The common wisdom seems to be that self-denial is denying yourself something that you should not do in the first place. Such is simply not the case. We truly deny ourselves when we refuse to do something that we are free to do but then choose to surrender because of the Spirit’s leading us to give for the sake of Christ’s kingdom. The spiritual irony here is that nothing we ever give up will not be replaced, if not in this life, then clearly in the next. This does not mean that we are all called to make a vow of poverty. The church has never taught such an idea except in cultic contexts. A vow of poverty is a voluntary witness made by a few who are called to witness to the gospel in this unique way.

But all of us, rich and poor, can make free choices to forego legitimate pleasures and activities for the kingdom. This thinking comes to bear particularly on those of us who earn a pretty decent amount of money. The truth is that the vast majority of you who read this blog are in the top 5-7% of the world in average income. We all have discretionary money that we can use for something we enjoy or we can freely give up to invest in the kingdom. I was once amazed at how few Christians understood this simple truth but now I am amazed when I meet someone who does understand it. We are lulled into this lifestyle by several common mistakes:

1. What we earn we are free to spend anyway that we choose so long as we tithe, especially if we give away larger sums of money.

2. If we make more money then we are entitled to spend more on ourselves since the Lord has blessed us so abundantly. Living in opulence is good for others and a robust economy.

3. Wealth is inherently good (“the love of money is the root of all evil” NOT “money” in and of itself) so the more we have and spend on our own family the better we provide for those we love. We are all entitled to live the “American Dream” because we live in America so long as we honestly earn our money.

4. We all need to have enough money to provide for our long term future lest we presume on God to provide for us or become paupers someday.

I could list a few more common myths but these are enough to establish my central point.

With this in view I recently watched the testimony of a businessman named Alan Barnhart, a brother in Christ that I do not know. This is one of my all-time favorite stories of how much more blessed it is to give rather than to receive. This man is not preaching “health and wealth” nor is he telling anyone what they should do about their life, their business or their personal income. If you are inspired by this then act. I wonder what would happen if ordinary younger men and women would put this type of faith into practice and then see what happens over the course of the next 20-25 years. If you feel guilty when you watch and listen to Alan you should ask, “Why?” It could be that you do not understand the freedom Alan speaks of so eloquently in his simple, compelling testimony.

Help Determine CNN’s Top Hero for 2010

I do not normally promote a cause like this, in fact I cannot ever remember doing so on my blog spot, but today I make an exception. Two long time good friends of mine in California, Scott and Kim Reno, have a special relationship with a brother who has been nominated for an award to soon be given by CNN. The man’s name is Harmon Parker. Harmon has been nominated as one of CNN’s top ten Heroes for 2010. Scott wrote the following to me this week telling me about his friend. I share it with you in order to urge you to vote for this deserving brother in Christ.

I’ve known Harmon since 1983 and have been supporting his work in Africa since 1986. He is a man of high integrity with a heart to serve those who are in need of a unique gift he brings to those in the bush of Kenya – BUILDING BRIDGES - Bridges that save thousands of lives and bridges that connect human lives.
Harmon is the founder of Bridging The Gap and has been building foot bridges in Kenya for the better part of 20 years and his stellar efforts are truly worthy of this recognition.  CNN received over 10,000 nominations from over 100 countries which adds to the amazement of this honor.  Harmon will receive, along with the other top ten nominees, $25,000 for Bridging the Gap.  If he were to be named the Top CNN Hero of the Year, he would receive an additional $100,000 for his organization.  On Thanksgiving night, at the CNN Awards Gala in Los Angeles (which Kim & I will be attending), the Top CNN Hero of the Year will be selected and that person will be chosen by folks like you and me.  You can vote immediately and continue through November 18th.  It's very easy - you can vote online by going to: http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive10/harmon.parker.html

I hope you will take the time to cast your votes for Harmon and read more about Bridging the Gap.  Another thing you may want to consider is becoming a regular supporter of Bridging the Gap. Passing this news on to your family, friends, and colleagues, encouraging them to vote, would be greatly appreciated.
You can vote as many times a day as you like (or have time to).
You can also check out Harmon’s ‘Bridging the Gap’ website at
http://www.bridgingthegapafrica.org/

Fidelitas Dei!
Scott & Kim Reno

I have already voted a few times and will vote some more. I hope you will do the same. This man is doing a great work for those who are in real need in Kenya and doing it as Christ’s ambassador. I trust Scott & Kim enough to tell you that I believe Harmon is worthy of your support.

