Tomorrow is Colorado Gives Day, a 24 hour drive to support the nonprofits across the state of Colorado. As the leader of a nonprofit that participates in Colorado Gives Day, I thought I’d post a handful of my favorite videos on generosity from my friends at Generous Giving and National Christian Foundation.

Here are my top 6 videos on generosity to inspire your own spirit of generosity as you prepare to schedule your gifts online tomorrow.

6. “Work like a doctor, live like a nurse”

After becoming a doctor and accomplishing all of her life goals at an early age, Dr. Lockey realized that her dreams had not brought her life fulfillment. As she served on medical missions teams and sought direction from God, she realized that an abundance of possessions would never bring true joy. So, after wrestling with God, she took a radical step of faith…

(see video above)

5. “Bill & Vonette Bright – Surrendering Everything”

In 1951, Bill and Vonette Bright, founders of Campus Crusade for Christ, signed a contract with God to surrender everything to Him. The Brights share what their commitment has meant for them; the pouring out of their lives in ministry to the King, trusting Him to provide for their needs. What I love about this video is that in this video, you can almost see them shining with a luminescent joy….

Bill & Vonette Bright – Surrendering Everything from Generous Giving on Vimeo.

4. “I Like Car”

A woman gives everything she has to a widow and is surprised by the response of those around her…I started crying the first time I saw this video.

I Like Car from Generous Giving on Vimeo.

3. “Use Your Business to Fund Ministry”

Many business owners have a heart to give charitably but feel hindered by their limited cash flow and the high taxation of their businesses. My friends at National Christain Foundation can help business owners donate a non-voting interest in your business, receive a substantial tax deduction, and still maintain management oversight of your business.

This video won’t make you cry – but it will certainly make you think about what tax-wizards can do to unleash generosity in the Body of Christ.

Using Your Business to Fund Ministry from National Christian Foundation on Vimeo.

2. “The Gospel, Grace and Giving – Tim Keller”

In typical brilliant/humble/life-changing fashion, Tim Keller makes the case why generosity is core to the gospel itself. God first gave himself to us….

1. “Alan Barnhart – God Owns Our Business”

Katherine and Alan Barnhart added an interesting twist to the American dream and made it their business not to get rich. As newlyweds, they set up safe guards to protect them from the pitfalls of money as they took over a family business. From the beginning, they set a financial finish line and told God if He prospered the company they would use it to advance the Kingdom instead of advancing their lifestyle. With a winsomeness that is contagious, Alan tells the story of God’s richness toward them and their journey to live the life that is truly life promised in scripture.

This video is seriously my favorite testimonial on generosity. Who gives away 99% of their business (and then eventually the last 1%), and lives on a tiny fraction of what they could be spending? Incredible. Makes me think twice about not only generosity, but the legacy I leave for my children and their children.

Alan Barnhart – God Owns Our Business from Generous Giving on Vimeo.

Economy Work World

Care About Refugees? This Greek Yogurt CEO is Hiring Hundreds of Them

November 10, 2016

Hamdi Ulukaya, the CEO of Greek yogurt brand Chobani, is showing the world – including Christians – how to treat refugees. Since 2007, he has hired hundreds of refugees from all over the world, and currently employs over 300 refugees across his company.

In a cultural moment when more refugees are drowning in the Mediterranean than ever before, Ulukaya has, in the words of a recent Global Citizen article, an astonishing amount of moral clarity:

“He understands that refugees are fleeing tremendous hardship and just want to be given a chance to begin or resume a normal, healthy life. His workers have escaped death. They’ve seen family members get killed or have been forever separated from their families. They’ve endured years of uncertainty and fear. Now, they just want to be normal.”

A Kurd from Turkey, Ulukaya knows what’s it like to be oppressed. Despite significant backlash against hiring refugees in the US, he continues to advocate for refugees and give them job opportunities as a way to rebuild their lives.

Ulukaya’s story has a certain allure: born to a family that operated a small sheep, goat and dairy farm in Ilic (Erzincan Province) in Turkey, he came to the US in 1994 to study English and take a few business courses. He started a feta-cheese factory, and then took a big risk in buying a defunct yogurt factory in upstate New York in 2005. His goal was to produce a yogurt without preservatives, artificial flavors or gelatins – more akin to the quality and natural yogurt he grew up with Turkey as opposed to the sugary and watery yogurts he found in America.

Over the next 5 years, Chobani – from the Turkish word for “shepherd” – would take off. In less than five years, his company would be valued at over $1 billion and is now the leading yogurt brand in the US.

Ulukaya clearly values philanthropy. He’s signed Bill Gates and Warren Buffet’s Giving Pledge, committing to give away over half of his fortune during his lifetime or in his will. But on September 29, 2015, at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, he also urged business people to do more than “just write checks” to help alleviate the suffering of refugees.

