Know You’re Making a Difference (Recap) (Ep. 6)

0.33%. 30,000×.

Two numbers. One question: what kind of steward are you going to be?

In 2001, the Gordon Conwell Center for the Study of Global Christianity published the number. In 2025, they updated it. In 24 years, total Christian giving nearly tripled — and the percentage that reaches the world's unevangelized barely moved. That's the 0.33% problem.

The 30,000× is the upside. When a dollar flows to a faithful, fruit-bearing ministry serving the poorest and least reached, the same dollar can produce 3,000 to 30,000 times the eternal impact of where the average gift goes today.

In the season-one recap of ROI Ministry: The Don't Bury It Podcast, host Tim Barker walks the entire series in a single pass: the global giving crisis (Episode 1), the words of Jesus on the poor and the lost (Episode 2), the framework for wise generosity (Episode 3), the free due diligence tool (Episode 4), and the kingdom-advisor litmus test (Episode 5). Then he lands the question that holds the whole season together: are you inspecting the fruit of where your dollars go?

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The 2025 update: $677 billion in Christian giving, 0.33% to the unevangelized, 0.1% to unreached peoples
• The 30,000× upside: the maximum EROI measured across 100+ ministries reviewed
• Why "follow your heart" is the worst stewardship advice in the Bible (Jeremiah 17:9)
• The 1 Timothy 6:17–19 framework: God first, family, local church, strategic kingdom investments
• The fruit-inspector test: how to evaluate any ministry in 60 seconds
• The kingdom-advisor litmus test: 100× the world's best charities while sharing Jesus
• Why ROI Ministry never touches a dollar — and the donor-advised funds that make it possible

Tim Barker is the founder of ROI Ministry, a free resource that reviews over 100 ministries each year and publishes a top-10 list of ministries that beat the best charities in the world on cost per person served — while still sharing the gospel and making disciples. Every one of Tim's dollars from every copy of his book, BOOM: What to Do When Life Blows Up Around You, goes straight to vetted gospel + compassion ministries. No fees. No overhead. No skim.

