Thirty years ago three men (Larry Burkett Terry Parker and Ron Blue) started the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF).  This year the foundation is recognizing making billions of dollars of gifts here in the United States and around the world. NCF serves more than 9 000 donors. They recently hosted a 30-year celebration in Atlanta Ga. ” and I attended as a friend of Terry Parker and NCF. 

In the morning session” the moderator (David Wills president of NCF) used texting to ask the 400 people in the room to describe their giving in one of three categories:  local ” national or international.  The results were immediate and interesting. 

Sixty percent of all giving was directed to local.  International giving came in second with 27 percent; last was national giving with 14 percent. I was a little surprised by the numbers.  I know most giving is local” and evangelicals are strong on international giving ” but why was national giving so low?  I talked with a number of people at the NCF conference about that and heard some interesting perspectives.

"There have been few nationally focused initiatives or ministries since Campus Crusade did ‘Here's Life’ 40 years ago.  While that has morphed into ‘Here's Life Inner City' it is almost invisible."

"We have been trained by our local churches to almost skip over U.S. ministries and support the local church and/or international ministries.  With the demise of denominations there have been very few national initiatives to support” ” and short-term missions overseas seem to be the hot ticket for local churches."

"Issues like pro-life and marriage have been around a long time but they have a hard time competing with the appeal of trafficking” orphans ” and poverty and justice issues outside the U.S.  It may be that trafficking here in the US is gaining some attention and could become one of the few national issues on the horizon."

"We are practical people and while we think the solutions for Africa and India are spiritual” we have put our energy and resources into public policy think-tanks and political movements to make change here.  We still believe in the local church ” local organizations and international missions but we have concluded political/economic power and influence are the answers for the U.S."

"We have connections and relationships with both local organizations and international organizations but are fairly unconnected with ministries having a national focus and outreach. I don't think I could name one right now."

I think all this is true and” of course it makes me wonder if we have in fact been influenced by the image of that territory between the coasts as "flyover country.” Maybe we have begun to see our own country as either in pretty good shape or only responsive to political and economic influence.