For example, he believes in paying his employees higher wages, noting that not only is treating employees better for the company, but also states that, “for the sake of our communities and our people, we need to give other companies the ability to create a better life for more people.” He even gave his 2,000 employees an ownership stake in the company. When Chobani is sold or goes public, they’ll receive shares up to 10% of the company’s values. The move could make the employees on his manufacturing floor millionaires.

In an interview with Ernst and Young Global Chairman & CEO Mark Weinberger, he unabashedly said, “Business is still the strongest, most effective way to change the world.”

Here in Denver, James Rudder, CEO of L&R Pallet, has hired hundreds of refugees from Myanmar. Other Christians have followed suit with campaigns for charitable giving to help refugees throughout the world. But after a conversation yesterday with an investor and business leader in Denver, whom I deeply admire, I can safely say that we Christians have a long way to go to in seeing business – not just charitable giving – as an opportunity to serve the needs of our world. We could learn a lot from Ulukaya and his moral example.

A challenge to all of us in the US: Could we hire more refugees in our companies in the US? Could we intentionally start companies abroad to help the 65.3 million refugees in the world today? More broadly, how could our hiring practices reflect God’s heart of compassion for the poor, the foreigner, the widow and orphan?

One thing’s for sure: after learning about Ulukaya and Chobani, next time I go to the grocery store my wife and I will be stocking up on Greek yogurt.

Culture Technology Theology Video Work

Keynote Addresses from Denver Institute

May 19, 2014

Well, I’m a bit biased here, but DIFW has been killin’ it lately. Here are keynote addresses from the past 6 months on the topics of technology, power, law, business and vocation. Enjoy.

Politics

Immigration Video Series & Curriculum

October 28, 2013

Update: This last week, the small group curriculum for this immigration video series was released. This .pdf is a great resource to go along with videos, and is structured around facilitating a small group discussion. Feel free to use and share as needed. Here it is.

Today I travel to Washington D.C. My friend Michelle Warren, with the Evangelical Immigration Table, is flying several of us from Colorado to the capitol to meet with Congressman about immigration reform.

Because of budget battles, immigration reform is long overdue. The US hasn’t updated its immigration laws for almost a generation, and the situation has become dire. But the right solution has evaded many. Should there be a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants? How about immigrants should we admit on family visas, high skilled visas, low skilled visas? These are all foundational questions, but for me, the most important starting point is: What does my Christian faith have to say about immigrants and immigration?

Last Spring I helped to organize a conference on the topic of immigration, and we now have a set of 5 videos that were produced by both Phil Mildren at Denver Media House and the Evangelical Immigration Forum. In my opinion, they might be the best video introduction to the topic of immigration for anybody with honest questions. Who are immigrants? Why do so many come illegally? Aren’t they a drain on the economy? Doesn’t the Bible tell us to obey the laws of the land?

I’ve included videos that answer many of these questions, along with their descriptions. They’re perfect for discussion in a church small group or even with your family. The five titles are “Stepping Into the Story of an Immigrant”, “Migration as a Metaphor for the Christian Life: What Does the Bible Have to Say?” “Immigration as an Opportunity for the American Church; What does the American Church Need to Know?”, “Stephan Bauman, God’s Heart for the Vulnerable; 10 Reasons Why Immigration is Good” and “Answering Some Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration.” For the conference, we had top flight speakers, including Dr. Daniel Carroll, Professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary, Stephan Bauman, CEO of World Relief, and Dr. Carlos Campo, former President of Regent University.

If you have time, watch one or two this week. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

(Side note: to some this will seem like an aside from my main topic on this blog: the integration of faith and work. But I suppose this depends how you look at it: millions of immigrants have exercised the deepest levels of faith on their journey to the US. Others are employers who are simply looking for enough hands to pick grapes, clean rooms, and cook dinners. Ironically enough, the current immigration crisis has been caused by a combination of demand for labor and a political system that hasn’t adjusted to current needs. So, is this an aside from conversations about the integration of faith and work? Well, not for most of my Latino friends.)

Listening to the stories of immigrants strengthens one’s ability to engage in the immigration conversation on a more personal level. This video segment is designed to explore a few of the millions of stories behind the issue of immigration getting beyond the strident and divisive tones of the national debate.

In this segment, Dr. Daniel Carroll R. encourages Christians to “let the Bible orient us so that we can capture the heart of the metaphor of being a migrant and as we do that, to capture the heart of what it means to be a Christian.” Highlighting the Old Testament stories of Abraham, Joseph, Ruth and Daniel to reveal God’s heart for the foreigner, Dr. Carroll helps listeners understand why people migrate and how they assimilate. He reminds Christians about their responsibility to care for the vulnerable, encourages them to start with scripture when approaching the immigration issue, refuse to oversimplify the discussion, and to pray that God would use the church to be a voice for compassion, truth, and order — for the good of the immigrant and for our country.