Give Me Neither Poverty Nor Riches

The wise man wrote: “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name” (Proverbs 30:8b-9, NLT).

America is truly the richest nation in the world, indeed the richest nation ever. Yet the gap between rich and poor increases every year in this land of abundance. But if we are such a rich nation, and most of you who read this blog are relatively rich in comparison to everyone else in the world, why is it that so many of us are still in need of more money?

Most of you would say, with me, “God provides for all my needs and then much more.” Yet we still want/need more. ACT 3 is running behind financially and I sometimes still worry about that more than I should. I want to give more to my church and to other worthwhile missions and people but I am making far less these days and cannot give as much as I did in 2008. Simply put, worries about money are a part of my life and are for almost all of us, at least to some extent.

What does true faith say to this kind of anxiety?

First, quite a few great Christians have lived in poverty, something you hardly ever hear from the American church. Joseph and Mary were poor, as was Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord and Savior. When the eternal Word became flesh he became poor in human flesh in every possible way. Have you ever thought about this question? Who could have used the excuse of Jesus meeting their financial needs as their basis for following him in the flesh? And most of those Jesus called to follow him in his lifetime were poor. (There are some amazing exceptions too, such as his friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha who likely provided a loving “home” for him on many occasions between journeys here and there.)

I am reminded of the life of St. John Bosco, an Italian priest who devoted his life to caring for delinquent boys. I saw the incredible story of John Bosco in a film titled Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love, a few months ago. It is one of the better Christian biographies that I have seen on modern film.  Even with the help of wealthy benefactors John Bosco never seemed to have enough. But John Bosco refused to worry. When he received warnings of impending financial disaster he smiled and answered, “God will provide.” Rather than winning the admiration of multitudes for his great faith and amazing work his trust caused many to actually doubt his true godliness. His apostolic mission touched the common person and he lived in faith and love.

God does not want you to worry about money either. But if you have any difficulties with money, as most of us do, then this may be one way he teaches you to trust him all the more. It may also be a means to teach you how to give even more generously. I have found this to be true time and time again. The Lord does provide but first and foremost he asks that you actively trust him.

“Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms,” said St. Francis de Sales.

St. Paul of the Cross advises: “When you need something, take heart and cry out to the Lord. But remain in peace in the will of God without the least anxiety.”

I’m not sure about you but I need that kind of counsel. And I need to stop watching the markets, the mission budget of ACT 3 and my own personal (and health) needs so intently.

I love the bumper sticker I recently read about: “If you love Jesus, tithe! Any fool can honk!”

The Financial Needs of ACT 3 at the End of 2007

Each year the mission of ACT 3 depends on year-end donations to make the difference in meeting our budget and finishing the calendar year without debt. This is no less true in 2007 than in the past. We have improved our situation by adding more regular donors, including many who use our secure Web site donations feature, but our cash short fall is still an issue as we approach December 31st.

Readers of this blog will include some who visit this site to read and enjoy, or even to find new reasons to disagree with me and the opinions I offer on various subjects that relate to Christian faith and culture. I am very glad that you visit this site and welcome you to gain anything from these posts that you can.

Others who read these blogs become more interested in the mission behind the blogs. This means that some of you would like to be informed of our needs in order to be good stewards. If you are inclined at all to support ACT 3 the remainder of this post is for you. This post is thus a year-end financial report and appeal.

