The Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (FEC) is committed to church multiplication. Every year, FEC adds new churches to its fellowship. In addition to new churches, existing churches continue to expand or need renovations. How do new churches pay for buildings or existing churches fund needed renovations? The Christian Service Foundation (CSF) was created in 1949 to serve FEC churches as they grow and multiply.
Over 60 years ago, the CSF founders recognized the need for financing churches. The current president, David Teat, has been leading the organization since 2013 with a 12-member board of directors and FEC President Rocky Rocholl. One way that they finance new church plants is a loan of $50,000-$100,000 for a “Church In A Box” which includes electronics, chairs, and other items needed to set up in a temporary place. For churches that are ready for a permanent location, CSF provides assistance in purchasing a facility. That assistance includes not only a loan but also assessing affordability, evaluating environmental or zoning issues, and assisting the church through the purchase process.
In September, 2020, CSF helped Southside Community Church, Wooster, Ohio, purchase a building. Southside had been meeting in a downtown hotel conference room since they launched in 2018, but Pastor Greg Grimwood discovered a church building for sale nearby. However, the owner needed the bid by midnight the next day, so Greg called David Teat to see what CSF could do to help Southside. After collecting the necessary paperwork and evaluating the property, CSF provided what they needed to place their bid within 24 hours! Teat also helped them through the purchase process, and Southside began meeting there in January, 2021.
CSF does much more than finance churches. They also provide investment opportunities for individuals to earn interest that is competitive–see their rates at Christianservicefoundation.org. While investors earn interest, CSF puts their money to a missional use for new and existing churches. At the present time, roughly $19 million in investor funds has been used for loans to churches. CSF provides opportunities for “Smart Giving” through donor-advised funds, gift stock, legacy giving, and other charitable donations. David Teat said, “We love this work. It’s satisfying because we are helping build the kingdom.”
