Advancing sustainable solutions to material poverty through church missions.
The North American Church is losing ground in attendance, influence, credibility and virtually every other category that really matters. In this day and age, many see the church as the hope of the world only as it “proves” itself in practical ways that touch the everyday needs of everyday people. But that’s not a cry for more traditional forms of charity or the missionary model of the past 200 years. Instead, thoughtful people, from Millennials to Boomers, are looking for churches that have moved from simply doing good things to solving real problems in lasting ways. Churches that invest in this kind of mission work become more helpful in lifting people out of poverty and better partners to ministries on the frontlines. They also become more relevant and credible to their community, more fulfilling to both pastor and people, and more appealing to those on the margins looking for a reason to attend a church.
Our mission is to help churches reframe their missions and charitable work around sustainable solutions and create room for business-minded people who can help that happen. Our annual SATtalks and other resources highlight some of the most innovative churches and faith-based ministries around the world working to move missions in this direction. We do this because the Church needs the stories of early pioneers and innovators to inspire and help us see what could be!
Tom Bassford, Founder/President | Significant Matters & SATtalks
Can the Church Play a Role in Sustainable Transformation? | Panel Discussion
This is an honest conversation about whether or not the church can play a meaningful role in creating sustainable solutions for people in poverty. This group of 2017 SATtalk presenters have vastly different experiences working with churches and not all of them share the same opinions or optimism about the church's role. There's great food for thought and the opportunity to see the challenges and opportunities of working with churches through the eyes of different practitioners. More About SATtalks
Practices for Missions 3.0 by Jonathan Bell | Church of the Resurrection
Jonathan Bell has spent the last 25 years leading churches beyond themselves. He joined the staff at Church of the Resurrection in 2001, as Director of Mission Ministries, and orchestrated the church’s transition from Missions 1.0 to 2.0, before becoming lead architect for Resurrection’s 3.0 structures and strategies. Jonathan currently oversees the church’s national network of partner churches, as well as the church’s collaborative relationship with Saint Paul School of Theology. Churches and individuals are asking, “How do we move beyond helping that hurts?” It is in response to that question that we have been working with churches to chart a new course [...]
It Takes a Tribe by Tom Bassford | Significant Matters
Tom Bassford is the founder and President of Significant Matters and the creator of SATtalks. The bigger plan behind SATtalks and Missions 3.0 is to use the stories and the overall conversation it creates to ignite a movement in churches to change the face of missions. In his book, “Christianity and Progress,” Harry Emmerson Fosdick wrote, The Church is primarily an instrument in God's hands to bring personal and social righteousness upon the earth. When her massed influence overcomes a public evil or establishes a public good, men find the justification of her existence and a first-rate weapon of apologetic [...]
Missions for the Business-Minded by Tom Bassford | Significant Matters
Tom Bassford is the founder and President of Significant Matters and the creator of SATtalks. The bigger plan behind SATtalks and Missions 3.0 is to use the stories and the overall conversation it creates to ignite a movement in churches to change the face of missions. If we hope to help business-minded people find their role in the work of church missions then we need to learn to identify the primary question they are asking. In this talk Tom explores the four basic (but different) questions that business-minded people are asking at different times in their life. The challenge for [...]
Impact Investing- Changing the Charitable Landscape | by Aimee Minnich
Krista Petty interviews Aimee Minnich of Impact Foundation SATtalks is excited to have Aimee Minnich serving as co-host with Tom Bassford for a special pre-event; An Evening with Bob Lupton and Don Larson on October 18, 7-8:30 PM at Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, KS. Aimee is also a presenter during SATtalks Oct. 19 & 20. Aimee is CIO, General Counsel and Co-Founder of Impact Foundation. Krista Petty chatted with Aimee about her work, her connection to both Don and Bob, and the value of impact investing. Tell us about Impact Foundation and the kind of donor and [...]
Engaging Communities to Chart their own Future | by Grace Dyrness
Editor's Note: You can hear Grace Dyrness present in person at the 2017 SATtalks, Oct. 19 & 20 in Kansas City. When I was living in the Philippines and working on a Master’s degree in Urban Anthropology, I decided to focus on the marginalized squatter communities surrounding Metro Manila and how women living there were coping with what to me was dire poverty. I decided that as an anthropologist I should live in a squatter settlement in order to observe first hand their coping strategies. Little did I know that this would be a life-changing experience for me, challenging all [...]
