CHRISTINA FOX|EDITOR

Editor’s Note: From its inception, the women in the PCA have loved on and supported the denomination in practical ways. One way has been through the annual women’s ministry love gift. This year, the women’s ministry of the PCA is praying for and partnering with the different agencies and committees of the denomination regionally. Throughout the year, we will highlight the committees and agencies to learn more about what they do and how we can pray for them.

Below is an interview I did with Randy Stair, current president of the PCA Foundation.

Christina: Randy, can you tell us about the PCA Foundation and its role in the PCA?

Randy: The PCA Foundation is an agency of the PCA. Our motto is “Facilitating Generosity to Advance God’s Kingdom.” Our mission statement is “The Mission of the PCA Foundation is to provide charitable financial services to Christians, enabling them to carry out their stewardship responsibilities and charitable desires to financially support the Kingdom of Jesus Christ through the Presbyterian Church in America and other Christian Ministries.” The charitable financial services include our Advise & Consult Fund (a donor-advised fund), Endowments, Charitable Remainder, and Lead Trusts and Bequest Processing.

Christina: What is the Advise & Consult Fund?

Randy: The Advise & Consult Fund is the Foundation’s most popular service. It is what is known in the charitable world as a “donor-advised fund.” A donor can establish and make a contribution(s) to their fund and get a tax deduction in the year they fund their account. Then, they can make grant distributions months or even years later from their Advise & Consult Fund to their favorite Christian ministries. Often, the donor will fund their Advise & Consult Fund with a gift of appreciated stock, which the Foundation then sells and the proceeds are available for grant distributions. One gift of stock can be used to benefit their favorite ministries over time. This type of arrangement is a tax efficient way to give.  You can read more about it here.

Christina: What can the Foundation do for those of us in the pew? Is it there for all of us in the PCA, or only certain members?

Randy: I believe that at some point in the lives of all folks in the pew, one or more of our charitable financial services would be of help to them in carrying out their stewardship responsibilities. This would apply to all members, regardless of their wealth.  Our services allow them to deploy their resources to their church and favorite ministries in a tax efficient way.

Christina: I read on the Foundation’s website how you grew the assets of the PCA Foundation over the years. Could you tell us about that?

Randy: Over the past 20 years, as more people have become aware of the Foundation’s charitable financial services and have used them, the Foundation’s assets have grown significantly, from approximately $20 million in 1998 to $90 million today. During the same time period, the PCA Foundation received $209 million in gifts to fund accounts and has distributed $154 million to fund PCA churches, PCA Committees and Agencies, and other Christian ministries. The current $90 million in assets will eventually be distributed to Christian ministries. Hence our motto:  Facilitating Generosity to Advance God’s Kingdom.

Christina: How can we pray for the Foundation and what you are doing?

Randy: The Foundation is going through a leadership transition in a couple of months. I will be retiring as of June 30, 2019 as president after 21 ½ years in this position. The PCA Foundation Board has elected Tim Townsend to succeed me as president effective July 1, 2019.  Please pray for a smooth transition and for Tim in his new position. Please pray for the staff as well during this time. Also, pray that more and more people in the PCA would become aware of our ministry and would find using our services beneficial to them.

Christina: How can we practically support the Foundation?

Randy: The best way to practically support the Foundation would be to pray for it, and to also be aware to tell others about it as opportunities present.  Also, you can encourage churches to put a link on their websites to our website as a PCA Resource.

To learn more about the PCA Foundation, click here.

About the Author:

Christina Fox

Christina received her undergraduate degree from Covenant College and her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She writes for a number of Christian ministries and publications including Revive Our Hearts, Desiring God, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and Ligonier Ministries. She is the content editor for enCourage and the author of A Heart Set Free: A Journey to Hope Through the Psalms of Lament  , Closer Than a Sister: How Union with Christ Helps Friendships to Flourish and Idols of a Mother’s Heart. Christina serves on the advisory board at Covenant College and is on the national women’s ministry team as Regional Adviser of the Southeast. She prefers her coffee black and from a French press, enjoys antiquing, hiking, traveling, and reading. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two boys. You can find her at www.christinafox.com, @christinarfox and on Facebook.