History
CCCC was born on October 12, 1972 when Ian Stanley, Director of Stewardship at World Vision Canada, convened a meeting with six of his ministry acquaintances.
Ian had been invited to share World Vision Canada’s expertise in fundraising with Christian ministries at a meeting held in Ottawa. Not only was his own workshop full, but all the handouts were snapped up by those who attended other workshops. Ian took notice of the need for stewardship training. At the same time, he had his own concerns for overseas missionaries who, after serving for their entire careers, were often left with no financial resources to see them through their old age. Ian wanted missionaries to have access to a pension plan. So when Ian came home from Ottawa, he recruited six of his friends to create the original board of a new evangelical Protestant organization.
The seven individuals who met (in their personal, rather than organizational, capacities) on October 12th were:
- Ian J. Stanley, Director of Stewardship at World Vision Canada (Toronto);
- Albert Edgar, Manager Estate Planning at Montreal Trust Company (Winnipeg);
- J.A. Lennox Brown, a lawyer in public practice (Toronto);
- Melvin L. Steinmann, Executive Director of Stewardship at Ontario Bible College (Toronto);
- Menno Dirks, Assistant to the President/Stewardship at the Christian and Missionary Alliance (Regina);
- Miriam Kenyon, a lawyer in the Stewardship Services Department of Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada (Calgary); and
- Lindsay J. Neilson, Director of Administration at Youth for Christ, Toronto (Toronto).
On that day they agreed to establish a body that would serve Christian ministries and churches with information and training in administration, fundraising and the managing of other resources.
The name chosen for this ministry was Canadian Council of Christian Charities. The minutes of the inaugural meeting listed the following as the goals for the new organization:
- Conducting of Christian stewardship seminars across Canada for charitable organizations.
- Disseminate information relevant to member organizations.
- Act as a voice in Ottawa and provincial capitals providing guidelines in formulating new legislation.
- Provide or act as a catalyst in providing courses for development of stewardship representatives at college or university levels.
- Conducting of local church seminars on Christian stewardship.
They decided that CCCC would serve Christian organizations but because much of our work would be relevant to all charities, they agreed that secular charities could also be members, if they wished to join an evangelical organization.
The first newsletter was published in May 1973 under the name CCCC Educator. This introductory issue focussed primarily on topics relating to planned giving. In 1982 the CCCC Educator was renamed CCCC News. The current name for the publication, which has been used since 1985, is the CCCC Bulletin.
In the Fall of 1973 the First Annual Stewardship Seminar was convened in Calgary, Alberta with an attendance of 76 individuals representing 43 ministries or churches. This conference has continued as an annual event every year since, with 404 people representing 194 ministries attending in 2008. Since 1985, the conference has been known as “Canada’s Annual Christian Leadership & Stewardship Conference.”
For the first ten years, CCCC operated without any staff. In 1974 the CCCC board established seven committees through which volunteers did the work of CCCC. The kind of service that was being done is apparent from the names of committees:
- Editorial Committee
- Legislative Committee
- Stewardship Planning and Research Committee
- Church-Related Seminars Committee
- Membership Committee
- Seminar Committee
- Training of Personnel Committee
In May 1975 the first regional seminar was organized. It was held at the Banfield Memorial Missionary Church in Willowdale, Ontario. Regional seminars have been held since that date throughout Canada dealing with various subjects. In 1981 Ron Knechtel, a partner of Clarkson Gordon, conducted the first Church Treasurers Seminar for us and in 1985 the workshop format of his seminar was introduced as part of the regular program of CCCC. These workshops are now known as Regional Seminars. Webcasts were added in 2004 after first experimenting with teleconference calls coupled with web presentations. The move to webcasts meant more efficient use of our staff time and more choice for our members over when they took the course. Throughout our entire history, CCCC staff and volunteers have spoken at association and denominational conventions, delivering plenaries and workshops.
In 1977 the employee benefit insurance plan was launched with five employers becoming participating employers in the group. In 2009 we had 600 employers and 2,350 employees.
In 1978 a local dinner meeting in the Toronto area was organized under the name of Christian Financial Executives Fellowship. In subsequent years CCCC also encouraged the establishments of similar groups in Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. Each of the four locations received $200 seed money from CCCC. These local fellowships were encouraged by CCCC but did not become part of its service to members.
In 1978 CCCC began initiatives to work more closely with two evangelical peer umbrella groups, IFMA and EFC. This initiative resulted in the Joint Committee, which facilitated a number of cooperative undertakings over a span of approximately 20 years.
