The Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) is an association of autonomous churches united around 10 core convictions. It is a global movement made up of more than 1,600 congregations in 17 districts and 500 missionaries proclaiming the gospel in their unique contexts and impacting communities around the world. The EFCA exists to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people.
The Chief Development Officer will develop strategy and actionable plans to initiate, grow, and direct fundraising activities and communication impacting individual donors and churches, as well as major donors and foundations, to embrace and support the domestic and global ministries of the EFCA. In addition, this person will oversee the EFCA Foundation which assists donors with planned giving. As a direct report to the EFCA president, the CDO works in coordination with the EVP of Operations to ensure collaboration with communications, donor services, and accounting departments.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The EFCA—or Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around 10 core convictions – the EFCA Statement of Faith.
God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His glory.
The Bible
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
The Human Condition
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled, and renewed.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
The Work of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
The Church
We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Christian Living
We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
Christ’s Return
We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
Response and Eternal Destiny
We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Evangelical Free Church of America has 2 words that are at the core of who they are. Evangelical comes from the biblical word that means "good news." We are the bearers of the good news of Jesus Christ. "Free" means that Evangelical Free Churches are autonomous but interdependent congregations of like faith and congregational government.
HISTORY
Coming from Scandinavian heritage (Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish), early Free Church founders were committed to the inerrancy of scripture. In 1887, the first Free Church missionary was sent to China. In 1950, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish associations merged to form the Evangelical Free Church of America. The early days of the EFCA movement saw the opening of many mission fields and a focus on church planting. The EFCA is affiliated with Trinity International University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
THE NATIONAL OFFICE
The national office exists to glorify God by providing servant leadership for the EFCA movement, preserving EFCA values, and enhancing interdependence within the movement and the broader Church.
From national ministries to international gospel initiatives to local churches in 17 districts, EFCA ministry leaders around the world are multiplying disciples and disciple-makers; strengthening, revitalizing, and planting churches; and extending gospel ministries -- all to fulfill the Great Commission.
The national office, in partnership with EFCA districts, aligns collaborative ministry efforts and maximizes the collective energy of EFCA churches to serve, convene, resource, and guard the movement.
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
The leadership and staff of the national office are excited about the future of the movement as they serve churches to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people. The Chief Development Officer will lead a team of three people that will be laser-focused on four funding areas: EFCA Partnership Fund (church giving), EFCA Fund (annual fund), EFCA Foundation (planned giving) and major gifts. It will be very important for this person to be strategic by creating a framework focused on raising money for these fund areas as well as developing a deep partnership engaging the more than 1,600 EFCA national congregations.
The Chief Development Officer must agree with the EFCA Statement of Faith, mission, and movement ethos. He or She will need to have Conviction (passion about their faith and the gospel), Commitment to relationship building as well as Care for donors, pastors, and churches. It will be important for this individual to join or be involved in a local EFCA congregation. This individual should have a heart for engaging and serving local churches. The CDO will need to have a collaborative posture as he/she serves as a key leader in the national office.
The ideal candidate is a senior development individual with experience in a non-profit faith-based organization and has past engagement with pastors and local churches. This individual should have demonstrated success in fundraising and be a strategic thinker and planner. It will be important that this individual is organized, self-motivated, able to meet goals and deadlines and lead a team with excellence. Last, it will be imperative that this leader has good listening skills and strong emotional intelligence to generate confidence from major donors in both the Office of the President and the national office as well as the broader movement. Words such as strong leader, strategic planner, team developer, fundraiser, and executor describe this person.
POSITION PROFILE
The Chief Development Officer develops strategy and actionable plans to initiate, grow, and direct fundraising activities and communication impacting individual donors and churches, as well as major donors and foundations, to embrace and support the domestic and global ministries of the EFCA. In addition, this person will oversee the EFCA Foundation.
As a direct report to the EFCA president, the CDO works in coordination with the EVP of Operations to ensure collaboration with communications, donor services, and accounting departments.