First, we had a short-fall of about $19,000 at the end of November. This exists as one bill, on a single bank ministry card. (Growing interest is what we try to avoid by paying this off by December 31.) This bill includes day-to-day items such as office supplies, postage, brochures, travel, auto expense, health, ACT 3 Forums, brochures, telephone, Web site management, etc. The problem we encounter in paying each of these expenses during the year is common to small missions and for us happens every year. And every year we have had anywhere from $25,000 to $65,000 in year-end gifts (total) from about 50-100 people. This total giving amount has always been enough to bring us back and sometimes has even been large enough to help us grow the work a bit more in the year ahead. My hope is to build more regular giving in 2008 so this is less of a problem next year. But given the nature of seasonal giving to a mission like ACT 3 this will likely always be a simple reality. (Summer, for example, is always a down period for regular giving.)

The good news is this---we survived an overall downturn that began about 2001. Recent years (2006 and 2007) have shown new growth in our giving patterns. I believe that our ministry changes, which are embraced by some and intensely disliked by others, have repositioned us for a stronger mission to many more churches and leaders. To the praise of our gracious God we have not been buried in the process. (Some told us we would never survive the changes we made but by God's grace the opposite has been the case.) Our work is uniquely settled now to serve the whole Church, not just a small Reformed part of it. Indeed, I have never personally been more excited about the future of ACT 3. I feel free, totally empowered and very ready to move ahead with some things that can do even greater good for many more people, churches, schools and missions. I want you to know that your part in all of this, if you have supported us, has been very important.

While Anita and I pray about these matters daily we know that many of you will also pray with us and do all that you can, as the Lord leads you, to help us at the end of this year. I wanted to publicly share some of these personal details and assure you who do give of my appreciation for your past help and to let you know that we do need it again in any amount that you can give in the next few weeks. I also hope that many of you who have never given to ACT 3 will consider a one-time gift at our secure site. Some of you might even think of becoming recurring donors when you visit the site. 

I believe that the desire to give to any kingdom work comes from God alone. The amount is determined in the heart. I make no other appeals but that you prayerfully do whatever you "purpose in your heart to do." This is the freedom we all have in Christ and I respect that with all my heart and do not presume anything in writing this public appeal.

Bill Clinton on Giving and the Rise of Volunteerism

Whenever an ex-president releases a new book there is considerable buzz in the media. When Bill Clinton released a new book in Chicago this week the buzz was more than considerable. President Clinton’s new book, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (Knopf 2007), is sure to provoke good and important discussion. My hope is that those who love him, as well as those who despise him for whatever reason, will take a long look at his central argument (even it they refuse to buy his book). The argument he makes is simple and he uses stories to make it—each of us can make an important difference in the world, a much greater difference than we’ve ever imagined.

You can see the Clinton interview with Borders online. It is well worth watching. I found this immensely interesting. President Clinton argues, correctly of course, that there is pile of new wealth that has been made by younger and younger people in our American context. More and more of these new entrepreneurs want to give away more and more of their wealth before they die in order to get involved in how their giving can make a real difference in the world. This trend comes at the same time as the rise of Internet giving and the development of non-governmental organizations that want to help change people’s lives in very poor countries. The result of these three recent trends is “micro-credit.” You can invest $100 in a poor farmer or businessman in an impoverished country and this investment becomes a loan that will likely be paid back in time. (Clinton says 98% of those who get the money pay back the loan when it has been given through well-managed agencies.) The donor can then choose to reinvest his small loan or get the money back. It is a simple procedure that can make a world of difference by reaching one person at a time. Developments like these underscore the power of the Internet revolution.

For some years I have known people who were associated with Acton Institute, a work I strongly support, who have encouraged this kind of loan and taught Christians about the initiative that it creates in building sound economies and growing businesses. It makes sense if you think about it at all. You become, in effect, a micro-credit banker, working with an international agency to help someone located anywhere in the world. Clinton mentions one such lending agency, Kiva, which I have not had opportunity to investigate carefully. I would love to know more about Kiva if anyone has a response to share based on their experience. Maybe you’ve become a micro-credit banker yourself and have a story to share that would encourage others. I want to know more and I desire to get involved myself.