In 1979 CCCC incorporated under the Corporations Act of Ontario. The same year it received registered charity status from the Charities Division of Revenue Canada. At about this time, at the initiative of our second chair, Ken Dick, CCCC board members began to answer technical questions from our members.
In 1982 CCCC implemented an employees’ pension plan to facilitate the offering of pension benefits by its members to their employees, fulfilling Ian Stanley’s dream. The start of the plan was greatly enhanced when World Vision Canada allowed CCCC to become the owner of the plan that they had in place for their employees. Ken Dick, CCCC chairman at this time and a World Vision Canada executive, was instrumental in bringing about the pension plan.
1982 is also the year in which decision was made to offer an accreditation program for Christian ministries, modelled after the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Strong encouragement and generous sharing of time and expertise by ECFA was a significant help in establishing the program in Canada. CCCC member organizations were sent application forms in the fall of 1983. The program formally began on March 1, 1984 with 43 accredited charter members. At that time the total CCCC constituency consisted of 43 certified and 61 affiliate members.
In 1983 Frank Luellau was appointed executive director to a maximum of three days per week. He became the first full time employee with his appointment as executive director effective January 1, 1984. With that appointment CCCC opened its first office at 354 Charles Street East, Kitchener, Ontario. A year later the office relocated to Elmira, Ontario.
In 1985, the Canadian Association of Christian Humanitarian Agencies (CACHA) group joined CCCC as a Mutual Interest Group calling themselves the CCCC Relief and Development Group. The group consisted of CCCC members who elected a Steering Committee to administer the common interests. A part-time coordinator was hired to facilitate the group’s meetings and initiatives. In 2003, to facilitate its development, membership in the group was expanded to include non-CCCC members. In 2004 the group changed its name to the Canadian Christian Relief and Development Association and is now incorporated and independent from CCCC.
In 1987 CCCC published its first book, Charities Handbook. The book was authored by Ron Knechtel and was an expansion of the Guide for Church Treasurers, that had been the basis of the Church Treasurers Seminars.
In 1988 CCCC formally restructured to more clearly define the terms of service for members of the board of directors and also instituted the present structure of a larger, corporate membership by whom and from whose members the directors are elected.
In 1994 the CCCC board approved membership in the International Committee of Fundraising Organizations (ICFO), an international association of charity monitoring agencies, giving CCCC a broader perspective on how charities operate around the world.
During the 1990's the Legal Defense Fund was quite active. In 1996 the re-assessments by Revenue Canada of clergy residence deduction, which had occurred sporadically since the mid-1980's, began to occur at an ever increasing rate. This led to more and more pressure for CCCC to address this growing problem. In addition, we were called on to administer a Human Rights case in Manitoba. We helped Steinbach Bible College defend its right to hire on the basis of religious conviction.
During the same time the Charities Division of Revenue Canada began a national program to audit every independent school in Canada. The audits resulted in many challenges and re-assessments of gifts by parents to schools where they had children in attendance. Ultimately, this resulted in the Woolner appeal which was won in the Tax Court in 1998.
During the same years CCCC undertook to spearhead several appeals to the Tax Court relating to various GST issues.
In 1998 CCCC launched a fundraising campaign to help pay the legal costs that were being incurred on behalf of member constituents and their employees. The goal was to raise $2.5 million in three years. The final reporting letter on this successful campaign was mailed in April 2001.
Frank Luellau gave three year’s notice of his intention to retire on December 31, 2003 at age 65. This launched the board into a three year transition process that resulted in John Pellowe being hired September 15, 2003. Frank retired after 20 years of service and John became CCCC’s second CEO November 1, 2003.
In the spring of 2004, CCCC partnered with Bridgeway Foundation and the Best Christian Workplaces Institute to offer the first annual Best Christian Places to Work in Canada survey. 28 ministries participated and the survey results were the cover story in Faith Today magazine.
Other new programs were developed, including webinars and a compensation survey. Existing services are always being reviewed and many have been revamped, including the regional seminars and the stewardship training program, while other services have been greatly enhanced, including the website and the Bulletin.
CCCC has come to be a trusted resource for the Charities Directorate of Canada Revenue Agency. CCCC staff have served as an accountability partner for them, as members of their Technical Issues Group and as participants in pre-policy discussions.
Ideas and plans continue to evolve for new programs and services that will meet the members’ needs.
"I have come to appreciate the services of CCCC very much and am glad we are a member."
- Director of Development,
Alberta
