What do tithes and offerings actually support?
Giving at Ridgeland Church supports a number of ministries both locally and globally through our own ministries and the wider Church of the Nazarene.
When you give to Ridgeland, you can be sure that funds are designated to demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways with His peace, presence, and power.
When you give to Ridgeland, you can be sure that funds are designated to demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways with His peace, presence, and power.
In Common Fund
Our In Common Fund is the principal way we steward all of our charitable donations, tithes, and offerings. Its name and purpose is drawn from Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32-35. This "one fund" approach helps us stay true to our stewardship principles of responsibility, transparency & clarity, accountability, and strategic planning as well as ensuring we accomplish our key focuses as a church.
We welcome donations at any time, and also monthly commitments so that we can better plan and steward the funds in our care.
We welcome donations at any time, and also monthly commitments so that we can better plan and steward the funds in our care.
World Evangelism Fund
WEF (World Evangelism Fund) is a fund designated under the Church of the Nazarene designed to sustain valuable ministries through consistent mission funding. Funds are distributed to six world regions, missionaries, and ministries around the globe. The World Evangelism Fund not only provides ministries on the ground with the monies they need, but the money is used to ensure that legal, federal, and support needs are met so that ministries are as safe as possible and can be sustained for years to come.
Chicago Central District
The Chicago Central District consists of 80+ churches that worship in more than 10 different languages in the Northeast corner of Illinois as part of the international Church of the Nazarene. Funds donated go to support the development and continuation of ministry through the licensing, training, and development of ministers in the Greater Chicago area. Funds also support kids and youth camps, District administration, resourcing, church planting, church property management, and Everyone Cares Camp, a yearly camp for individuals with disabilities.
Olivet Nazarene University
Olivet Nazarene University is a higher education institution and a ministry of the Church of the Nazarene. Donations are channeled in majority toward scholarships, so that as many students as possible get to participate in a transformative experience of education with a Christian purpose. Funds received also go towards enhancing the quality of instruction and student support services, as well as maintaining a thriving campus facility and culture. ONU’s dedication is to prepare individuals academically and spiritually, enriching lives and communities through their undergraduate and continuing studies programs.
Nazarene Benefits USA
Nazarene Benefits USA (NBUSA) is responsible for administration of the only denominationally-approved benefit plans for employees of Nazarene churches and institutions in the U.S. To do this, NBUSA leverages district and local church giving to the NBUSA Fund, which makes it possible to provide retirement and insurance plans, benevolence (such as medical assistance), and information. Service to Nazarene ministers began in 1919. Nazarene Benefits USA is committed to excellence, service, integrity, and transparency as they partner with districts and churches to offer innovative plans tailored to the unique needs of those served.
Our Stewardship Principles
Responsibility
We take seriously the trust that is extended to us in stewarding the sacrificial giving of individuals and families by supporting our mission to love our neighborhoods. It is our responsibility to ensure the funds are stewarded properly and those that generously give are informed with accurate and clear information about the impact that their contribution is having.
Transparency and Clarity
As a non-profit and church, we believe that we need to be transparent regarding the stewardship and accounting for all the funds we receive from those who sacrificially give in partnering with our mission as a church. With that being said, we also know that simply being transparent is not all that significant unless that transparency is also coupled with clarity. We do our best in order to not only be transparent but to also give clarity to as how we steward the funds we receive.
Accountability
The very nature of church giving is the result of the generous giving of individuals and families believing in the common mission to love our neighborhoods. As an organization we invite and encourage accountability in our stewardship and staying focused on pursuing the mission to which we have committed.
Strategic Planning
We believe that if we don’t have a plan then we cannot be proper stewards of the funds that have been given to us. So we have committed to robust strategic planning in order to best maximize the use, impact, and significance of funds given. This planning also allows us to communicate ahead of time the needs for the coming year so anyone, up-front, will be able to know what they are supporting.