2023 Ministry Report

Rethink Poverty.

2023 ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT

Together, we're changing how Christians approach poverty alleviation — for good.

04

Chalmers

06

TM

08

Take a look inside 10

04

Expanding Chalmers’ Influence

06

Letter from the President

07

Chalmers’ Milestones

HOW WE WORK

08

Influencing Sectors

10

Strategic Partnerships

12 W H AT W E D O

12

Foundational Ideas

13

Innovation

14

U.S. Economic Development

16

Majority World Economic Development

14 12 OUR IMPACT

18

Jesus is Making All Things New

20

Looking Forward

21

Financials

22

Leadership

16

18

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

3

“One of the reasons we valued our partnership with Chalmers for so many years is because, in some ways, they’re a hidden hand behind a lot of our other relationships.

Expanding Chalmers’ Influence

We have dozens of local partners, and what we

For over 20 years, Chalmers has partnered with

know is that many of them over the years have

Christian organizations and churches in the U.S.

been shaped by Chalmers, and many of them use

and Majority World, to implement economic

Chalmers' programs today.”

development programs that have helped to restore over 2 million people living in poverty to flourishing participants in God’s Kingdom, and that is only the beginning…

J E F F G A L L E Y, CENTRAL GROUP LEADER, LIFE.CHURCH

44

THE CHALMERS CENTER

By God’s grace, Chalmers’ influence extends far beyond the program participants we can count.

Photo courtesy of Water Mission

From small churches and ministries that have reimagined the Kingdom of God in their communities to large churches and organizations, like Life.Church and Water Mission, who have embedded Chalmers’ principles into their ministries for over a decade, God has used Chalmers’ biblical

“It’s from the very top, from the board and our founders down, we’re all speaking the same language, and it informs our culture and what we do.

framework to help shape the Christian poverty alleviation ecosystem.

We adopted these principles back in 2011. Year after year, we’ve held workshops at the country level where

That breadth of impact extends into organizations

we explore [the question] “What is poverty?” and seek

focused on areas including homelessness, economic

to understand broken relationships. It’s embedded

and community development, vulnerable children,

not just in the knowledge but in how we do our

prison ministry, and under-resourced churches,

community development activities, our training,

helping relief and development organizations move

and our tools.”

from traditional models to ones based on healing broken relationships at the root of poverty.

L A R A L A M B E R T, WAT E R M I S S I O N , S E N I O R D I R E C TO R O F P R O G R A M D E V E LO P M E N T

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

5

OUR WORK IN 2023

Dear friends,

,

What does the Chalmers Center do?

Think of it this way…When a rock is thrown into a lake, it makes a loud splash. But the effects don’t end there.

The Chalmers Center helps God’s people rethink

The ripples emanate outward, creating an impact

poverty and respond with practical biblical principles

much greater than the initial splash.

so that all people are restored to flourishing. Our approach to poverty alleviation is based on our unique

By God’s grace, so it is with our work. As we pursue

framework that combines God’s story of change, the

our mission to restore people in material poverty

local church, and transformational development.

to flourishing participants in God’s Kingdom, communities are transformed. Despite our small size

The first chapter in When Helping Hurts is entitled:

and many imperfections—God is using the Chalmers

“Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?” Many Christians

Center’s work with God’s people around the world

answer this question as follows: Jesus came to earth

to ripple outward, influencing the body of Christ’s

to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Yes!

response to poverty on a bewildering range of fronts:

Hallelujah! But wait, there is more good news! You see, Jesus describes His mission as follows:

“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

•

People on the front lines in prison ministry

•

Donors seeking to steward God’s money

•

People ministering in war-torn Ukraine

•

Entrepreneurs starting kingdom businesses

•

Homeless shelters across the U.S.

•

Orphanages transitioning to family-based care

The Kingdom of God is the transformation of the entire

•

Global Christian relief and development organizations

cosmos into a new heaven and earth where all the effects

•

Seminaries and Christian universities around the world

of sin will be reversed, and poverty will be no more. Jesus

•

Scholars developing impact metrics

declared and demonstrated the upside-down nature of His Kingdom—not by seizing political power—but

In the pages that follow, you will read stories of how

through humble service to people who are poor.

