[accordion clicktoclose=”true”][accordion-item title=”Are there really enough church people to make a difference?”]70% of Americans still self- identify as “Christian”[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Do church people even have enough money to make a difference?”]Church members in the U.S. control, through their incomes, the third largest GDP in the world, after the entire U.S. and then China.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”If it’s possible to do something, why aren’t church people already doing more?”]Even with all the communication resources available, parents of children who are dying in other countries have a hard time being heard by people in America who are surrounded by so many buying options.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Haven’t world leaders already done something?”]Twice, world leaders have “promised” the world’s children to lower the under-age-5 death rate, and some rates have come down.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”So what’s the problem now?”]Many churches already work through agencies on the front lines trying to help people in the 40 countries, as well as other countries, and could use more help. And churches have a responsibility because of what they say they believe.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”What does the “Promise Gap” mean for children and parents?”]In 2015, an estimated 1.3 million children died because of the “Promise Gap” — the difference between the goals set and the actual 2015 under-age-5 death levels.[/accordion-item]
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[accordion clicktoclose=”true”][accordion-item title=”Suppose I wanted to do something about these little kids dying. What can I do?”]Churches, governments, and big givers have been working to reduce these child deaths. What’s needed now is for lots of us to each do a little more to add the “oomph” needed to actually meet the goal and close the Promise Gap.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Why are Christians needed for this special effort?”]Christians know that Jesus loves the little children of the world. So they have the responsibility. Also, they are part of a larger system that already has a distribution network in place through churches. And there are lots of them[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”What could happen if all these Christians got organized?”]What seems impossible alone becomes possible because we see ourselves as part of “Team Christian.” We can come in as the “cleanup crew” (like in baseball) and bring the goal “home” by helping to close the Promise Gap by helping 40 countries reduce their child deaths. With each of us doing a little, it is possible to get organized to make a difference on a scale that doesn’t just cope with the Promise Gap, but actually closes the Promise Gap.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Can anything really be done for these kids?”]The progress already made shows it’s possible. But too many children are still dying from causes including diarrhea and pneumonia, for which there are solutions.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Why expect churches to do more?”]Many churches already work through agencies on the front lines trying to help people in the 40 countries, as well as other countries, and could use more help. And churches have a responsibility because of what they say they believe.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”What kind of difference could be made for children in these 40 countries?”]Ramping up what’s going on through these church channels can turn the tide. It is possible to get organized to make a difference on a scale that doesn’t just cope with the Promise Gap, but actually closes the Promise Gap.[/accordion-item]
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[accordion clicktoclose=”true”][accordion-item title=”Could my ‘drop in the bucket’ really make a difference?”]If we each do a little — put our “drops in the bucket” together — soon we have thousands and millions of drops that create a pool of Matching Contributions![/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”If I give my ‘drop in the bucket,’ what will it actually do?”]A small donation to Mission Match combines with lots of other small donations — hopefully hundreds and thousands and millions — to build up the pool of Matching Contributions. Each donation is almost doubled: After reasonable expenses (that’s 15% of each gift), the remaining 85% is doubled when matched with the money raised by the congregation carrying out the project.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”What do Matching Contributions do?”]These Matching Contributions are available to encourage churches to do mission projects focused on one of the causes of death in one of the 40 countries.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Will churches apply for Mission Match Matching Contributions?”]Since 2002, churches have applied for Matching Contributions to do projects on the front lines with the help of Christian agencies already there.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Will churches really use Matching Contribution $s to impact child death causes in the 40 countries?”]Yes. Churches that receive Matching Contributions combine it with at least an equal amount of money the church has raised. So double the money is available for their project to address, in Jesus’ name, one of the causes of death in children under 5 in one of the 40 countries.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Are there enough churches to really make a difference through mission projects?”]There are an estimated 300,000+ historically Christian churches in the U.S. that could be activated to help close the Promise Gap. So it sure seems like it.[/accordion-item]
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[accordion clicktoclose=”true”][accordion-item title=”There’s stuff I just want to buy. Do I have to stop so I can help these little kids in Jesus’ name?”]It’s both/and. That’s the beauty of it and the tragedy of the present situation. We can actually make this difference in the lives of the world’s children and parents with very little impact on the way we live — if enough of us each will do a little more and do it now.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Okay. So what’s next?”]By adding a gift to Mission Match to the other things you buy with your money, you are helping Jesus love the little children of the world. You can start by donating your drop in the bucket here.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Could we really make the kind of difference it would take to close the Promise Gap?”]It is possible to help close the Promise Gap if churches get organized, and that’s where Mission Match can help. If lots of churches apply for Matching Contributions, addressing these causes of child deaths in the 40 countries will become a higher priority.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”Will enough churches apply for Matching Contributions to impact child deaths in the 40 countries?”]The bigger the pool of Mission Match Matching Contributions, the more churches can apply for these projects. The Matching Contribution pool is made up of the many “drops in the bucket” from lots of people. So if we want more churches to apply, we need more “drops” to combine to make the Matching Contributions pool bigger and bigger.
You can donate your drop in the bucket here.[/accordion-item][/accordion]
