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
VIDEO – Radical Relationships | Marlo Fox
WATCH THE VIDEO... “What if radical relationships across socio-economic lines isn't solely about doing for others because it's the right thing to do or because it's our biblical mandate? What if it's not just about the privileged doing for the least? What if God designed us to experience the side of His grace only found in a dynamic relationship with those society has marginalized? What if God, in His mercy, loves us so much to reveal our own brokenness through the very ones we thought were broken? The tapestry of a neighborhood that tells a story of pain is [...]
VIDEO – Using Business In Radical Ways | Gary Ringger & Rod Brenneman
WATCH THE VIDEO... When Gary Ringger sold his business in 2002 he asked an older and wiser mentor what to do with the money. His advice… dream bigger than yourself and when it happens you'll know it was God not you. Second… be focused and involved, don't just write checks. And finally, use the business experience and talents that God has given you more directly for the kingdom. So when Gary and his wife Marla started LifeSong he decided to build the idea of “radical business” into the very DNA of the ministry. “I believe God is moving His [...]
VIDEO – Charity at Its Best | Tom Bassford
WATCH THE VIDEO... The North American Church is losing ground in attendance, influence, credibility and virtually every other category that really matters. Yet, according to Barna Research, 8 out of 10 Americans still look to the church for answers to poverty. “The trust that the American public places in pastor's opinion of poverty presents an increasingly rare public platform… pastors have incredible potential to lead the charge and position the US Church as a powerful force in anti-poverty endeavors.” But that’s not a cry for more traditional forms of charity or the missionary model of the past 200 years. [...]
VIDEO – Missions 3.0 In a Nutshell | Tom Bassford
WATCH THE VIDEO... Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.” For a church to move its missions work beyond helping that hurts and toxic charity means it will have to wrestle with complexity, there’s no other way. We help churches navigate that complexity through our Missions 3.0 Training. It provides a common language and a general framework you can use to build a shared vision for sustainable solutions and shows you how to [...]
VIDEO – Pastor-preneur Serving the Poor | Kevin Peyton
WATCH THE VIDEO... Kevin Peyton calls himself a “Pastor-preneur.” He’s a businessman turned pastor, turned not-for-profit leader…all at the same time. "For those of us who find ourselves in those three sectors; the world of church, the world of nonprofit and the business world, we have to think about what’s different about each sector and what’s foreign to us because for each of us one of those worlds represents our native language, our native perspective. I have learned that the community needs all three and when all three of these worlds come together in a way that's focused on [...]
VIDEO – Good News (On the Town Square) | Pastor Tim Rogers
WATCH THE VIDEO... Grace Point Church in Paradise, PA hired Katie Beiler, a Literacy Teacher, instead of a second assistant pastor after learning about the district's need to have children better prepared for school. Beiler reports to a district official, but officially she's on the staff of the 250-member church, giving monthly updates to the pastor. "Our church doesn't just exist for ourselves," said Pastor Tim Rogers, "Our vision is being a transforming presence in the town square." See what one church is doing to be a transforming presence on their town square @ Grace Point Church. Pastor [...]
