Active listening, relating, driving Kingdom expansion

“We care for churches, groups of people who care for each other and are used by Christ to seek and save the lost.”

You might have heard of the practice of “active listening.” In communication, it’s a method of tuning in to the other person, capturing the core information but also paying attention to their thoughts and feelings. Stated another way, there is empathy and self-awareness.

Harvard Business Review breaks it down further to the cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects of absorbing what someone else is saying in an active, non-competitive, two-way interaction.

Where am I going with this? Let’s jump into the church and ministry arena for a few moments.

When we make contact with a church or ministry, things normally start with an inquiry and introduction. We want to hear the church’s story, learn about the mission and how their facility is being used as a tool to further their ministry.

How is God working there today – what has He done in the past? Are there some examples to share? How does the church anticipate and envision a building expansion, renovation or purchase will advance the church’s mission and reach more people for Christ?

You might guess where I am going. Our main concern, our priority, our mission, is the expansion of God’s Kingdom. Financial services are part of that, which is why they are part of our name. We are stewarding finances for the Lord.

We are relational, not retail
Quality relationships are a stable foundation for our Kingdom-expanding partnerships with churches. But there are other options. If you are involved with property related planning for your church, we might ask you this: If a financial institution can’t relate to your needs – what it is you are trying to do – how can you effectively utilize it and align it with your ministry goals?

The answer? It isn’t possible. For-profit, secular financial institutions exist to fulfill transactions, not to support ministry. That is a harsh reality that many churches have discovered through their own experiences.

We are a ministry, which means we can be a real ministry partner.

For the churches we serve, projects can be complex and consulting takes time. We strive for mutually beneficial connections. Face-to-face meetings, video sessions, calls, and emails are the tools of our trade, the catalyst through which God’s Kingdom expands.

Some churches talk to us for years before they are ready, and we will advise them on how to get there. When the time is right, building on a relationship of trust, we can be flexible where our competitors cannot.

Why? Because we understand churches and ministries, their giving fluctuations, seasonality, governance, budgets and more. Put simply – we get it.

We are also transparent, openly sharing our low-cost, minimal fee structure and favorable terms. Our desire is for more funds to go towards ministry, and less to loan payments and fees.

To minister is to serve. Churches care for individual believers and those who are open to the gospel.