BDI’s interview with Citygate CEO John Ashmen on your 5 biggest questions about philanthropy and fundraising in 2021
From Michael J. Tomlinson, CEO and President, BDI
“I believe we will look back in three or four years and say, ‘When we made that major change because of COVID, it got us on the track to go this direction… and look at the spiritual harvest that we’ve had because of it.’”
– John Ashmen, Citygate Network
Is it really mid-way through 2021? In a good way, the past two years serving as BDI’s President and CEO have been a blur. It’s like being behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3RS on a racetrack, blasting down the straight. All is humming as it should in a high-performance environment, but you don’t quite have a sense of the speed until you look laterally and see what’s flying by.
Like other leaders of faith-first organizations, I find it almost impossible to accurately express the fullness of my heart for this organization and our partners. Quite regularly, I’m overwhelmed by appreciation for the dedication, no, for the heroic generosity of time and talent that I see intentionally invested by our extended family.
Reflecting on the season past, in addition to the inspiration I get from the collaboration with our team members and board of directors, many of the most valuable and insightful moments have come from visits with our ministry clients and partners, and the time we spend in open and honest conversations about their ministries.
It’s been such an honor to hear the heart of BDI’s mission-aligned, service-driven partners as you all continuously step into the unknown, effectively pivot, and never waver in your commitment to help your vulnerable neighbors.
Today, it is clear that the Lord has opened opportunities for ministries to experience even more abundance and growth going forward. And with the opening of a new chapter in 2021 comes questions about how social and political changes will affect ministries and philanthropy in 2021.
In last month’s BDI Empower Webinar Series, I had the opportunity to chat with John Ashmen, President and CEO of the Citygate Network about these unknowns. Because of John’s involvement on the National Association of Evangelicals and participation on the US Interagency Council of Homelessness COVID Task Force, John’s insider knowledge is invaluable, and further motivates me to share this webinar with you today.
John brings race fuel for all our vehicles in the form of wisdom and expert advice on how to prepare your ministry for major changes that may be coming. My hope is that you’ll be empowered by this timely insight and use it as a tool to prepare and step boldly into this new chapter of 2021.
How to Survive (And Thrive) in Pandemic Year 2 | BDI Empower Webinar Series
Here are the top 5 questions discussed during this webinar…
- What is the purpose of Citygate Network and how has it been involved with ministries during the pandemic?
- What is the difference between Crisis Relief and Life Transformation Ministry? How does this difference shape both internal and external perceptions of Rescue Missions?
- Why is it important for nonprofit leaders to have government relations? How should a leader foster relationships like this and utilize them in their community?
- What is the Equality Act and, if passed, how will it affect faith-first nonprofits and Rescue Missions? What do ministry leaders need to prepare for?
- How did the pandemic affect nonprofits and what are some changes that ministry leaders need to prepare for as the nation transitions to a post-pandemic world?
Check out MT’s recent article, “What’s reMarkable about your organization!” >>
Check out last month’s Inspire >>
