Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches

by Peter Greer

Are explicit in their expectations: By creating clear guidelines and a plan for your giving, you “memorialize” your values and intent. Henry Crowell (founder of The Crowell Trust, profiled in chapter five) modeled this clarity through his indenture. Plan ahead: It’s morbid to consider, but thinking about your estate planning and bequests now will create an opportunity for you to have important conversations with your family. Keep “mission strings” attached: Organizations like the National Christian Foundation can help to build safeguards around your giving. Their mission is to give billions of dollars to Christian ministries. They want to help you give well. “Do your giving while you’re living”21: The best way to avoid Mission Drift in your giving is to prayerfully give everything you can while you can still control where it goes. Pray for and encourage the organizations you love: Our friendships with donors like Greg, Terry, and Cliff are some of the most life-giving relationships we hold. They are a constant encouragement to us and help us stay on mission. Embrace your role as a stakeholder, praying for and encouraging these organizations to stay Mission True.