God is using the Chalmers Center’s work to influence Christians’ response to poverty in many different

Being in the presence of God is transformational. So

arenas. This is to be expected, because Jesus came

because the local church is where God dwells, it plays

to “make His blessings known, far as the curse is

a central role in restoring people to flourishing. All who

found.” Thank you for your support. Thank you for

are involved in the work of poverty alleviation, both

your partnership in the Gospel—the good news of the

those living in material poverty and those who are not,

Kingdom of God.

need the ministry of the local church.

In our work in the U.S. and around the world, we desire to see all our stakeholders involved in the life of the

D R . B R I A N F I K K E R T,

local church where they can hear the gospel preached,

PRESIDENT & FOUNDER

participate in the community of God’s people, receive the sacraments, and point to something bigger: the cosmic transformation of the Kingdom of God.

6

THE CHALMERS CENTER

Rethink Poverty.

Through Chalmers, God is transforming people, shaping organizations, and shifting entire sectors of Christian poverty alleviation ministry.

Lifetime

2,700,000

695,000

around the world partnering and participating in gospel mission.

by Chalmers’ foundational content. (resources, events, and online)

9,500

2M

P E O P L E Re a che d

P E O P L E E quipp e d

P E O P L E Traine d

P E O P L E Liv ing

to implement Chalmers’ economic development programs

in material poverty reached.

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

7

HOW WE WORK

Photo courtesy of Medford Gospel Mission

Homelessness Through our partnership with the Citygate Network, the nation’s oldest and largest community of independent, faith-based crisis shelters and life-transformation centers, we’ve introduced Chalmers’ principles to over 300 rescue ministries nationwide. Today, over 30 of these ministries are engaged in Chalmers resources and trainings, including the Medford Gospel Mission in southern Oregon.

INFLUENCING SECTORS

Our Chalmers’ journey started over a decade ago when I read When Helping Hurts. It was difficult to apply Chalmers principles

From helping unhoused neighbors flourish in southern Oregon to strengthening the families of vulnerable children in the Majority World, God is using Chalmers to shift entire sectors of poverty alleviation ministry.

to a ministry that was practicing 80% relief, 15% rehabilitation, 5% development. We believed in the principles, but we didn't know anyone who was using them in our setting, so change was slow.

Then we attended the Citygate Conference in September 2021, where Brian Fikkert’s keynote address convicted us that our ministry needed to make some real changes.

Soon, we went through Work Life, Faith & Finances, and Innovate and worked to implement those programs. However, we quickly found real change wouldn't come through curriculum alone.

It must happen from the top down, from our Board of Directors, every single staff member, and our volunteers.

To truly be effective, our ministry needed to be relationally restored.

JASON BULL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEDFORD GOSPEL MISSION

8

THE CHALMERS CENTER

HOW WE WORK

Vulnerable Children As we speak at national conferences for sector leaders like the Christian Alliance for Orphans, and partner with child-focused ministries like Compassion International and OneChild, Chalmers is promoting a holistic response to address the needs of vulnerable children.

Chalmers' RESTORE curriculum equips our partners to implement church-based community savings groups that gather weekly to study God’s word and save together. Savings groups have been shown to increase household income, helping to prevent family separation resulting from poverty and contribute to reuniting children with their birth families by increasing household economic stability.

Evaluations in countries where Compassion International has implemented savings group ministries indicate: • They are effective complementary programs for increasing food security and building household economic resilience, supporting the well-being of children in those households.

• Savings group members are increasingly able to save, borrow, start businesses, and reinvest funds.

Through a shared integral mission of serving people experiencing poverty through their local church, Compassion International embarked upon a global strategic alliance with the Chalmers Center so that we could further our collective Kingdom Impact and provide holistic–poverty alleviation programs to the communities we serve. After several years and several countries of work together, we are proud to call the Chalmers Center a partner for both savings groups and business training programs.