KEY FUNDING AREAS
EFCA Partnership Fund – Lead, track, and grow multi–faceted communication with churches motivating them to support the EFCA national office with 1% of their revenue.
EFCA Fund – Lead, track, and grow multi–faceted communication with individuals motivating them to support EFCA ministries led out of the national office through the annual fund.
EFCA Foundation – Lead, track and grow communications with individuals and families motivating them to follow biblical principles of stewardship and name EFCA ministries through estate and planned giving arrangements.
Major gifts – Cultivate and solicit financial commitments and gifts for Key Strategic Initiatives, along with other unrestricted and restricted funds and projects.
The Chief Development Officer will:
Personally, manage a caseload of the top 100 major donors - identifying individual passions and how they intersect with the EFCA development needs.
Develop a personal fundraising plan for the top 50 key donors.
Intentionally network within the EFCA to identify and raise up potential donors.
Develop a partnership with districts and churches to grow financial support of the EFCA national office by engaging more than 1,600 EFCA national congregations.
Ensure coordination and execution of a planned giving program with major gift development through the EFCA Foundation.
KEY SKILL REQUIREMENTS
Demonstrated success with fundraising efforts and major gift development for a ministry organization.
Able to evaluate, change and implement effective fundraising strategies.
Organized, self-motivated, and able to meet goals and deadlines.
Strong emotional intelligence, generating confidence in major donors.
Able to motivate and grow senior leaders to see themselves as part of the development process.
Strong team leadership experience.
Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
OTHER QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS
Understanding and appreciation of the EFCA and its values.
Agreement with EFCA Statement of Faith and movement ethos.
Committed to EFCA vision and mission – able to passionately articulate and demonstrate alignment.
Willing to travel extensively.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
Supervises Associate Executive Director of EFCA Foundation, Development Administration Manager, and department administrative assistant.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Committed personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Minimum of 5 years of development or related experience.
Experience in use of database and Microsoft software.
ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
All employees are expected to be in alignment with and contribute to the EFCA national office mission and values as stated.
PRAYERFUL DEPENDENCE: We are committed to unceasing prayerful communion with the Lord and yielding to His leading.
HUMBLE POSTURE: We are committed to work with servant hearts, honoring one another as fellow image bearers of God.
COLLABORATIVE WORK: Both as individuals and as teams, we are committed to working interdependently, sharing our diverse skills, gifts, knowledge, and experience to achieve our common purpose.
REAL HELP: We are committed to work that makes a tangible and timely difference to those we serve.
FUTURE READY: We are committed to envisioning the future, informed by the wisdom of the past and present, by providing pathways for today in anticipation of tomorrow.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Salary: A salary commensurate with experience.
Work Environment: Work out of the national EFCA office in Minneapolis with a hybrid schedule. (Mondays/Fridays: office from home)
Benefits: EFCA pays the majority of the premium for health insurance and dental insurance, contributes $1,500 to HSA, and provides a life insurance policy for staff.
Vacation: 20 days, plus 12 paid holidays.
Relocation: Costs associated with reasonable shipping of household goods and temporary living expenses. Reimbursements for house-hunting trips, including airfare, hotel, and meals, and travel expenses.
Travel: Ability to travel up to 30% to attend EFCA events and for personal visits with donors and EFCA leaders.
About the Area
Bloomington is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, located on the north bank of the Mississippi River. It offers residents an urban/suburban mix feel. The median home price in Bloomington is $364k. Bloomington is located 10 miles south of downtown Minneapolis, where the median house price is $315k. Downtown Minneapolis boasts endless things to do—three stadiums, river walks, world class theaters, live music venues, hotels, shopping, and a wide range of dining options.
To learn more about the Evangelical Church of America, please visit their website at www.efca.org.
If, after prayerfully reviewing this information, you sense this role and organization could be a good fit for you, please click on the APPLY NOW button below. If you know someone who may have an interest, please use the social media and email buttons at the top of this page.