In this segment, Matthew Soerens of World Relief highlights ways in which Evangelicals in the United States can take a fresh, biblically grounded look at the immigration debate and engage with immigrants in their communities. As Christians we have responsibility to both love and provide for the widow, orphan, immigrant, and the poor. Citing research from Pew, personal experience, the Founding Fathers, and scripture, Matthew exhorts listeners to see immigrants as an opportunity and blessing — for our communities, our country, and for the Gospel.

In this segment, World Relief CEO Stephan Bauman shares ten reasons why Christians must welcome the stranger. Beginning with a reminder of God’s heart for the vulnerable, he encourages Christians to act on behalf of the less fortunate neighbor while touching on economic considerations, justice, American values, and God’s presence. Viewers are ultimately reminded of Jesus’ words that “whatever we do for the least of these you do for me.”

This video segment helps answer some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding immigration in our country today.

The videos in this series were recorded at the G92 Conference on April 26-27 2013, hosted by Front Range Christian School in Littleton, Colorado. G92 is a culture-shaping movement seeking to equip and inspire the next generation of Christian leaders for an effective, biblical response to immigration.

Technology Video

Interview with John Dyer

October 15, 2013

John Dyer is coming for the Faith & Technology Forum on Thursday! A couple weeks ago I did a brief Skype interview with John on his book From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology.

Even though I struggled to get the Skype recorder working (I apologize for the slow frame speed), John was gracious as we re-recorded the brief interview several times. Here are the questions I asked:

First, how would you define technology?

So, we shape our tools – our technology – but they also shape us. In one chapter, you discuss how different mediums of digital communication – like phone calls, Tweeting, blogs, or texting – actually shape our thinking. How does this work?

Many see that technology is not just a neutral tool. But on the other side, some say technology itself is a determining force and shapes culture almost in spite of human beings. What’s your view on this?

What can the Bible – the Christian story – contribute to our understanding of technology?

You’re a coder and web developer. You live and breathe digital technology. What kind of questions do you ask yourself to evaluate the effect of a particular technology – perhaps even one you’re designing – on human life?

I’m looking forward to meeting John in person on Thursday evening in Boulder. In addition to John’s presentation we’ll have an additional special presentation by Eric Swanson of Leadership Network and a panel discussion with Dave Carlson, CEO of Shopventory, Patrick Riley of Global Accelerator Network, and Will Forsythe, Pastor of All Souls Boulder. We look forward to discussing everything from how to take Sabbath rests from technology to whether or not Google really can solve death.

See you there. (If you don’t yet have tickets, you really should. They come with food, drink and a book – not to mention the opportunity to listen to some pretty interesting folks. You can buy them here.)

Video

Gary Flanders – Donor Alliance

July 28, 2013

Today my church, Colorado Community Church, featured a great “faith and work” story of one of our members. Gary Flanders works in the midst of tremendous suffering – and hope. He works for Donor Alliance, the organ and tissue procurement organization for Colorado, and has the privilege of serving God by bringing healing to hundreds of people every year. Check out his story.

Politics Video

Interview with Matthew Soerens

March 16, 2013

Change is afoot. The evangelical response to the national immigration debate has swelled, and for the first time since 1986, comprehensive immigration reform is a real possibility. Behind the scenes, many have been laboring for years. My friends in Colorado (Dr. Danniel Carroll of Denver Seminary and Michelle Warren of the Evangelical Immigration Table) have brought a deeply biblical perspective to the generally politically-driven conversation. One of the unsung heroes of the push for immigration reform is Matthew Soerens, co-author of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate.

Matthew’s book is one of the best introductions to the thorny immigration debate available on the market. He not only gives a very human perspective to the issue (he’s served as legal aide for undocumented immigrants for years), but he also gives a great introduction to the history of immigration, what the Bible says about immigration, the policy debate, and how Christians can practically “welcome the stranger” in their communities.

During the interview, I asked Matthew four questions:

1. In your book, you speak a bit about your personal journey. How did you become interested in the topic of immigration?

2. You’ve done a lot of work with undocumented immigrants. Let me ask you a tough question: Why don’t they just come the legal way?

3. What does the Bible have to say about immigration?

4. What can local churches do to “welcome the stranger?”

Matthew will be speaking at the upcoming G92 Conference in Denver, along with Danny Carroll, and Dr. Carlos Campo, President of Regent University. If you have a chance, come and check it out.

This blog is about faith and work, and rarely delves into issues of politics. Having served as a pastor of a Latino church, I have a personal interest in the issue. But more than that, immigrants affect all aspects of American life. America is unimaginable without immigrants. And in a heated national debate, especially one on which the Scriptures are not silent, I believe its incumbent upon each Christian to examine the words of Scripture for truth. This movement is a supreme example of directly applying the Christian faith to the issues of our day; it is applying the gospel to the work building a just society.

Discussion question: What is your opinion of immigration?

Jeff Haanen

6 Stories of Generosity to Inspire on Colorado Gives Day