Cause Champions: A Friendship that Guides Generosity

Entrepreneurs Travis and Bridget Joyner found their cause through their friendships. Because of the trust they have in the people God placed in their lives, they discovered a unique calling: empowering creatives to pursue the ministries on their hearts.

A creative venture

The Joyner family has always found joy and fulfillment in new business ventures, alternative investments, and innovative solutions in the marketplace.

It was their friendship with Tony Brown, of Maverick City Music, that helped them discover how to bring the same mindset to their generosity.

One day, they asked Tony, “What’s on your heart?”

Tony replied, “I want to bring Jesus to the darkest places. I want to bring a group of songwriters into a prison and write music.”

It was an audacious request, but Bridget and Travis were immediately all in. They saw how God had placed a passion for prison ministry and worship on Tony’s heart, and they believed they could help him make it happen.

Bringing creative vision to life

Travis described: “When you think about the creative community, they’re often just asked for stuff. ‘Can you do this? Can you show up here?’ We want to partner with their creative vision—so instead of asking creatives for something, we’re asking, ‘What’s on your heart?’ Then we come alongside that heart and bring that heart to life.”

The Joyners helped navigate challenges and red tape to bring Tony’s heart to life. Maverick City Music, Brandon Lake, and Kirk Franklin were able to go inside a correctional facility in Florida, write music with the men there, and perform and record an album in the prison yard.

“All you have to do is start asking the question,” Travis told us. “The answers I get back have shocked and awed me. I never would have thought of it in a million years.”

Alternative investments to expand the vision

He and Bridget continue to steward their finances and their creative business skills to fuel artists’ ministry ideas. With The Signatry, they are also pursuing innovative generosity strategies and alternative investments to grow what they give. The Signatry offers flexibility to consider investment strategies for donor advised funds beyond traditional investment pools. And finally, the Joyners are relying on God to connect them with passionate, faithful creatives to activate new ideas together.

Giving to empower others

Friendships and family relationships are some of the most beautiful gifts God gives us. What talents and passions do you see in your loved ones? What opportunities do you have to empower your people to make a big impact?

And remember, the relationships in your life are just one place to look to find the cause God is calling you to champion. Interested in learning more about how other families connect to the causes they care about? Meet some of them at thesignatry.com/cause-champions/.

You can learn more about the Joyners and Maverick City Music’s prison worship project in our documentary Set Free: setfreemovie.com.