CRC Loan Fund Expands Lending

The CRC Loan Fund is an independent nonprofit subsidiary of the CRCNA whose purpose is to provide low-cost financing to CRCNA churches. It has been serving the denomination since 1983.

Over the last decade, the Loan Fund’s lending volume has declined by almost half ($18.6 million in 2016 to $9.6 million in 2026). In 2024, the Loan Fund Board began considering how to shift the trajectory from decline to growth and ultimately determined that expanding who the Loan Fund lends to might help it remain financially viable while also supporting the mobilization and growth of the CRCNA community of faith.

Synod 2026 ratified the Loan Fund’s amended articles of incorporation that now allow it to lend to CRCNA-related organizations, also known as CRC parachurches.

The Loan Fund’s primary purpose of supporting Christian Reformed churches remains the same; however, this expansion supports parachurch ministries during this particular moment in culture and time as a step toward that end. First, the Loan Fund will not be able to fulfill its mission of lending to churches if it does not remain financially viable. To remain financially viable, it needs to generate a certain volume of loans to cover expenses from investment certificates and the fixed costs of operating the fund. Notably, increased loan volume means that fixed costs will be spread over more loans, allowing the Fund to decrease loan rates overall.

Next, as church membership declines, parachurch ministries can serve as an avenue to connect people to the local church. In this day and age, the gospel message is not always what initially attracts someone to Christianity. Indeed, in Western society, where people are free to practice whatever religion they like, people are familiar with Christianity and many view evangelism negatively as proselytising and an assault on individual autonomy.

Instead, people generally come to a Christian organization because of a need, crisis, or desire to help. They come for education, counseling, to foster children, or to volunteer medically. People then stay as they come to personally know that Christ is the ultimate provider, supporter, advocate, and reconciler of this broken world. When people encounter Christ’s light through believers, there is room for the larger gospel reality.

Para means “come alongside” in Greek. Parachurch ministries ideally come alongside the local church in spreading the gospel. Many serve as someone’s first touchpoint, orienting them toward the church.

The CRCNA has, in some regards, embraced the role of parachurch ministries—in spreading the gospel (Reframe and Resonate); in strengthening the local church (Thrive, CRC Loan Fund, CRC Pensions Fund, Reformed Benefits Association); in alleviating human suffering (World Renew); and in education (Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary). These are just a few of the almost 100 listed on the CRCNA Find a Ministry page.

Right now, the church needs parachurch ministries to serve as the wide-open gate so that those with ears can then hear about the forgiveness of sins and a new life in Christ through God’s still, small voice, which has the capacity to speak more profoundly than any loud proclamation. In this way, the Loan Fund, as a parachurch ministry itself, is taking a step to come alongside other ministries, all to serve the bigger purpose of spreading the faith and discipling believers.