I live in a city of 100 000 people.  When I moved here 27 years ago it was 75 000.  Not much change in population but somewhere along the line we passed a tipping point that has affected once well established growth patterns management structures politics and a host of other things.  The change is not merely incremental. Like many cities in the South we have learned to accommodate and manage our differences.  We have a registered Democrat I think that covers us for political diversity.  We have many brands of Protestant Christians large numbers of Catholics and a healthy Jewish community. 

Up until now our local “secular” community foundation has grown and the Board has pretty much reflected the overall religious diversity of the community. I have been resistant to the option of a specifically Christian community foundation as I thought it would create a tear in the fabric of the city.  Would it become not just a “Christian” foundation but even more defined as an evangelical Christian foundation and unintentionally exclude Catholics Jews and mainline denominations who are currently on the board and have significant funds at the existing foundation? 

Lately a group of Christians have begun talking about a specifically Christian community fund that would serve a defined market of Christians.  I’m wrestling with that but I also recognize the reality that in a growing community this is probably not an abnormal response.  Just as in a growing church people tend to identify with smaller groups of people who are “more like me” then there may be the same in a growing city.  I’m not done wrestling.