Clinton argues that volunteerism is on the rise in our society. He rightly argues that such a rise is vital to the health of democracies. He even suggests that volunteerism is the “imprint” of the youngest generation saying that there is more evidence for volunteerism among the young than among any previous group of adults in U.S. history. (I assume he means by this that the percentage of people actually involved is the largest, since the money itself could not have reached that point yet.) It seems that the emerging generation is clearly doing more to serve others than any generation since before the baby-boom generation stormed the scene in the 1960s and beyond.

Finally, a few personal observations. I am not generally a fan of Bill Clinton’s views on some issues. I also remain a political skeptic of sorts, especially when he promotes Hillary as a leading advocate of this kind of volunteerism. It “feels” political to me but then I could be way too cynical at this point. Second, Clinton is advocating something that Christians ought to care about deeply but my baby-boom generation does not, at least not in very large numbers. Third, I think one major reason for the rise of emergent Christian movements parallels what we see in Clinton’s book. This generation is fed up with constant arguments and the church conceived as winners and losers. It wants to get involved in community activities that make a difference in the lives of others. The Internet feeds this and allows it to develop in fresh ways. (The Internet also allows the angry polemicists to have their venue as well. The Internet is a true democracy, at least of ideas, at work.) 

I pray that God will use this movement and in the process build a new kind of Christianity in the West. I am personally fed up with the kind of Christianity that wants to stoke the fires of constant polemics. I embrace theology seriously and believe it is important for ecclesial health. The problem is that some in my generation have made the study of, and their arguments about, theology the whole ballgame. This is, simply put, idolatry. I call it the idolatry of concepts. If it takes Bill Clinton, and a host of others, to help us all rethink our role in the world as servants rather than mere consumers then I welcome it even though I did not vote for him.

How You Can Help Me and ACT 3

In our May 14-16 annual meeting, the board of ACT 3 adopted a ten-year vision plan that grew out of a deep unity God granted to us. We believe that God gave this overall plan and then confirmed it with a strong case for this ministry. This statement can be found on our Web site home page in “The Case for the Mission of ACT 3.”

I humbly ask you who read this blog to carefully read this Case Statement. I am also asking you to help us in a specific way to carry out this mission. It is our hope that in reading this Case Statement you will be moved to participate. I need all of you who read this blog, and find benefit in this ministry, to become regular donors. The ideal way that you can help is by making monthly or quarterly gifts. Our goal is to build a team who will underwrite the support of this ministry. We seek in this way to avoid special appeals and seasonal pleas, and an unhealthy reliance on seeking large gifts. We believe that our future can truly be sustained by the support of faithful donors.

Here is what is specifically needed:

    50 donors who give $250 per month
    50 donors who give $100 per month
    100 donors who give $50 per month
    100 donors who give $25 per month

No gift is too small. We still need many more donors at $25 and $50 as I write this morning. When these goals are met we will be able to hire a full-time Director of Communications, allowing us to produce scores of media interviews while dramatically upgrading our Internet-based outreach, blog spot, and print ministry.

We will continue to “give away” our counsel and many of our content-based resources, as well as our ministry to churches and schools. It is in this way, we believe, that ACT 3 will have a unique opportunity for our strongest contribution yet to the missional renewal of the Church. As you know, many ministries are fee-based, which is not wrong. We have chosen to be donor-based and thus unashamedly encourage you to help us in this manner. 

As a regular contributor to ACT 3 you will be critical to the health of this ministry.  I see my donors as part of a special team, and intend to keep in close contact with you, via mail and email, personal gatherings and individual conversations. I will also keep you informed by sending our audio updates and other new resources, as an expression of our gratitude.

Since I seek to build significant relationships and share crucial ideas that can shape the hearts of Christian leaders for the future this philosophy is what works for us. We believe that our real capital is the principles that God gives to us, which in turn will be “seeded” into the church as our gift. Please help me do this if you can. The largest gift you can possibly make to ACT 3 will be a huge blessing to our mission. Your response will also help us as we consider our budget and look forward to adding a Director of Communications.

