Transform Minnesota Launches Generosity Initiative with Thrivent
Generosity Partnership
Transform Minnesota is launching its generosity initiative to help build healthy churches across the state. We are happy to announce Thrivent as our official generosity partner.
“We are really excited for Transform Minnesota’s partnership with Thrivent, because we know that Thrivent’s expertise in helping Christians be wise stewards will benefit our network of evangelical churches and faith-based ministries,” said Laurel Hardgrove, Development Director at Transform Minnesota. 
As a not-for-profit Fortune 500 company, Thrivent is a membership organization that offers our network of churches, pastors and ministries financial wisdom and resources. Transform Minnesota believes this vision of generosity will further the Kingdom of God.
“We have seen Thrivent grow and flourish to become the remarkable financial services leader it is today – the Thrivent team has gathered significant research and knowledge in the area of generosity that will greatly benefit Transform Minnesota’s network partners,” said Carl Nelson.
Daring Generosity Evangelical Leaders Forum
Our two organizations are collaborating around generosity, by hosting an Evangelical Leaders Forum on October 5, 2017 called, Daring Generosity. This pastors’ luncheon, sponsored by Thrivent, will explore building a healthy church through wisdom with money and transformational generosity.
The speaker line-up for Daring Generosity includes:
- Brad Hewitt, Thrivent CEO speaking on the book he co-authored, Your New Money Mindset
- Senior Pastor Rob Ketterling, River Valley Church speaking on Creating a Culture of Generosity
- Carl Nelson, President of Transform Minnesota speaking on new Barna research that reveals What Motivates Millennials to Give?
“This Daring Generosity event will provide insight to Christian leaders, pastors and lay leaders about the topic of generosity that can be taken back to their churches, and incorporated in the language they use to help their congregations grow in their own journey,” said Jan Engkasser, Director for Communities of Faith at Thrivent Financial.
This free event will be held at Grace Church in Eden Prairie and will equip pastors and lay leaders in how to dare your church to be generous; while gaining tools to help church bodies experience the health of abundant generosity.
“Those who attend the Daring Generosity Evangelical Leaders Forum will come away inspired, encouraged, and equipped with tools to inspire generosity in their church or faith-based ministry,” said Laurel Hardgrove.
Equipping All Christians, Not Just Lutherans Anymore
It is Transform Minnesota’s pleasure to introduce our evangelical network to Thrivent. The financial services company once served only members in the Lutheran denomination, but in the last four years Thrivent has extended to serve all Christians.
“Our mission at Thrivent is to help Christians on their journey to being wise with money. As an organization that served Lutherans for 110 years, our relationship with Transform Minnesota, the evangelical network, will be essential for Thrivent’s mission,” said Karen Himle, Vice President Corporate Affairs at Thrivent Financial. “We hope our partnership blossoms into a long-lasting and rich relationship where together we can help Christians understand how to be wise stewards of what God has entrusted to them.”
“While we have a great amount of interaction with predominantly Lutheran churches in Minnesota, we don’t have that level of interaction with evangelical churches in Minnesota. We are confident our mission – to guide Christians in how to be wise with money, which includes being gracious and generous members of the body of Christ – will resonate with all churches,” said Jan Engkasser.
Wise with Money, Living Generously
By launching Transform Minnesota’s generosity initiative with the Daring Generosity Evangelical Leaders Forum on October 5th, we intend to establish a culture of generosity across the state that encourages every congregant to have a heart for giving.
“As we unveil Thrivent’s intriguing new research in the areas of generosity, contentment and Millennial giving-habits, our evangelical church and faith-based ministry partners will gain invaluable insights that will benefit their congregations, leaders, volunteers and donors,“ said Carl Nelson.
Rooted in Thrivent’s cutting edge research and sound financial principles, our teachings emphasize contentment and acting as wise stewards of God’s resources. Transform Minnesota and Thrivent recognize how integral being a generous giver is to cultivating a healthy, wise relationship with money.
“When people think philanthropy they think Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Generosity can start among people with the least, and it starts with the notion that ‘I have enough.’ This teaching can help be a guide for church leadership,” said Karen Himle.
As Jan Engkasser of Thrivent explains, the whole foundation for our shared Christian beliefs is founded in God’s ultimate generosity.
“The church’s message stems from a generous act of God who gave his son for us. You don’t get more generous than that,” said Engkasser.
It is this blended vision and mission of Transform Minnesota and Thrivent that we believe will have the greatest outcome in daring Christians to live generously and cultivate a healthy church culture.
“As Transform Minnesota seeks to further the Kingdom of God, we believe this impactful partnership will result in far-reaching benefits for churches and faith-based ministries,” said Carl Nelson.
Click to register for Daring Generosity Evangelical Leaders Forum on Oct. 5.
