What are ministry shares?

Ministry shares are a type of crowd funding that the CRC has engaged in since 1862. As a covenant community, the people and congregations of the CRCNA knew that they wanted to  advance God’s kingdom and support each other by combining their resources and working towards shared goals. Ministry shares are the essential mechanism for this collective strength, allowing us to combine our funds and unlock ministry possibilities that far exceed the reach of any single individual or congregation working alone. Ministry shares are a faith promise program, with each congregation pledging the amount that they feel they can provide. These pooled funds then provide a stewardly and cost-effective means of sharing the gospel, carrying out kingdom work, and supporting every church, ensuring that all of us, by working in concert, can fully live out the collective, God-given calling we share.

Where do ministry share funds go? 

Ministry shares fund the core costs of being a church denomination. This includes funding governance meetings such as synod and the council of delegates, but it also includes sharing communication, collecting and distributing data, and credentialing a new generation of pastors. In addition to these base costs, ministry shares allow us to do kingdom work together through: 

Note that World Renew does not receive ministry shares. Calvin University does not receive ministry shares income from Canada. And Canadian Justice Ministries do not receive ministry shares income from the U.S.

Do ministry shares pay for everything our denomination does?

No, but they provide an essential foundation. While percentages vary by ministry, each agency relies on support from ministry shares, individual gifts and church offerings. 

Is my church giving to ministry shares?

Ask your deacon, elder, or treasurer if your church is participating in shared ministry through the ministry shares program.

For more information and to talk with someone about Ministry Shares please contact us.

How can my church determine our pledge?

1. Churches could take the amount they gave last year and increase by a specific percentage.
2. Churches could pledge ministry shares based on a percentage of their budget. For example, a tithe of 10% or 15% of their church budget could be given to the ministry shares program.
3. A congregation could determine an amount per member that works best for their congregation. If every CRC member and every congregation gave their whole amount, this would provide us with $40 MILLION for shared ministry.