Madison Christian Giving Fund Newsletter – Ten years ago, before the Madison Christian Giving Fund (MCGF”) came into existence, the newly formed Madison Christian Generosity Council received a very generous unsolicited donation in the sum of $50,000. The donors’ intent was clear: to distribute this money to organizations in the Madison area that advance the Kingdom of God.
Since then, an astounding transformation has taken place. Over $1.1 million has been raised, and through a meticulous granting process, more than 60 Christian organizations and projects in Dane County have benefitted from this support. As a result, hundreds of people have been positively impacted, and the love of Jesus and the Gospel of the Kingdom have been shared, leading to many lives being saved for eternity.
How did this become possible?
It is our firm belief that this has been a work of God. Every activity, event, and program is dedicated to the God of the Bible and centered in prayer. The MCGF has remained steadfast in its core values, recognizing that true transformation can only happen through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Each successful Grant application must demonstrate a Gospel “component,” explaining how the people they serve will be introduced to the love of Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel. To ensure a fair granting process, each application is assigned to a volunteer liaison who conducts a thorough review, site visit, and interview with the applicant. Additionally, successful grant applicants are required to submit annual reports detailing the utilization of grant funds and achieved outcomes.
The MCGF has formed an alliance with the National Christian Foundation, the largest Christian foundation in the country. Their leadership and administrative support, along with donation and grant processing, have been invaluable. Year-end summaries provided by NCF enable our donors to stay informed about the impact of their contributions. The MCGF’s commitment to the success of its Ministry Partners is unwavering. The MCGF offers Capacity-building Workshops, covering subjects such as Christian leadership, fundraising, and grant writing, among others. Furthermore, the MCGF strives to connect its Ministry Partners with the broader community.
Each year, the MCGF sponsors a ministry marketplace adjacent to the Christian stage at BratFest which allows hundreds of people to engage with and learn about the ministries that the MCGF supports.
Looking ahead, the needs have never been more pressing. With an increasing cultural assault on Christianity and the message of the Gospel, it will become more challenging for organizations emphasizing the Gospel in their work to raise necessary funds. But with God’s guidance and support, and your help the MCGF is determined to stand in the gap and continue empowering Christian organizations to lovingly share the Gospel with those they serve. Learn more at Madisongiving.org.
Ministry Partner Highlight: Evangelical Catholic
The Evangelical Catholic (EC) was founded in Madison to assist Catholic churches and campus ministries with evangelical outreach. Since 1998, the EC has assisted numerous churches and campus ministries in forming small group ministries to foster opportunities for Catholics to encounter Jesus in Scripture and in community with one another.
Small groups have always been a powerful vehicle for renewal and evangelization in the world. Three years ago, through a revision process, the EC shifted from small group leader training to apostolic formation for the laity.
Today, the EC coaches 165 ministries across the United States, including eight in Dane County. Through our coaching, ministries implement a process for leading “Reach More Mission Training” and supporting trained leaders long term as they disciple others in their day-to-day lives. Reach More Mission Training provides training and formation for leaders to be confident evangelists or disciple-makers in their communities.
Grant funding from the Madison Christian Giving Fund has provided initial funding for several new church partnerships within Dane County, including St. Thomas Aquinas, Good Shepherd and St. Raphael. All of these churches are in Madison and serve both English and Spanish speaking communities.
“Evangelical Catholic, through the Reach More program, has been a major force for Good Shepherd parish. We have successfully trained three groups of people – a total of 19 people. Our training has taken place among Spanish-speaking parishioners” (Gary Wiley, Reach More point person).
Through Reach More Mission Training, leaders at these churches have received a vision for their unique circle of influence – the people they have regular contact with. This could be their family, co-workers, neighbors, and friends. These people are the “mission field” where God invites us to extend the good news of Jesus. Trained disciple-makers become the hands and feet of God as they lead small groups for their co-workers or neighbors, mentor another in one-on-one discipleship, engage in a new ministry, or press into intercessory prayer for people in their lives. Funding from the Madison Christian Giving Fund has helped the EC to extend the Kingdom of God within Dane County by raising up new disciple-makers who will continue to impact others through their outreach.
______________________________________________________
Since 2014, the Madison Christian Giving Fund (MCGF) has raised and distributed $1,103,000 to over 60 Christian organizations. Each organization has an amazing story of impact on the people they serve and on the community. We enjoy sharing stories of God’s amazing work in this newsletter.
(Full disclosure: MadisonChristians.com is an MCGF grant recipient.)