You can make a gift now through our very user-friendly donor feature at www.act3online.com. You can also sign up there to be a recurring donor, which is the optimal way to help us.

And thanks to all who are deeply concerned about this ministry. We are a 501c3 charity thus you will receive a proper receipt for any gifts you give to ACT 3 if you live in the United States.

Americans Giving at Record Numbers

Charitable giving in America has risen for the third consecutive year. The picture behind this recent report is rather interesting. Due to the absence of natural disasters, both nationally and internationally, large giving to major relief projects declined. Giving to human services also fell. The giving of corporate America rose only 1.5%. But in a shift from previous years giving to the arts and to cultural and humanities organizations grew rather significantly. The lion's share of giving is still done by individuals, not by foundations, bequests and corporations. In fact, individual giving was about four times the amount given by all of these other sources combined, demonstrating once again that when individuals have the freedom to gain wealth they are enabled to share. But, as always, the largest percentage of giving was not among the rich. (This comment is not one meant to oppose affluence since there are several reasons why this remains true, and not all of these reasons suggest that the rich are universally uncharitable in the least. There is not a simple pattern here to explain this fact.)

Philanthropy in general, and especially religious philanthropy, remains about the same as in previous years. The single biggest category of charitable giving in the United States also remains the same, year-in-and-year-out. Donations to religious congregations and missions was 32.8% of the total, which reflects a rise of 4.5% to $96.82 billion. Giving to education, and a great deal of this is private religious education, was the second largest category, rising 9.8% to $40.98 billion. Probably most of the readers of this blog gave to both categories heavily in 2006.

The rise in the stock market also seems to have had a positive impact on giving as more and more private foundations gave larger amounts in 2006. Foundations give grants and these are often larger if the market prospers. This accounted for 14.2% of the total charitable giving in 2006 and again a great deal of this, I am quite sure, went to religiously based charities.

Charitable bequests are actually declining as more and more people are urged to give larger sums before they die. By this means they can keep a closer eye on what happens to their money and how it is actually spent. They also get the satisfaction of seeing how their money really helped others. Of course, pride can lurk nearby but this is a matter of the heart that must be left to God alone in terms of dealing with the sin.

Charitable giving made up 2.2% of the nation's gross domestic product in 2006. Warren Buffett got the headlines last year for giving away $1.9 billion of his personal fortune. (I have real doubts about the long-term good of what he is investing this money in but I commend him for giving it, whatever the reason.) The chairman of the Giving USA Foundation cautioned that we realize one again that small gifts are just as important to the health of the non-profit sector as out-sized ones. The simple reason is that there are far more of them. To illustrate this point he noted that 65% of individual giving comes from homes with less than $100,000 in annual income, adding, "That's an important nuance." Importance nuance for sure!

It is the last paragraph that interested me the most since I direct a non-profit ministry that depends on the generous gifts of people who earn less than $100,000. (I would make an educated guess that less than 10% of the donors to ACT earn more than this figure annually.) I wish that I could convince more people that many people giving smaller amounts---$25, $50 and $100 a month---can make all the difference in the world to an organization like ACT 3. 

I welcome you comments and your gifts. Both are needed. If you would like to help us you can go to our Web site at www.act3online.com. We have a new, easy-to-navigate, donation feature on our home page that will allow both one-time gifts and regularly scheduled gifts. I am immensely grateful for readers who help us in whatever way that they can. Our need is not huge but our heart is genuinely filled with gratitude for all our friends.

And remember, a free-market society, rooted in altruism, is still a major part of what makes America a great nation. Give thanks for all charitable giving, which exceeds that of any nation in history, and thank God for the prosperity that we all enjoy. Even if you are among the lower class economically in America you still live much better than 97% of the rest of the world. And if you have more money than most this should not produce guilt in you, which serves no charitable purpose in the end. Be filled with gratitude and learn to be a better steward. Out of this gratitude give abundantly and cheerfully. God is honored. Affluence can do great good. Use it wisely!