Early 80s loan demand meshed with strong growth of churches

“Christian Investors Foundation (CIF) is strong, and we are looking forward to one of our best years in making funds available to churches. It is because of your part in this great work that this is possible.”
herbert s. nordin, cif secretary-treasurer
efca yearbook (1980-1981)

More than 40 years ago, in 1981, CIF, then Christian Investors Foundation, was in the middle of a 19-year growth spurt. Investments and church loans would increase tenfold by the end of the decade from the 10 years prior.

CIF Secretary-Treasurer Herb Nordin thanked our investors who were so faithful. Their funds permitted a service to our Lord of making loan dollars available to churches, with so many needing additional space for growth.

Loan applications on file were abundant, paper representations of churches waiting for finances to come in so they could go out for Kingdom work.

All in this together

After a record year in 1980, we gave an update in mid-January of 1981. Loan applications were at a point where they would require all investment funds (at then current levels) received through 1982 to be funded – unless many new investments were received.

High growth and humor went together

We sometimes chuckle today at our logo from that time, a simple drawing of a church building with circled “Cif” letters inside. It looked like a pre-birth bulge that stretched a main wall.

Nordin and his team had unconventional ways of showing Kingdom expansion.

It may come as no surprise that Nordin was famous at Free Church conferences for his humorous reports, wrote Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) President Dr. Thomas A. McDill in a May 1981 issue of the Evangelical Beacon.

“His wit and wisdom have been appreciated by the audiences as his humor has sparked up what normally would have been a routine financial report.”

Under Dr. McDill’s leadership and vision for church planting, the EFCA “exploded in size,” from 500 to 1,100 churches, according to an EFCA Today presidents recap piece from 2012.

Communicating and coming together

Dr. McDill was president of the EFCA from 1976 to 1990. God used him in a big way. Maybe the Lord has a sense of humor as well, as Dr. McDill was not of Scandinavian descent, the area of the world from which the EFCA has been rooted.

Without a doubt, CIF was highly involved in these expansion efforts, as steady CIF advertisements appeared in issue after issue of the EFCA’s Evangelical Beacon magazine.

Things have changed significantly in 40+ years, but the need to communicate and gather people together has stayed the same. Recent church conferences have promoted “better together” type themes.

Togetherness happens in spaces and places

I am reminded of the admonition to not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:25 ESV).

We are blessed to be involved in the physical spaces churches use to meet and minister in their communities. For 65 years, we have joyfully served Evangelical Free churches.

We will also continue to serve like-minded churches outside of the EFCA to assist with their Kingdom expansion work. Watch for more on this in a future issue.

Until then, we praise God for His provision, faithfulness and love for people. It is a privilege to serve the Lord in our endeavors. Thanks to all of our faithful partners who make this possible.