Steve Perry met his wife, Susie, in college.  He didn't know until after they were engaged that she came from one of the leading farm families of Orange County, California.  Over time, as the population of the area expanded, freeways crisscrossed their land.  The family shifted its focus from farming to real estate development, creating unforeseen wealth.

"When I realized in my twenties that the God of the universe wanted me, I decided that He was worth everything I was and had," says Steve.  "In college, I earned $55 a week at my part-time job, and I'd joyfully tithe $5.  I was piously judgmental of wealthy people, because I had seen how money corrupts.  Looking back, I'm amused by God's sense of humor!"

After college, Steve went to seminary and became a pastor.  The sizable stream of income he and Susie received from her family's investments would eventually make them the wealthiest family in their church.  This made Steve and Susie so uncomfortable that they became "closet wealthy Christians."

Steve's first inclination was to give the money away, but how much: 30 percent?  50 percent?  70 percent?  "I was looking for a formula to determine which part was God's and which part was mine," Steve admits.  "But God wasn't going to provide one, because it is all His.  Although Susie and I lived with the Biblical understanding that God blesses us so that we can be a blessing, I had not truly surrendered everything to Him." 

One Sunday as Steve was preaching about the shrewd steward in Luke 16, he gained a new insight: God gives us worldly wealth for a purpose – not just to give away, but also to use in innovative and creative ways for His purposes.

In 1996, two local Christian businessmen asked Steve to help them launch the Foundation for Christian Stewardship (FCS).  "Typically the Church does not serve wealthy Christians well," observes Steve.  "It tends to use, abuse, or ignore them.  And wealthy non-Christians can't help because they do not fully understand our issues of stewardship."

Steve left the pastorate to join FCS as a member of its board of directors.  He wanted to help create a safe place where Christians of means in Southern California could experience transformation and encouragement from other Christians who shared their values and means.

Soon after the foundation became operational, Steve and Susie opened an FCS Giving Fund and became active donors.  In 2004, when FCS affiliated with The National Christian Foundation (NCF), they appreciated the additional support they received.   

"The quality of our giving experience increased enormously," recalls Steve.  "And I was impressed with the integrity and dedication of NCF's leadership.  They didn't want FCS to join them so they could build NCF.  They wanted to serve FCS and its donors so together we could build God's Kingdom."
 
As God continued to bless Susie's family's business, the Perry's capacity to give grew.  They began to desire more strategic involvement with the ministries their Giving Fund supported. This would require insight trips, hiring consultants, and maintaining a small office.  However, a Giving Fund does not typically cover these types of expenses.

The Perrys considered setting up a private foundation.  But private foundations are expensive and burdensome to administer, and they do not provide donor anonymity, which Steve and Susie valued.  They also have significant tax disadvantages compared to a Giving Fund.

With the benefit of the experience and creativity of FCS and NCF, Steve and Susie decided to set up a new giving vehicle called a supporting organization, and then designate FCS as the charity it would support.  The supporting organization would receive all of the Perry's contributions, and it would make all of its distributions to their Giving Fund at FCS.  Their Giving Fund would then distribute grants to ministries.

"We named our supporting organization Sacred Harvest," comments Susie, "because my family at one time harvested lima beans on farmland that now provides the income for our giving.  Land that once produced an edible harvest now produces an eternal harvest." 

"Supporting organizations have advantages and disadvantages," explains Ann McKusick, President of FCS.  "A big advantage is that they can pay travel, office staff, consultants, and other expenses related to their purpose.  A disadvantage is that supporting organizations must designate in advance the charities they will support, and those designations, once made, cannot be changed.  This restriction can be problematic if the giving objectives of the supporting organizations change, or if for some reason the designated charities are no longer suitable.  But the Perrys avoided these problems by linking their supporting organization to FCS."

By setting up Sacred Harvest as a supporting organization and designating FCS as the only charity it supports, the Perrys gained the following major benefits:

• Capability – Sacred Harvest can hire consultants and pay for office, travel, and other necessary expenses related to its purpose.
• Flexibility – Their Giving Fund can distribute gifts to a variety of charities, which can be selected to match changing stewardship objectives.
• Stability – With FCS as its designated charity, Sacred Harvest is capable of meeting all of their future stewardship needs.  
• Simplicity – Administrative and record keeping requirements are minimized, because Sacred Harvest operates in connection with only one supported charity (FCS).  
• Anonymity – Their Giving Fund permits them to give anonymously.

"A supporting organization cannot be controlled by family members or other substantial contributors," explains Steve, "so Susie and I invited three godly men – the former president of our congregation, an FCS staff member, and a principal of NCF – to sit on the board.  That turned out to be one of the biggest benefits of this new structure.  Their counsel has been invaluable, especially when Susie and I haven't initially agreed on important issues."

After traveling to many parts of the world and prayerfully considering numerous giving opportunities, the Perrys decided to focus the majority of their international giving on indigenous ministries in the Philippines, particularly on the island of Mindanao. 

"Our entire board visits the Philippines once a year," says Susie, "to encourage the leaders on the front lines of the ministries we support.  Our chief desire is to support ministries that seek to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) by fulfilling the two greatest commandments of loving God and loving neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39).  We want to demonstrate Christ's love to them in the same way, and we've come to realize that our presence is as important to them as our dollars."

"Sacred Harvest has become a family endeavor," adds Ann.  "Steve and Susie's children are catching the joy of giving.  They occasionally travel with their parents to visit ministries. Someday the Perrys hope that Sacred Harvest will employ one or more of their children to manage its stewardship activities."