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Last year, The New York Times claimed that Christian relief and development agency Samaritan's Purse had blurred church and state lines by using grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to "preach, pray, and seek converts" in El Salvador.

The organization responded that federal funds are used exclusively to pay for building materials and supplies in its aid work—not for evangelism. But Samaritan's Purse didn't deny it tries to "preach, pray, and seek converts." Instead, as it has since its founding 32 years ago, the organization clearly stated the motivation behind its work: the love of God. Said Mark DeMoss, spokesperson for president Franklin Graham, "We are going to tell people what we do and why we do it."

This approach doesn't apply only to federal funds. When inviting corporate sponsorships for its annual Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan's Purse openly acknowledges that the heart of the program is spreading the gospel. "We won't send a packet B that doesn't mention God in order to get more money," DeMoss told Christianity Today. "It might mean fewer corporate sponsors, but it is a matter of integrity."

This clarity of purpose—and the open presentation of it—is a key component for Christian organizations that have expanded their reach beyond the walls of the church but remain true to their original vision.

"As an institution grows and the founders move on, an organization becomes more professional and more influential," said David Beckman, president of Bread for the World and a Lutheran minister. "In the course of that growth, it is relevant to ask, 'As we evolve, are we staying consistent with the original vision?'"

Some organizations—such as The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity—have successfully answered 'yes' to this question. Others, including the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and the Red Cross, have not, observers claim.

Groups who have maintained their original Christian vision hold a deep commitment to that foundation. It permeates the groups and is a part of daily life. As simple as it may sound, devotion to core Christian values is integral to keeping an organization true to its mission despite financial pressures, growing influence, and staffing issues that arise during institutional growth.

"Every ministry has to come to grips with this reality and make careful decisions," DeMoss told Christianity Today. "At Samaritan's Purse, [the Christian mission] has always been a laser-like focus. You could not derail this train given the tracks that it's established on."

Larry Reed, chief executive officer of Opportunity International Network, extensively studied the practices of large Christian organizations to find patterns in organizations that have maintained their original vision.

He told Christianity Today this week that there is danger for organizations that put out marketing materials inconsistent with their foundation. "Donors and staff members are brought into the organization and all they know of you depends on your marketing," Reed said. "The problem comes when they assume leadership responsibilities and guide the organization based on that [marketing] image instead of the original vision."

Reed said Habitat for Humanity is an example of an organization that does a good job of using plain language to explain their views without Christian "code words." Its terminology is readily understandable to non-Christians but accurately depicts Habitat's beliefs.

Like Samaritan's Purse, organizations contacted for this article told Christianity Today that clear communication of who they are in marketing materials is important for maintaining their Christian foundation. "Because we exist motivated by Christ's love, we have no choice but to say that's why we are here," said Jeffrey Houser, associate director of corporate and foundation relations for Food for the Hungry.

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April (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46