CORE VALUES

Catalyst For Africa has four core values that we believe are essential to our mission and are essential for success in life and any ministry. The four core values are: Intimacy with God, Integrity, Stewardship, and Family Priority.

INTIMACY WITH GOD

Jesus set the example in Mark 1:35 where it states, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” We should emulate what Jesus did and have a quiet, intimate time with the Father to strengthen our daily walks with the Lord. We hold this core value as essential for success in our individual lives and our ministry by being intimate with the Lord on a consistent basis.

We recommend a daily program that leads you through a few chapters of the Bible each day in order to read through the entire Bible in one year.

Here are five easy steps you can use:

While reading, ask the Lord to give you one scripture that you can reflect on from the few chapters that you read.
Write down the scripture the Lord gives you.
Write a brief paragraph about observations from that verse.
Write a brief paragraph about how you can apply the scripture to your life.
Write a prayer to commit that scripture to your life that day.

INTEGRITY

What is integrity? One definition states, “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; the state of being whole and undivided.” The comment has been made that corruption is rampant all over the world. Africa has been stigmatized in the past and has been accused of being the most corrupt of areas, but that is just not the truth. The truth is that integrity is lacking throughout the world. However, we are blessed to find many who have integrity, and we are proud to call them partners in our ministry.

Mark 12:14 states, "Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are: but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” A person of integrity has unwavering character and is beyond reproach, especially when no one is around and no one is looking. We would add that integrity should also be found in the person when they are in public and while everyone is looking. Galatians 1:10 states, “ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?” People of integrity are focused on pleasing God in public and in private. Catalyst For Africa holds the highest standard of integrity with the people that we link hearts with.

STEWARDSHIP

There is no clearer example of stewardship than the parable of the talents that Jesus told us in Matthew 25:14-30. If you read that passage, you see the heart of a person who believes that everything we have should be used for the sake of the Kingdom. Stewardship is believing that God has given us the privilege of being managers and stewards of everything within our control and that we are owners of nothing. God wants to use His stewards to leverage the gifts He has given them for His purposes and His Kingdom. Therefore, we encourage others to be good stewards of the gifts God has bestowed upon them and to use those gifts for the glory of God.

FAMILY PRIORITY

Years of ministry experience can provide firsthand knowledge that despite the existence of a vibrant ministry, families can be left behind. It is easy to excuse that neglect when ministries are thriving. However, we believe that God honors those who honor their families.

1 Timothy 5:1-8 states: “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

The Scripture is clear, take care of your family first and God will honor your vocation and ministry. Catalyst For Africa takes family priority as a core value that we hold to the highest standard both for ourselves and the leaders with whom we partner.