Subscribe to ROI Ministry: The Don't Bury It Podcast and know you're making a difference.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The top-10 ministry list and 90+ reviewed ministries: roiministry.org
• BOOM: What to Do When Life Blows Up Around You: https://www.amazon.com/BOOM-What-When-Blows-Around/dp/1646459016/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Most giving doesn't produce any lasting measurable fruit. Welcome to ROI Ministry, the Don't Bury It Podcast, the show for Christians who measure what really matters. 30,000 times the eternal return on every dollar, every hour, every opportunity, so you know you're making a difference. Because good intentions aren't enough. Wise generosity changes everything. Let's get into it. Welcome. Today we're going to recap episodes one through five as they really provide the basis for all that we're trying to do and encourage you to be more impactful in your stewardship and to ultimately hear well done, my good and faithful servant. We started this series with episode one, Holy and Justice, the shocking truth about Christian giving. Because the numbers will shock you as they did us. As we looked at the Gordon Conwell University research in 2001, it showed $270 billion being used by the Big C church worldwide. That includes all parachurch ministry and all other types of giving into Christian causes in 2001. And what was surprising to us in 2025, this information was updated. And the good news is that giving has increased dramatically. The bad news is it's not making it to where we could see the greatest fruit. So in 2025, looking at the Gordon Conwell Center for Study of Global Christianity, you can see here that 96.8%, that is $677 billion, went to pastoral ministries and local churches, primarily in already Christian nations. 2.9% or $20.3 billion went towards what we would call home missions within Christian.3, that's one-third of one percent, or two point one billion dollars of all Christian giving, was directed towards the world's unevangelized, and less than one-tenth of one percent, that's $450 million annually, was specifically used to target and reach unreach peoples. The unevangelized and unreached are often the poorest of the poor living on a few dollars a day. And again, less than one half of 1% of all ministry giving makes it to organizations trying to reach and minister to them at the ends of the earth. The issue is not whether Christians are generous, the issue is whether we are stewarding God's resources in a way that reflects God's priorities. Jesus came proclaiming the good news to the poor, seeking the lost, and setting the captives free, calling his followers to bear fruit that would last. Today, billions of dollars flow through churches and ministries every year, yet less than one half of 1% is used to reach the poorest lost, those who've never heard the gospel. At the same time, billions more are lost through waste, fraud, abuse, and ineffective stewardship. As the church in America is facing declining attendance and our influence diminishes each year, perhaps the question is not whether are we doing enough ministry, but whether we are producing the fruit that matters to God. Jesus warned, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, Matthew 7.19. He also said, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7.20. We're not to judge people's motives, our hearts, but he does encourage us to be fruit inspectors when it comes to stewarding resources. And in Matthew 21, 43, Jesus says, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. God gives the growth, but he expects our faithfulness, he expects good and wise stewardship. He expects fruit. Episode one asks a simple yet uncomfortable question. If Jesus evaluated the way we invest the resources he has entrusted to the Church, would He find that fruit advances his kingdom or evidence that our priorities have drifted from His heart for the poorest, lost, unreached, and unevangelized? Giving today should be based on lasting fruit Jesus desires, not on what we feel or think, or the best presentation, the greatest speakers, and communicators and relationship managers share with us. Now that is a sobering message. But every great inventor, scientist, and thinker knows that before you provide solutions, you need to study the problem well, which is what we have done. But before we get into the solution, let's look at what Jesus had to say about this in episode two. And this is his words, but our priorities. The bookends of Jesus' ministry begin as we see with him unrolling the scroll and reading that he came to preach the good news to the poor and set the captives free. And it ends in this dramatic scene as he ascends to heaven, telling us to take all that he taught us to others to the ends of the earth, making disciples. So is there any question as to who were to take the gospel to as our great example came to preach the good news to the poor and set the captives free? That was the first thing we looked at in this episode. And the second thing is what does love look like? And thankfully, Jesus provides us with the greatest commandment. And as he reaches back to the Shema, which every good Jewish family recited twice a day, he put the emphasis on mind, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and also to love our neighbors as ourselves. Equating our love for God is really seen in what we do for each other. Thankfully, Jesus was asked, who is our neighbor? And Jesus provides this amazing story of the Good Samaritan. As the neighbor is the one that helps the person that has nothing, who's beaten and broken, and is the type of person the religious people avoided then and still today, as seen in the research. Again, looking at the red letters of Jesus, he clearly provides the where word to take the good news to all nations, to all peoples, to the ends of the earth as word to make disciples. And the good news is when we focus on this who, the poorest lost, and applying what love looks like, and specifically to where Jesus tells us to take the good news, the research reveals that overall the results are 3,000 times greater than where the average gift is provided today. So you may be thinking, well, why does this matter to me? And I'm glad you asked, because this means we can make a far greater impact with the little or vast amount of resources we've been entrusted with. And Jesus is not shy about telling us that we'll be