Kingdom Fund
What is the Kingdom Fund?
Central Church’s congregation has a rich history of abounding generosity. Our Board of Elders started the Kingdom Fund to more formally vet opportunites to distribute funds that are given to Central that exceed the regular operating budget of our church. As of December 31, 2023, Central has funded 20 projects for $1,531,750 through the Kingdom Fund over 3 years.
Kingdom Fund’s mission statement: The investment focus of the Central Church Kingdom Fund will be to make long-term investments in Kingdom-based missions, non-profits, and efforts that align with the Central Mission and Vision. It will also focus, although not exclusively, on investments enabling Central members and givers to engage with their time, energy, and talents, in addition to their financial resources.
The Kingdom Fund committee is a group of committed church leaders including Trustees, Elders, at large church members, and the Executive Pastor. Monthly meetings are held to consider submitted proposals and meet with organizational leaders who have applied to qualify for Kingdom Fund consideration. It’s the heart of this committee to prayerfully consider and fund organizations that missionally align with Central Church and God’s vision for outreach.
Does your organization align with Central’s mission of equipping others to share the love of Jesus with their relational world? Apply for a Kingdom Fund grant with the link below. Email Nathan Pruett, with any questions.
Check out how the Kingdom Fund has impacted these specific ministry partners:
Adams Thermal Foundation
Adams Thermal Foundation operates two K-12 schools for at-risk children in southwest Ethiopia. These schools also administer self-help programs so that women and mothers of students can learn business and job skills. Together, these programs seek to break the generational cycle of poverty and lift children and their families out of despair and hopelessness.
Adams Thermal Academy Hosanna (ATAH) operates in a city located 115 miles southwest of the capital, Addis Ababa. The school only enrolls students who would otherwise be unable to obtain an education, due to poverty, disease, or the loss of one or both parents. ATAH is one of the top performing schools in the region and serves as an example for other public and private schools there. ATAH also operates a full-day academic schedule, while public schools typically offer only half-day opportunities.
Learn more about Adams Thermal
Central has been sending teams to Ethiopia through Adams Thermal since 2015. Through your generosity and the Kingdom Fund we have helped build two high schools, completed a water project for the community of Ottoro, developed a school feeding program, and an spoken English language program. Several hundred children are also sponsored at the schools by Central attendees.
Get involved:
- Contact Kendra Michael, Central’s Ethiopia Initiative Liaison
- Donate Here
Call To Freedom
Call to Freedom brings wholeness to all individuals impacted by sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation by navigating a healing path through their continuum of care model.
Learn more about Call to Freedom
In 2021, The Kingdom Fund and Elders approved a gift to Call to Freedom to help with the building of the Marissa House. This home allows women coming out of trafficking to have a safe and supportive home environment with their children.
Get involved:
Central Church Sensory Room
Over 500 kids attend Central Church on a Sunday morning. For some children, the amount of people and videos and music is too much. So, the Kid Central team developed the idea of a Sensory Room. This room is a place where children who process things a little differently can get away from the things that are overstimulating or understimulating to them and learn in a place that fits their needs with a “Buddy” and tools that are familiar and comforting to them. Buddies are individuals who teach children with sensory issues one on one or who help them cope in the larger group settings.
The Kingdom Fund approved this project in Spring of 2023. Seven children have been served in the first year of the project and the need is always growing. If you would like to know more about this project or get involved as a Buddy contact Marianne Mergen from our Kid Central team.
Collision
Collision’s mission is to equip students to become faithful followers of Christ who share the gospel, multiply, and transform their schools and the world around them. With that, they are connecting and working with local churches to partner with Christ-following middle and high school students. They empower students through mentoring, training, and other resources to help equip them to share the hope of Christ in their schools and with their peers.
In 2023 The Kingdom Fund and Elders approved a gift to help Collision expand its programs into previously under-reached areas here in Sioux Falls.
Get involved:
Converge Churches
Central Church is a part of Converge Heartland and Converge Worldwide denomination. Converge is a movement of churches working to help people meet, know and follow Jesus. We do this by starting and strengthening churches together worldwide. For 170 years we’ve helped churches bring life change to communities in the U.S. and around the world through church planting and multiplication, leadership training and coaching and global missions.
In April of 2019, the elders at Central approved a gift to 10 faithful Converge churches that were struggling due to the pandemic.
Empower (Fair Market West)
Fair Market is not your typical grocery store. Their slogan is to “Make food affordable and accessible in a sustainable way.” They do this by providing healthy food options at reduced rates in “food deserts” within the city of Sioux Falls.