HERB EHRESMAN, P R O G R A M D I R E C TO R | S T R AT E G I C A L L I A N C E S , C O M PA S S I O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Photo courtesy of Compassion International

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

9

HOW WE WORK

P R I S O N F E L LOW S H I P I N T H E U . S .

H O P E I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N U K R A I N E

Through Faith & Finances Inside, Prison Fellowship is

Through our partnership with HOPE International,

helping men and women to find healing, peace, and

the Ukrainian church is finding innovative ways to

freedom through relationships with God and His people.

love their neighbors as the war continues.

“Most men and women who are incarcerated don’t

10

“I am so excited to see how the Innovate groups are

have a lot. I would say probably more than 50-60%

finding new ways to be the Church in our situation.

are in prison because they were simply trying to get

They were inspired after the Chalmers training to find

their needs met and did not go about it in a legal way.

new partners, not only inside church ministries, but

Economic empowerment can teach them how to get

outside with the government, NGOs or with other

their needs met without breaking the law.”

volunteers outside of the church.”

C H A N DA R O B I N S O N , P R I S O N F E L LOW S H I P

A N A S TA S I I A, H O P E I N T E R N AT I O N A L

R E A D : C H A L M E R S . O R G / P R I S O N F E L LOW S H I P

R E A D : C H A L M E R S . O R G /H O P E I N T L

THE CHALMERS CENTER

HOW WE WORK

Strategic Partnerships Through our partners, Chalmers' resources and training are reaching people around the world.

O U R S T R AT E G I C PA R T N E R S

TEARFUND IN BURKINA FASO Through our partnership with Tearfund, the church in Burkina Faso is being strengthened.

"I believe we cannot come to development alone.

It is a network. When we have a local church or partner who knows the area, the environment, and the expectations of the population, they can go to the people who are in the most need.

At the same time, an organization like Tearfund brings strategic capacities to mobilize resources and can help the local partners with implementation strategies. When we have a partner, like Chalmers, reflecting, bringing innovations, new ideas, and training, then we have an integrated intervention that will have a big impact.”

M I C H E L S AWA D O G O , T E A R F U N D R E A D : C H A L M E R S . O R G /T E A R F U N D

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

11

W H AT W E D O

This year W E ’ R E C E L E B R AT I N G

Foundational Ideas

By God’s grace, books like When Helping Hurts and Becoming Whole continue to help Christians around the world to think differently about the nature of material poverty and the steps needed to address it in effective, sustainable ways.

35,000 PEOPLE ENGAGED WITH CHALMERS F O U N D AT I O N A L CONTENT

This long-standing influence opens the door for our team to share our biblical poverty alleviation framework as we disciple Christians in the fullness of God’s story, as revealed in Scripture, with thousands of people each year.

As demand for training in Chalmers’ framework continues to grow, we’ve developed a network of over 50 guides–Chalmers Ambassadors–to walk alongside churches and ministries to help them understand and apply a

3,000 REACHED THROUGH CONFERENCES*

biblical framework for poverty alleviation.

“I think the single most important thing I learned as I embarked on this path as an Ambassador for the Chalmers Center is the importance that we place on there being a biblical framework for the work we do. While I of course understood this on some level before participating in this cohort, it was extremely refreshing to realize this isn’t just something that has been added to make a point, or something that is done to check a box as a Christian organization, but it is truly foundational to the work we do.”

17

IN-PERSON EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

22 M A R C U S WA L K E R , C H A L M E R S A M B A S S A D O R & E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R , D A I LY B R E A D M I N I S T R I E S , S A N A N TO N I O , T X

PODCASTS, WEBINARS & RADIO INTERVIEWS

*Keynote addresses given in 2022:

OneAccord, Prison Fellowship, and the France Evangelical Conference.

12

THE CHALMERS CENTER

W H AT W E D O -

Innovation While our books When Helping Hurts and Becoming Whole outline God’s story of change and its applications to poverty alleviation, we have additional training programs that provide opportunities to apply these concepts in local communities both in the U.S. and internationally.

