Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church launched a social entrepreneurship program to recognize how God was already moving in their city and to provide business mentorship and financial assistance to aspiring social entrepreneurs.
Faithful Generosity Story Shelf (new layout)
The following stories are part of Lake Institute’s story collection, The Faithful Generosity Story Shelf, which highlights congregations and other religious organizations who have sought to use their assets and resources in creative—and sometimes surprising—ways as an expression of faithful giving.
Each entry in our Story Shelf is short enough to be read and discussed during a committee meeting or other group gathering. Our hope is that these accessible vignettes will spark new questions, conversation, and imagination among clergy and laity about what might be possible with the funds, buildings, land, and other resources in their care. Learn about Ways to Use the Story Shelf. If you know a story that should be included in the Story Shelf, submit it here.
Find more stories:
Farm Church does not own a church building but instead uses a lot of land from a local nonprofit that they farm each Sunday morning before worshiping together on the same property.
A monthlong fast led a church to donate $150,000 to students at HBCUs who needed financial assistance in order to graduate.
First Baptist Church of Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia decided to serve its community by sharing its square footage for affordable housing, a child development center, and a seminary.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave $32 million to the United Nations World Food Programme - the largest single donation to-date to a humanitarian organization - to fight the global hunger crisis.
Alfred Street Baptist Church donated $1 million to Jackson State University during a water crisis to help students who had incurred related expenses and to help the university respond to the crisis.
An English-speaking Seventh-Day Adventist church donates a $1 million dollar property to a Spanish-speaking Seventh-Day Adventist church.
A Disciples of Christ church faced closure due to declining membership and decided to turn the building over to new leadership to be used as a community hub and incubation space for new faith communities.
A baptist church uses building to jump-start new ecumenical congregation and host community organizations.
A 140-year-old congregation in the heart of south Minneapolis decides to close their congregation and donate their property to a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness.