Blog - The Signatry

Where is 2020 Giving Going?

4 days ago By The Signatry

The Too Early Predictions for 2020 Charitable Giving: What We Know Now and Where it May Go Buildings closed. Events canceled. Shelter in place is part our language now. With the lockdown, the economy has been severely impacted—but what about philanthropy? What should nonprofits expect for this year? At The Signatry, both donors and ministries keep asking us, “Where is giving headed for 2020? Will we recover? What are we seeing?” While it is too soon to give a final answer on 2020 giving, we have been hard at work. Webinars. Zoom calls. Calls with nonprofit leaders, churches, consultants and…

Ministry

Pocket Tools and Purpose

2 weeks ago By Kristin Hammett

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson and his wife Darlene were looking for a way to give more freely to those in need. 1 Timothy 6:18, “ready to give, willing to share” was the catalyst for them as they developed the “God pocket” concept. They committed an amount of money, put it in their pocket, and waited for a “nudge” from God to give to someone in need. This commitment in advance gave them the freedom to act. “When God signals, we can respond…” he says. In his book, The God Pocket, Dr. Wilkinson explains the concept is simple: [God] owns it. You carry it.” That is really what…

Ministry

COVID-19: Next Steps for Christian Higher Education

3 weeks ago By The Signatry

This article was written by David Dockery, President of the IACE, and published on The Signatry’s site with permission. David S. Dockery serves as President of the International Alliance for Christian Education as well as Theologian-in-Residence at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously served as president at Union University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. ————- From this point forward, institutional histories will be written in terms of pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19. We now clearly find ourselves in one of those defining historical moments, representing a genuine paradigmatic shift in the world of Christian higher education as we have known it. The…

Family

Stories of Motherhood

4 weeks ago By The Signatry

The stories of motherhood leave a legacy imprinted on our hearts. Sometimes, they are stories of quiet, gentle, sacrifice recognized years later. Sometimes, they are those humorous stories of family lore. Sometimes, they are stories of great sorrow and loss, wounds that God is healing. So today, we celebrate and honor them all. The women of The Signatry are celebrating the moms who inspire them so that as women we are speaking life to one another. Join and share your own stories that inspire you from motherhood. The Sacrifice of a Single Mom On this Mother’s Day, as we look to those women in our lives that have inspired us, for me, it is my mother. Growing up in a single-family home, her sacrifice to support my sister and I was evident in that she was willing to work 3rd shift at General Motors to make sure we were taken care of. It meant my sister taking care of me the best that she could after school each day. It included cooking dinner for the both of us and attempting to help me with homework. As an adult, I have seen those years of support move to that of a mother who truly is a prayer warrior. Instead of nights spent up with me as a child, they are now in fervent prayer for our family. She truly inspires me to be a mother of prayer and strength. -Rhiannon K.

Ministry

Engaging Major Donors Amid Crisis

1 month ago By Kristin Hammett

If your inbox is like mine, it is full of subject lines like “Surviving COVID-19”, “Leadership in Crisis” and “Connecting in the Age of Social Distancing”. It is true; we are all looking for answers to our current circumstances. There is no guide or playbook with the answers. Or is there? Clearly, we are facing obstacles and uncertainty. However, our goal is what matters. Is it just to get through it, or is the goal to be stronger on the other side? In Joshua 3, the Israelites faced the Jordan River standing between them and the Promised Land. I think we can…

Story

Life on the Frontlines of COVID-19

1 month ago By The Signatry

Under stay-at-home orders, many of us do not see the daily plight of citizens on the fringe. We cannot see the hundreds of cars lined up at drive-thru food banks, the millions of people searching for jobs, or the hospital beds filling up. But what is life like for those serving on the frontlines? The Signatry spoke with Dave Donaldson, co-founder of CityServe International, for a glimpse into the frontlines of COVID-19. “One of the biggest challenges across our country is people that are shut in,” said Donaldson. “They no longer have access to any kind of transportation to grocery…

Advisor

When Giving Hurts

2 months ago By Evan Lange

You may have heard of the bestselling book When Helping Hurts, which provides a framework for poverty alleviation by walking with the materially poor in humble relationships instead of just giving temporary handouts on money. The same can apply to generosity. It often starts materially or monetarily, but in its highest form, it often looks like sacrificial living. When I left the law firm to join The Signatry about 5 years ago, a colleague of mine told me to read this book and see that giving materially is not necessarily the best way of generosity. I agree with that statement…

Family

The Hope of the Resurrection

2 months ago By Bill High

As we head into Easter weekend, many will gather, albeit virtually, to celebrate the risen Savior and His gift of hope for a new life. During this time of confusion and uncertainty, many are searching for a sense of hope. So, here on Good Friday, I want to reflect on God’s promise of redemption and hope made manifest through Jesus’ resurrection. What we hope for vs. What we hope in. On that first Easter, believers in Galilee awoke with a sense of hopelessness in their hearts. Three days earlier, their leader, the One whom they thought had come to free…

Family

A Believer’s Call to Solve World Problems

2 months ago By The Signatry

When it comes to solving the world’s biggest problems, Christians should be leading the charge. Whether it is fighting human trafficking, providing access to clean water, or helping those in our communities affected by COVID-19, our mission to be the hands and feet of Jesus remains the same. Understanding what the Bible says about our role in solving world problems, as believers, frees us to live on mission and share the hope of Christ with a world in need. Here is a look at what the Bible says about solving world problems. What is our calling? Genesis 1:28 teaches us…

Where is 2020 Giving Going?

Pocket Tools and Purpose

COVID-19: Next Steps for Christian Higher Education

Stories of Motherhood

Engaging Major Donors Amid Crisis

Life on the Frontlines of COVID-19

When Giving Hurts

The Hope of the Resurrection

A Believer’s Call to Solve World Problems

Contact Us