Innovate bridges the gap by equipping teams with tools to understand and apply God’s story of change, implement key principles from asset-based community development, and leverage the latest tools from the field of design thinking.

“Innovate has been pivotal in helping our leaders to both recognize the local resources they have and engage with the community for ministry design. The Nicaraguan church is so excited! One project cleaning a green space spurs another on to finish the (innovation cycle), that spurs another on to start their project of a sewing workshop, which inspires a local factory owner to offer jobs to those that finish the workshop. The cycle continues and I don’t think we could stop it if we tried!”

TA N YA R O S A D O , L AT I N A M E R I C A T R A N S F O R M AT I O N A L C H U R C H C O O R D I N ATO R , FREE METHODIST WORLD MISSIONS

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

13

W H AT W E D O

U.S. Economic Development Programs

Throughout her 30 year career with a local credit union, Lavonne Spears knew God had called her to integrate her faith and work, but she wasn’t sure how.

“I knew I was to reach out to the churches to educate them about what God says about finances, but I didn't know what

Lives are transformed through poverty alleviation ministries rooted in God’s story.

that looked like.”

That changed when she was introduced to Faith & Finances through Chalmers’ partner, STCH Ministries.

“When I saw Faith & Finances, it was a Kingdom connection.

Being able to see someone who was homeless, who had no idea that he could ever trust the financial institution again, nor that God will bring him out of what he was going through. And to be able to walk him through that process and pull him out of predatory lending practices to help him show him how to better save, that makes everything worth it.

Faith & Finances

It's been amazing to see somebody buy their first home.

They didn't think that they would be able to do it, but because they attended Faith & Finances, a husband and wife and their children were able to move into a home.

Faith & Finances empowers people in material poverty with practical money management skills, biblical

God's hand is all over it. And when you see the lives that

stewardship principles, and supportive relationships.

are touched, that's Kingdom life. And this is not just going

Since launching in 2013, Faith & Finances has

to happen in the church inside the four walls. This gets

helped over 18,000 people.

us outside of the church. This gets us into the businesses.

This gets us into the homes. It gets us everywhere.”

L AV O N N E S P E A R S , F A C I L I TATO R , CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

14

THE CHALMERS CENTER

HOW WE WORK

Work Life Work Life is a job-readiness program that equips people in marginalized communities to overcome barriers to meaningful work. After a recently completed program revision, Work Life, is ready to take off and grow dramatically!

We’ve already certified 21 sites under the new model, and our goal is to certify an additional 20 in the year ahead!

“For the church, Work Life is an opportunity to look beyond the pews and out the windows and the door, an invitation to reconcile humanity in a very practical way that's extremely powerful.

There are other job training programs out there. Many of them are good, but Work Life gives us an opportunity to breathe into the spirit of the person. Work Life focuses on the technical skills, the social, and the soft skills. It helps people understand why they have a passion for creativity and where their gifts come from. I see Work Life as an invitation to be a part of reconciling humanity in such a practical way.”

JESSIE MARIE TURNER, LEAD TRAINER, B R I D G E P O R T, C T

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

15

W H AT W E D O

Majority World Economic Development Programs RESTORE equips local churches to implement savings group ministries that enable people living in extreme poverty to experience greater financial stability, while also fostering spiritual growth and social connection.

Since 2012, Chalmers has worked in West Africa to launch savings groups ministries that have helped over 175,000 people. Our experience on the ground, working with indigenous leaders, allows us to speak from a place of experience and authenticity as we partner with larger organizations to scale RESTORE.

Through partners like Five Talents, HOPE International, Tearfund, OneChild, and Compassion International, we’ve reached millions of people experiencing poverty all over the world.

Sara Mamani Añamor is a Lead Trainer in Bolivia with Chalmers’ partner Five Talents and also serves as a Chalmers Coach. In addition to training Chalmers’ partners like Compassion International and OneChild, Sara works alongside her sister Eva to increase the reach of savings groups through Five Talents and the local church.

16

THE CHALMERS CENTER

C H A L M E R S O ur W or k in 2 0 2 1

Máxima and her family.

Several years ago, Sara and Eva began a savings

“I started a business baking bread. I used to sleep

group for children in Tarija, Bolivia when they saw

hungry, but now my family can sleep without being

extreme poverty contributing to a surge in childhood

hungry. God is blessing me and my business. Through

delinquency. Through the group, Jorge saved enough

it, He helped all of my children to finish school.”

money to buy his family a chicken for Christmas.

Máxima's grateful that in addition to being able to sell The children’s families were excited to see them

her bread, she is able to share it with neighbors in need.

thriving and learning to save through the group, so a group for the parents was launched. At first, Jorge’s mother, Máxima, was scared to join, but she was inspired by her little boy’s hard work and generosity.

“I know what it is like to feel hungry, so I don’t want my neighbors to experience this.”

“I was always looking down because I felt very, very small. I was afraid to take my children to the

Things came full circle when she was chosen by her

hospital when they were sick, so I would ask my

neighbors to serve as her community’s Secretary

neighbors to take them. When I came to the savings

of Health. Máxima, who once felt too small to take

group, I felt loved by my neighbors. I started to talk

her children to the doctor, became responsible for

more, and I felt strong.”

monitoring the health of all of the children in her community and for ensuring they had access to a

Alongside the RESTORE curriculum, Sara and

doctor when they needed one.

Eva provided business training and lessons about preparing healthy foods using simple, affordable ingredients.

SARA MAMANI AÑAMO, LEAD TRAINER, BOLIVIA ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

17

OUR IMPACT

Jesus Is Making All Things New...

For All Of Us + “I am so thankful for Chalmers and the work they have been doing for years to empower those in material poverty to know Jesus and provide for their families with dignity. I’ve worked for many years with refugees and the materially poor, and I have been blessed to witness firsthand the empowerment and hope that is found as those in poverty are taught the tools we learned from Chalmers and passed on to them. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to witness the transformation, hope, and reconciliation that they experience as they come to a deeper understanding of Jesus and His good plan for them!”

D E N N Y S L AT O N , F R I E N D O F C H A L M E R S , C H AT TA N O O G A, T N

+ “Chalmers’ material has given me a framework and tools to look at poverty from a different perspective–turning the traditional models for poverty alleviation on their head and helping me better understand the true nature of poverty...and how we should approach efforts to reduce it.”

JOHN CHOW, CHALMERS AMBASSADOR, P OTO M A C , M D

+ “I was introduced to the Chalmers’ curriculum during my undergraduate studies in 2015. To my surprise, it brought about an ‘aha’ moment that then clicked for me in how we as the church should walk alongside individuals with more of a holistic approach. The methodology of Chalmers has forever changed my lens in the way in which I personally view the world through the four key relationships.”

ANTWOINE CLARK, WORK LIFE LEAD TRAINER, MEMPHIS, TN

18

THE CHALMERS CENTER

OUR IMPACT

“I read When Helping Hurts in 2010, and it changed my world forever.”

MARCIA TRANI

+

“Since 2011 the Chalmers' principles have impacted our lives, home, and ministry. We have grown in relationship with God in love. We walk with the Holy Spirit, seeking to please God, and resemble Christ in obedience to His word. We reconcile broken relationships with others, encourage, and manage conflicts. We have learned the four relationships, the origin of poverty, reconciliation, the house of principles, humility, generosity, and stewardship.”

K WA S I A N D J A N I N E AY I V I , E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R O F R OYA L WAY M O D E L T R A I N I N G C E N T E R , TO G O

+

“I read When Helping Hurts in 2010 and it changed my world forever. This set me on a trajectory to build relationships with the folks at Chalmers, becoming a co-learner alongside them, bringing all of their principles into my life and into the lives of those around me. It is a joy to lead conversations around the topic of poverty and the restoration and redemption that only Christ can bring.”

MARCIA TRANI, LEAD TRAINER, FA I T H & F I N A N C E S , S A N P E D R O , C A

+

“The Chalmers Center has helped me in my work with Mission Mississippi to understand the difference between enabling and empowering. Too often we enable and do more harm than help in both the short term and the long term. Chalmers has empowered me to understand how to empower people who are materially poor.

NEDDIE WINTERS, FORMER CHALMERS BOARD MEMBER, JACKSON, MS

ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

19

OUR IMPACT

Where Are We Going?

We press on until poverty is no more!

We serve a King whose promises are true and who delights in the restoration of broken relationships. We know that, one day, He will end poverty once and for all.

As we await that great day, each of us are invited to live into the gospel story in the here and the now.

For Chalmers, that means communicating God’s redeeming story and how it relates to poverty alleviation from downtown Atlanta, to rural Zambia, and everywhere in between. As we speak at conferences, distribute books and resources, and partner with organizations like HOPE International, Prison Fellowship, Citygate Network, and Compassion International, we’re spreading this message farther than ever before.

As we pursue new levels of influence in the spaces and sectors of Christian ministry and development work, we’ve adopted what we’re calling the “3Rs Framework.” This ensures that the most people possible are reached with and transformed by Chalmers’ principles.

REACH

R E S U LT S

REVENUE

We want as many people

We want to see lives

We want our offerings to be

as possible to have the

transformed through

as sustainable as possible,

opportunity to experience

restored relationships

fostering transformation and

this transformation.

(quality and effectiveness)

providing excellent value.

This year, our aim is to continue to grow the influence of Chalmers, reaching 239,000 new people directly and countless more through our programs, products, and speaking engagements, which is a 25% increase from 2022.

20

THE CHALMERS CENTER

FINANCIALS

T O TA L R E V E N U E

$2,867,523

*

Donations Grants Non-Contribution Revenue • Royalties and Speaking 13% • Training and Course Fees 58% • Partnerships and Licensing 29%

MINISTRY REVENUE & FUNDING

Total Contributions

FY23 ACTUAL

$2,310,766

Gifts-in-kind $208,560 Program Revenue

$348,197

Total Revenue

$2,867,523*

MINISTRY EXPENSES

FY23 ACTUAL

Program $2,374,437 Administrative $367,619 Development $567,780 Total $3,309,836

END NOTES: * Gap between revenue and expenses funded from prior year cash balances.

View our complete audited financial statements at at www.chalmers.org/finances.

Field photography: Ryan Estes and Honeystreet | Layout design: Rubix Creative ANNUAL MINISTRY REPORT 2023

21

OUR LEADERS

Leadership Team BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Dr. Brian Fikkert

Dr. Brian Fikkert

President & Founder, The Chalmers Center

President & Founder

Jeff Galley, Chairman

Michael Briggs

Central Group Leader, Life.Church

Executive Director Chief Development Officer

Craig Stephenson

CEO, Cary Oil Company

Kevin O’Neal

Chief Operating Officer Dr. Collin Messer

VP of Academic Affairs, Covenant College

Abigail Sebesta

VP of Products and Strategic Projects Karen Ellis

Executive Director, The Edmiston Center

Adam Duguay

VP of Marketing Jane Pleace

Global Fundraising Director, Tearfund

Dr. Susan Greener

VP of Curriculum and Training Dr. Derek Halvorson

Executive Director, Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership

22

THE CHALMERS CENTER

Rob Porter

VP of Generosity

OUR IMPACT

Thank You Thank you for your partnering with us as we work together to influence the body of Christ’s response to poverty throughout the world.

With your help, we’re leaning into God’s story and helping individual Christians, churches, and Christian organizations all over the world. By God’s grace and mercy, we are encouraged to see how God continues to change hearts and foster communities that help to restore people who are materially poor to flourishing participants in God’s mission—giving the world a clearer picture of God’s Kingdom.

We praise God for your generosity and commitment to pray for and financially support this work.

MICHAEL BRIGGS, E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R

The Chalmers Center 507 McFarland Road, Suite B Lookout Mountain, GA 30750 www.chalmers.org ©2023 The Chalmers Center. All Rights Reserved.