In 2022 The Kingdom Fund and the Elders approved a gift to help Empower open Fair Market West to end a “food desert” that had appeared in Sioux Falls with the closing of the Hy-Vee on Kiwanis.
Get involved:
- Message Fair Market on their Facebook page
- Stop by one of their two locations in Sioux Falls
- 4510 E 10th Street
- 523 N Kiwanis
Hope Harbor
Hope Harbor offers family-style care for teens as they heal from a variety of issues that are unfortunately commonplace for youth today. These include past abuse, trauma, anger, substance use, mental health issues, exploitation, self-harm, suicidal ideation, anxiety, attachment issues, and more. They work with ordinary kids who are healing from extraordinary things; each one a child of God, loved by the Savior.
The Kingdom Fund and Elders approved a gift using Central’s excess tithes and offerings to help Hope Harbor with innovative staff trainings and ongoing ministry costs in 2023.
Get involved:
- Hope Harbor’s Parker facility is large and is always in need of all kinds of volunteers. To find out more, reach out to the Site Director Amanda Dent at [email protected].
- Donate Here
M.K.A
M.K.A. is an abbreviation for an Amharic phrase that means “Equipping for Christ’s Ministry.” M.K.A.’s mission is to equip pastors in Ethiopia through seminary education and seminars. M.K.A. also does a variety of outreaches to the least of these throughout the country of Ethiopia.
In January of 2022 the Kingdom Fund at Central donated for emergency food and medical supplies to be distributed in the Tigray region. Central has also sent two teams to Ethiopia to work with M.K.A. through street evangelism and feeding programs in the city of Addis Ababa.
Get involved:
- Contact Kendra Michael, Central’s Ethiopia Initiative Liaison
Partners Worldwide
Partners Worldwide is a global network of businesspeople working to end poverty through entrepreneurship so all can have the abundant life God desires. They partner with locally led community institutions throughout the world to foster job creation and empower businesspeople to be redemptive agents in the marketplace.
There are 700 million image-bearers that live in extreme poverty of less than $2 a day and another three billion living on less than $10 a day around the world. God has given Partners Worldwide a model and message that works and that the world needs; a call to business and serving the poor.
Learn more about Partners Worldwide
In January of 2024, Central entered into a three year partnership with Partners Worldwide. The Kingdom Fund and Elders voted to cover all of Partners Worldwide’s program expenses in Ethiopia for that three year period. We are currently exploring mentorships and trip opportunities for Central attendees with business and entrepreneur backgrounds.
Get involved:
- To learn more about this partnership and how you can use your talents and treasures to further this ministry in Ethiopia, please reach out to Kendra Michael.
Renewal 58
Renewal 58 is a non-profit that focuses on buying distressed properties in Pettigrew Heights, refurbishing them, and renting them out at a rate that is affordable for lower income people. When residents join the program, they will be paired with a case worker and a mentor to help them work through challenges they face in order to improve their quality of life. Their model serves both the people in the homes and improves the neighborhood of Pettigrew Heights. As of now, Renewal 58 has 21 units across seven properties.
In 2021 Central provided the funds to help buy a 10 unit home in Pettigrew Heights. The church invites these and other Renewal 58 residents to several events per year and provides other enriching opportunities through our Central Renewal ministry.
Get involved:
- Renewal 58 periodically needs volunteers to do yard work and maintenance on the homes. To find out more, contact Nathan Pruett, Outreach Pastor.
ResGen
ResGen exists to present the Good News of Christ to thousands of people and help them follow Him for a lifetime. Since 2010, ResGen has impacted over three hundred thousand people at conferences, schools, festivals, and other events across the country. They also host several annual events in Sioux Falls, including the ResGen Men’s Summit, Date Night Comedy, and a parenting event.
The Elders voted in 2021 to give a one-time gift to ResGen to help them with startup costs for their Podcast ministry. Men’s Summit and Date Night Comedy are hosted at Central Church.
Get involved:
Selamta
Every child deserves the love of a healthy family. But children who have been orphaned or abandoned are often alone, separated from siblings, and left to fend for themselves in orphanages or on the street. Selamta recreates and empowers families so these children can grow up knowing their God-given dignity and worth, healing generational brokenness, and transforming lives. Selamta’s holistic, community-integrated, permanent approach brings children from institutions and the street into the loving arms of a healthy family where hope and healing are found.