rewarded for it for all of eternity. So our motivation shouldn't be just from the goodness of our hearts, because we are so generous and great. And not Jesus. And giving has become an idol when we make it about us. As the Bible tells us not to trust our hearts, but most requests for resources today appeals to that, to our vanity, towards our ego, to what makes us feel good, as compared to where the greatest results can be attained. Scripture never says just follow your heart. Jeremiah 17, 9 says, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it? Jesus reiterated this when he said, For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, idultery, sexual immorality, theft, fault witness, and slander in Matthew 15, 19. Jesus says to follow him. And that means we do what he tells us to do. These are things we don't need to pray about, like praying about having an affair on our spouse, or if we should or should not murder somebody because we don't like them. No, Jesus makes this very clear. When we follow his instructions, our hearts will change. When we provide financial resources, our hearts will follow it. And then in Matthew 5.8, it's recorded Jesus said, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. So how do we best go about this? Well, we cover that in episode three: get rich and be rich to take hold of the life that is truly life. And in this episode, I start off with my story, which may be like most of yours, very humble beginnings, blue-collar family. And the more I sought God and He directed me to use His resources wisely, the more He entrusted to us to give more. Today, sadly in the U.S., most people give about $30 a week. That's less than $2,500 annually, which on average is about 2.5% our annual income compared to the 3.3% during the Great Depression. Average giving at $30 a week to our local churches is not getting the job done. We need to get out of debt. We need to tithe to our church, and then we need to save. And we go about this in such a way that we don't rob Peter to pay Paul. Peter representing our local church and Paul representing those ministries that's taking the gospel and good deeds to the ends of the earth. The church is not the problem. Our poor stewardship is. As we learn in 2 Corinthians 9, 6, whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but whoever sows generously will also reap generously, and this is great news for those of us who want to make a lasting impact. So we discovered the quickest way we could get out of debt is by first tithing to our local church, putting away a percentage in savings, and then God blessed us to be greater stewards when we were faithful in the little things. From here, we and you can begin to be rich and safe in good deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. John 15, 16, Jesus says, I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit. Fruit that lasts, and so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father, I will give you. The same Jesus affirms giving to God and others in his Sermon on the Mount, give and it will be given to you, as recorded in Luke twelve forty eight. Jesus also said to whom much is given, much more will be required. And then in 1 Timothy 6, 17 through 19, we find the instructions to command those who are rich in this present world, not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, be rich in good deeds, and be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. What great news that is for us. Again, not suggest or infer or beat around the bush, but command for their benefit for all of eternity. Episode four, we talked about know you're making a difference. And the number one thing ROI Ministry provides is a proven due diligence process so that you can know this process to do this. ROI Ministry is not primarily about promoting a specific ministry, our top 10 list, the 1040 window, or even a particular cause. Those are all important, but they are not our primary focus. Our mission is simple. It's you to help you know you're making a difference, that the resources God has entrusted to you are making the greatest possible difference possible for His kingdom. ROI Ministry does not tell you where you must give. Instead, we provide a framework, research, and examples to help you make informed decisions. Our goal is to help you identify ministries that are producing extraordinary kingdom impact and in many cases reaching three to thirty thousand times more people in mills provided, water, medical, decisions for Christ discipleship, church planning than where the average dollar is provided today. If someone can show us ministries that are creating even a greater impact, we want to know about them. If someone can show us a better due diligence process than the one that we use, we would gladly support that effort. We spent years searching for such a resource before launching ROI Ministry because our goal has never been to reinvent the will. Before starting ROI Ministry, I met with the leaders from ministry incubators, mission organizations, and many believers far wiser and more mature in their faith than myself. Their encouragement and support helped me sustain this ministry through years where there was very little visible fruit. Because of this, our I ministry is for every ministry that is faithfully obeying God's calling. We believe many ministries, large and small, may be doing exactly what God has called them to do. Our role is not to judge God's calling on a ministry. Our role is to help donors evaluate stewardship, transparency, and measurable kingdom impact. To accomplish this, we encourage the use of trusted accountability resources, such as ECFA, Ministry Watch, Candid Charity Navigator. These organizations help donors evaluate governance, financial accountability, transparency, and operational integrity. However, ROI Ministry goes several important steps further. We ask two additional questions. One, what has been the historical impact produced per dollar given? And can that impact be independently verified by a trusted third party? These questions move beyond reviewing financial statements or IRS 990 forms. They focus on outcomes, stewardship, and kingdom fruit. ROI Ministry exists to help you make the greatest difference possible with the financial resources God has entrusted to you, whether those resources are large or small. In episode one, we examined the global giving crisis and discovered that less than 1% of all