Ask the Experts: Why Giving Matters More Than Ever

What if we flipped the script on generosity this year? Instead of avoiding the topic, what if we approached it with intentionality, joy and gratitude?

Our Unto^® Vice President of Development, Kaitlynn Watkins, sat down to talk about giving, God’s heart behind it and ways to make it more approachable for you and your family. 

Unto: Why does giving matter more than ever? 

Kaitlynn: The problems in the world are only getting more devastating, more complex and affecting more people. Wars are overlapping with crises like food scarcity or natural disasters. When a country’s infrastructure completely breaks down, those in the margins are the first ones impacted. It is easy to get caught up in the magnitude of the brokenness, I find myself doing it at times, and take the route of apathy. 

But sometimes apathy can actually be disobedience. There is enough wealth in Christian homes in America to accomplish the Great Commission in our lifetime. There is a direct order in Scripture for followers of Christ to accomplish the Great Commission and to care for the poor, the marginalized, the orphan, the widow and the oppressed (James 1:17). 

Giving matters more than ever, especially for Christians. We have the money to accomplish the Great Commission. The need of the people we are called to care for has never been greater. Let’s get to work.

Unto: There are so many worthwhile causes. What advice would you give to help people choose? 

Kaitlynn: The first thing is to seek the Lord. There are a lot of great ministries out there. I fully believe if we are asking the Lord, He will direct our heart to exactly where He wants our funds to go. I would also tell people to do your research on the organization’s values, their financial transparency and, more than anything, how they approach ministry.

Unto: What would you tell someone thinking about giving to Unto? 

Kaitlynn: Unto is my favorite ministry I have been part of. Here are my top three reasons I personally give to Unto:

1. People – As I mentioned earlier, when I read Scripture and think about the people Jesus continually calls us to take care of, those are the people I see Unto projects serving. Victims of war, widows, children, the oppressed, the poor and even people that are hostile to the message of Jesus.
2. Strategy – Unto is not a humanitarian organization that drops into a country, assesses a need and then drives around passing out aid. Our local staff teams that live in the country tell us the needs of their communities. Then we provide aid to them that allows them to serve, follow up and develop a sustainable ministry, which leads to evangelism opportunities.
3. Evangelism – So many of us care deeply about the needs in the world (clean water, food, shelter, etc.). Yet we know that the deepest need of people worldwide is the love of Jesus. I love humanitarian work, but the fact that the people delivering Unto’s aid are Cru^® missionaries focused on sharing the love of Jesus is what makes me personally give to Unto.

Unto: Can you talk about transparency — where does my giving really go? 

Kaitlynn: At Unto, 80% of the staff are supported, meaning they raise their own funds for their salary, benefits and training. Our CEO does not draw a large salary from the funds people give to the ministry. Instead, he raises his own salary using his own network of supporters. So when you give to Unto, you are truly helping equip missionaries in the toughest places with humanitarian aid that is used to open doors to share the message of Jesus in places it has never gone before.

Unto: What sets Unto apart from other humanitarian organizations? 

Kaitlynn: Unto stands apart from other humanitarian organizations in a few ways.

1. Distribution network: Some humanitarian organizations have to hire in-country help to distribute the humanitarian aid they are providing. We have trained missionaries organizing the projects. Together with their trusted partners, they deliver the aid, build relationships and follow up in the weeks/months after the distribution.
2. Areas of work: Many of the countries Unto works in are at the top of Christian persecution lists; they have travel warnings in place; or they are marked by war zones. Unto is committed to going to the toughest places, where the message of Jesus is not yet known and where humanitarian aid opens the door for hope to be proclaimed.
3. Dignity: We want to make sure that every person, who is made in the image of God, experiences dignity when receiving aid. We do not stamp hands; we do not roll things off of the back of a truck and leave — instead, we develop relationships; we listen to people’s stories and we serve them with the kindness of Jesus.

Unto: If someone is new to giving, how would you encourage them to get started? 

Kaitlynn: Giving is fun! It is not about how much; it is about obedience. I have experienced the greatest joy when stepping out in faith with what God calls me to give and watching Him provide. Take some real time to pray. What is God’s call for all Christians? And now what is He specifically calling you to give to? 

If you have kids, get them involved. Make it a family commitment to fund a project together. Last year, my six-year-old daughter and I got to talk about the project we were going to fund as a family. We got a globe, circled the country and then learned more about the people groups we would be serving through our giving. Six months later, she started her own Unto fundraising project, and now I get to help her share it with our family and friends. She told me the other day, “God gave us so much. He wants us to give it to other people so they can know about Him too.” You got it, kiddo.