The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) has named Brian Kluth as project director of its new multi-year initiative addressing economic challenges facing pastors. Kluth has served in the financial and generosity sector of the evangelical community for over 35 years.

“Brian Kluth will bring a wealth of experience and connections within the Christian community,” said Leith Anderson, NAE president. “We look forward to seeing how God will use him and this new NAE project to address the financial challenges facing pastors across the country.”

The project, which is supported through a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., will include:

  • Raising the level of awareness and understanding about economic challenges facing pastoral leaders;
  • Assisting NAE denominations and churches in developing strategies to address the unique challenges faced by pastoral leaders;
  • Helping NAE denominations improve the quality and consistency of their financial services and educational programs;
  • Improving and expanding awareness of and access by pastoral leaders and their spouses to new and existing educational programs and financial services;
  • Creating a culture of and avenues for sharing of resources, programming and planning tools between NAE denominations, churches and ministries; and
  • Providing resources to empower denominations to relieve key financial pressures for pastoral leaders.

Kluth served as president of the Christian Stewardship Association for five years before becoming senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs in 2000. In 2009, the church commissioned him to become a full-time generosity minister, enabling him to focus on speaking and writing about generosity and finances.

Kluth founded several ministries including MAXIMUMgenerosity.org, Sandi House, LovingOurCommunity.org and The State of the Plate (an annual research survey on church giving), among others. His generosity devotionals and materials have been used by thousands of churches to inspire generosity and increase giving. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Trinity International University and an honorary doctorate of divinity degree from the Evangelical Free Church of India’s Trinity College and Seminary.

“There is a lot of work that can be done in connecting and resourcing denominations, churches and pastors in the area of pastor finances. I’m thrilled to be given such a needed and worthy task,” Kluth said.