Christian giving reaches the poorest and least reached people on earth. In episode two, we explored what Jesus taught about stewardship, faithfulness, and God's concern for the poor and lost. In episode three, we presented a practical framework that begins with God first, then family, then the local church, and finally strategic kingdom investments that can have extraordinary impact around the world. Now in episode four, we focus on the question every giver should ask. How do I know that I'm making a difference? This is a question RY Ministry was created for. We are not against great causes, we are against waste, fraud, lack of transparency, and ineffective stewardship. We are for faithful stewardship, kingdom fruit, and helping believers confidently invest in the work that changes lives for all of eternity. Our board covers ROI ministries operating expenses. We do not charge fees, sell donor information. We simply want to help God's people become better stewards of the resources He has entrusted to you and I so that we can give with confidence, truly know we're making a difference. In episode five, we looked at kingdom advising or kingdom lying. As there are as many wolves in sheep's clothing as seen in the billions of dollars embezzled each year. Jesus warned to beware of these false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. One of the greatest challenges facing Christianity today is determining who to trust when making kingdom investment decisions. Many voices compete for our attention. Some good, some not so good. Many presenting compelling stories and urgent needs, but they may not be delivering on any outcomes. The challenge is that many of these advisors have a built-in conflict of interest. They often benefit directly from the decisions they recommend. This does not mean they are dishonest, it simply means that wisdom requires us to ask questions, evaluate fruit, and exercise biblical discernment. Jesus repeatedly taught that fruit matters. By their fruit you will recognize them in Matthew 7.20. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. Matthew 7.19. The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Matthew 21.43. The question for Christianity is not simply is the ministry biblical? The deeper question is what fruit is being produced from the resources God has entrusted to it. This issue extends beyond fraudulent ministries and financial scandals. While billions of dollars are lost annually through fraud and abuse and embezzlement, even greater amounts may be directed towards activities that produce little measurable kingdom impact. Good intentions alone are not enough. Jesus' parable of the talents and meanings teach us that God expects faithful stewardship. The master entrusted resources and expected them to invest wisely. And he evaluated the resources. This raises an important question. Should Christians evaluate the effectiveness and fruitfulness of where the resources are deployed? Most investors evaluate financial ROI, return on investment, but Jesus appears to call his followers to consider eternal ROI, kingdom fruit that lasts forever. This is where organizations like Kingdom Advisors have made an important contribution. Ron Blue has consistently taught that biblical financial planning is not primarily about helping Christians become wealthier. Rather, it's about helping believers steward God's resources faithfully, live generously, and align their financial decisions with eternal purposes. As Ron often asked, am I faithfully stewarding God's resources? Larry Briquette asks a similar question Am I handling money biblically? These are good questions, but perhaps an additional question deserves consideration. Am I deploying God's resources where they produce the greatest eternal impact? Over the past 25 years, Christian giving has nearly tripled globally. Yet the percentage reaching the poorest and least reached people has remained remarkably small, where it would make the greatest impact. Should that concern us? Should Christians be asking not only whether ministries are financially accountable, but also whether they are producing lasting kingdom fruit? These are the questions we explore in this episode. Not to criticize any ministry or church, not to attack anyone, not to challenge faithful Christian advisors, but to encourage believers to become more thoughtful stewards of resources God has entrusted to us. Because in the end, Jesus said we would recognize people, ministries, and movements by their fruit. So again, this is a summary of episode one through five, which I hope you go back and listen to as it only touches off on some highlights. Also, one of our board members has fact-checked me on all of these episodes, spending hours on the internet using AI tools, and he has provided a white paper that is available to you through our website. It found a couple things that weren't 100% correct, but it doesn't change the point. It was very close. For example, in the beginning, I talked about six to eight billion dollars being embezzled each year, which was true in 2001. But what I didn't make clear is in 2025 when they updated that research, it had grown to nearly a hundred billion dollars a year is now being embezzled, of the little more than a trillion dollars going into the kingdom. So I hope you take some time to take a look at that white paper that is available on our ROI ministry website. And we also have developed a type of giving personality test, how God has uniquely made you to be more sensitive about some things over others. And by taking this test, it will provide to you a list of ministries that align with your shape, your purpose, and how God can uniquely work through you and your interest as they align with his purposes. So please join us in future episodes as we are going to be interviewing the most fruitful, impactful organizations in the world. And you're not going to want to miss it. You just heard what wise generosity looks like when it actually works. Go deeper with Tim Barker's book, Boom, What to Do When Life Blows Up Around You. A field guide for the moment your money, your marriage, your health, or your calling falls apart. And what to do in the wreckage that actually matters. Every one of my dollars of every copy goes straight to vetted ministries that transform lives. Grab one for you today, hand it to someone in the blast zone, but don't bury what you have heard and know you're making a difference.