In 2022 The Kingdom Fund and the Elders approved the sponsorship of a Forever Home. Forever homes are made up of one mom, an “auntie”, and eight previously homeless or abandoned children. In 2023, Central took a team over to Ethiopia to host an English camp for the Selamta children, as well as children from the surrounding community. This provided the children with the opportunity to be immersed in the English language and converse with native speakers, as well as learn five Bible stories.
Get involved:
- Contact Kendra Michael, Central’s Ethiopia Initiative Liaison
- Donate Here
Shamida
Shamida exists to provide high quality holistic care for orphans and vulnerable children, families, and the community. Shamida has two facilities. One home has existed for about 10 years and has about 30 children, many of whom are children with disabilities. Recently they joined in collaboration with the Ethiopian government to provide care for the 150+ children at Kebebe Tsehay.
In 2022 The Kingdom Fund and the Elders approved a gift to purchase an industrial generator, dishwasher, washer and dryer for use at Kebebe Tsehay.
Get Involved:
SHIFT Garage
SHIFT Garage exists to help those they serve to fully realize the plan Jesus Christ has for their lives. They do this through a combination of vehicle repair, vehicle donation, and maintenance classes.
In 2022 The Kingdom Fund and Elders approved a gift to allow Shift Garage to move to a more accessible location, expand their services, increase advertising, and hire a full-time mechanic.
Get involved:
- SHIFT Garage is always looking for volunteer mechanics and Lobby Hosts. To find out more contact Joe Smith, Founder.
- Donate Here
Sioux falls First
Sioux Falls First is a faithful and likeminded community of believers here in Sioux Falls. Their mission is to lead people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
In December of 2021 the elders voted to donate to Sioux Falls First to help them pay off their debt from a much needed building project.
The Gathering Well
The Gathering Well supports, educates, and inspires adoptive and foster families with relevant connection opportunities and resources. They recognize Jesus Christ as the source of hope and healing, and believe that no one should be on this journey alone.
Learn more about The Gathering Well
In 2023 The Kingdom Fund and the Elders approved a gift to help The Gathering Well continue to serve its ever growing client base. They meet monthly in our building.
Get involved:
The Naomi Project
The Naomi Project’s vision is for a just and fair future for all workers in South Dakota. They have an emphasis on connecting with workers who are experiencing labor trafficking, building relationships of trust, and moving forward in reporting abuses to law enforcement while supporting impacted workers with direct services.
Learn more about The Naomi Project
In 2023 The Kingdom Fund and the Elder board approved a one-time financial gift for The Naomi Project so that they could hire two part-time Case Managers to better serve their clients.
Get involved:
- Contact Jordan Bruxvoort, Director, for more information
- Donate Here
The Timothy Initiative
The Timothy Initiative (TTI) exists to advance Christ’s Kingdom by multiplying disciples and disciple making churches around the world. It’s their vision to see multiplying, disciple making churches in every place and people group.
Central and TTI began their partnership in 2020. To date through your generosity and gifts from the Kingdom Fund, Central has donated to TTI to see over 2,200 churches planted in Ethiopia. The Kingdom Fund also gave a gift to purchase 10,850 physical Bibles and 2,700 audio Bibles in local dialects. Central attendees and staff have also participated in multiple vision trips through TTI.
Get involved:
Ukraine
In 2022 & 2023, The Kingdom Fund and the Elders gave financial gifts for food and care for Ukrainian pastors in response to the crisis in Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion. We did this in conjunction with other Converge Heartland churches from our area.
Washed Clean
For every addict, alcoholic, compulsive gambler, and broken human, there is usually as tipping point where they hit rock bottom. Instead of allowing their addiction to control them, they finally surrender and decide that they are worth more than the lies they’ve been telling themselves. Terrified and unsure, they seek resources that might help them win the battle. That’s where Washed Clean Ministries comes in. They take the struggling addict, whom is often a liability to the community, walk alongside them, support them through each challenge and help them find meaning in their life. In turn, they begin to serve and contribute to the world around them.
From the beginning, Roger Anderson, Recovery Ministries Pastor, has been a part of Washed Clean. He has helped them develop their programs and ministries. Central hosts a recovery group for Washed Clean participants at our Downtown campus on Friday evenings. In January of 2024 the Kingdom Fund made a one time donation to Washed Clean to help offset program costs for individuals in recovery.
Get involved:
The main way you can help Washed Clean is through donations or sponsorship. Every person in the program costs $1,000 a month more than they are charged to be in Washed Clean.
