Resonate Church
Resonate Church was founded in 2007 at Washington State University in the small college town of Pullman, WA. Resonate Church exists to connect the Gospel to People, People to Community, and Community to Mission. Since its founding, Resonate has made it their mission to bring the Gospel to college students. They have succeeded in their mission. Since 2007, Resonate has expanded to 12 different campuses across the Northwest (http://resonate.net/locations) and have set their sights on planting 5 new campuses in 2021. (http://resonate.net/who-we-are)
In an era of mega-churches and multi-million dollar church campuses, Resonate has gone against the grain. They care little about fancy buildings or having big Sunday gatherings. Rather, they desire to authentically reach college students in a deep way. One of the main ways that they do this is by encouraging students to ask questions about their lives. Important questions that we should all ask ourselves:
- What are you living for?
- What are you chasing after?
- Is your life about you? Or do you think your life could mean more?
It is this approach that encouraged me to start taking a deeper look at my own life. I remember listening to an exchange between a Resonate pastor and a student that went something like this:
“Why are you at college?”
The student answered as most would. “I want to study so I can earn a degree.’
The pastor replied, “Okay, that’s not a bad thing, but why are going after that degree?”
Again, the student came back with the expected answer, “Well I want to get that dream job, and be successful at it.”
The pastor pushed deeper, “Okay, also not a bad thing. It’s good to work hard, but why do you want that job?”
“So I can be there for my family and plan for retirement,” the student replied.
The pastor asked again, “But why do you want those things?”
I’m not sure if it had any impact on the student, but it impacted me, greatly. I remember feeling so lost. It was like my foundation had been pulled out from underneath me. Yet, I also felt this sense of clarity and peace. I had been told my whole life, just like this student, that the sum total of life is to get educated, get a great job, raise a family, retire, and die comfortably. But now I was struck by this pastor’s line of questioning. I realized how often we find ourselves going through the motions, chasing after things that we think will fulfill us, and yet so many come to the end of their life and ask the question, “Why? Why did I work for all these things? Was it worth it?”
This was the beginning of a long journey that eventually brought me to Good Deeds Mortgage. I realized there is more to life than high-paying jobs, a nice house, and a good retirement plan. I wanted more, I wanted to have an impact. This refreshed view of the world aligned perfectly with the mission of GDM.
We at Good Deeds Mortgage don’t want to just be a successful business. We want to have an impact. We want to change the way people think about their business and about the money they make. Since 2015, GDM has given over $1.4 million. If a small company like us can have such a huge impact, why can’t others? Good Deeds Mortgage exists to give, but we also exist to inspire. We want to be the cause of people and businesses asking themselves the tough questions. Like Resonate, our goal is not to create guilt or shame, but rather empower people to take action against the status quo. If we can do it, so can you.
Resonate Church changed my life. They ministered to me, loved me, and gave me a biblical foundation committed to seeing the world changed by Jesus and His Gospel. They have done this for thousands of others in Pullman, and across the Northwest. This, among many other reasons, is why Good Deeds Mortgage is passionate about supporting Resonate.
We care deeply about the organizations we support. Most of us at GDM have personal stories as to why. Many of these ministries have personally impacted us in profound ways. It is for that reason that we want our borrowers to designate $500 of the revenue we make on their loan to the charity of their choice. We hope to empower people to give to what they love. Selfishly, we want to share in the joy of giving.
So what is it for you? Overseas missions, animal shelters, adoption centers, homeless shelters? We hope that whether you ever close a loan with Good Deeds Mortgage or not, that you would support a cause or organization that has impacted you.
We Exist to Give.
What do you exist for?
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35