Staff Highlight: Steve Carr
Steve Carr wears many different hats that go beyond drawing financial bridges between CDF Capital and the churches he oversees. In addition to being the Vice President of Ministry Development and Leadership Capital in the northeastern region, Steve is also an elder and founder of his church, a blogger, and an avid photographer. He also loves soccer.
It’s these outside interests and activities that help Steve navigate his role with CDF Capital in a more innovative way.
“We are a historic, established ministry that continually evaluates our relevancy,” Steve said. “I didn’t come out of the financial industry, so I’ve tried to apply a fresh view to it.”
More than Finances, It’s Helping Churches
Before coming to CDF Capital, Steve worked in higher education for nearly 10 years. He also served in pastoral ministry as a church planter, worked with Christian nonprofits, and developed ministry leaders. Steve describes his life’s work as a vehicle to benefit the local church.
His transition to CDF Capital allowed him to continue pouring into the local church, but on a grander scale.
“I’m going to be able to help the Church in the realm of finances, predominately,” Steve said of his transition. “But it also allows me to bring in all these other skills. Because as much as we deal with churches and finance, it’s the diversity and the complexity of running a church in America that is a challenge, and we help congregational leaders solve problems and then define the resources they need.
“That’s actually what fuels me about our work,” Steve continued. “I like to help churches find what they need.”
For Steve, the desire to help churches find what they need always points back to spreading the Gospel. Part of that need is helping churches in more affluent spaces of the city partner with churches in urban areas to further spread the work of the Kingdom. Seeing the two entities working together is Steve’s sweet spot. Because of his background in urban studies and being part of a church in an urban area of Cincinnati, he aims to find ways to bridge the gap between the two.
“Whether suburban, rural, or urban, churches all serve a distinct need.”
—Steve Carr
“Whether suburban, rural, or urban, churches all serve a distinct need,” Steve said. “There’s a need for the Gospel in places where it does not shine. I’m fortunate to work with laborers who are trying to see that happen all across the country.”
The Church Planting Experience
In addition, Steve’s experience as a church planter keeps him connected to the ins and outs of the daily activities of the local churches he serves. Though he’s no longer the lead pastor of the church he and his wife planted, his continued connection to it amplifies his work with the Church at large. His efforts to assist CDF Capital partner churches in their areas of need help them to make incremental growth.
“Our church planting work put within me a greater appreciation for the roles that everybody plays in the church,” Steve said. “I’m still involved in congregational life deeply. I still preach because I love to be involved in the spiritual work of preaching.
“Because of my view, I—we—get the luxury of making decisions that are in the best interest of the Church,” Steve continued. “We are able to honor our investors’ trust and to take care of the churches.”
“We are able to honor our investors’ trust and to take care of the churches.”
—Steve Carr
When it comes to CDF Capital’s mission, as a whole, Steve’s continued connection to the local church allows him to operate in a way that’s highly impactful and refreshing for the organization moving forward.
“Being part of the ministry development team means we incarnate,” Steve describes. “We live out all three aspects of capital. People come to us because of the Financial Capital. But what we’re trying to supply for them is good Leadership Capital. And then that’s always immersed within the Spiritual Capital that we offer.”
Though Steve doesn’t see his work ending with CDF Capital anytime soon, he does see his imprint now as something that would leave a legacy for years to come. Steve’s legacy coincides with how he’s seen his Church work during these latter years of life.
“It’s humbling to be involved in the greater work of the Kingdom,” Steve said. “I had big plans for church planting and to reach a large audience, but I ended up ministering in the same city I’ve lived my whole life. But through CDF Capital, I’ve had a chance to go to places I always thought my church needed to be in order to make a dent for the Kingdom. And through our ministry, I get to be an unseen background part of all of that.”
Transforming Churches
God calls His people into a story of transformation. At CDF Capital, we help Christians and churches embrace their part in His story by providing the 3 kinds of capital every congregation needs for growth. See how you can play a part in the story of transformation.
