If “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,” that’s a lot of real estate! And God owns all of it. So, what if those entrusted with God’s property used it to shape places where people can flourish, heal, and be restored? This is the inspiring vision behind the emerging movement of redemptive real estate.
Four years ago, Ian Noyes, director of NCF California/Bay area, along with his friend, Ryan Pahler, began meeting with a small group of leaders through the Master’s Program. Many of them happened to be Christian real estate developers, builders, and other industry professionals. And they all wanted to explore how their work could more fully reflect their values.
Inspired by the framework of redemptive entrepreneurship developed by Praxis, the defining marks and commitments of Faith Driven Investors, and the broader faith and work conversation, the group began to talk about reimagining real estate through a biblical lens. The term “redemptive real estate” emerged as a way to define their vision.
Creating a national conversation
To get a sense of what was happening in the larger real estate community, Ian and Ryan launched an effort to connect with more Christians in the industry. “We got on the phone with hundreds of Christian real estate professionals and heard many inspiring stories of what they were doing in their communities,” Ian says.
They were encouraged to discover that so many generous leaders were using real estate to transform lives and further the kingdom in innovative ways. And yet, many of these leaders didn’t know one another or were unaware of similar approaches and ventures active in other cities and regions around the country.
Ian and Ryan had an idea. “We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to get these amazing folks together?’” Ian says.
As a result, they organized the first Redemptive Real Estate Summit in November 2023 with an aim to deepen the conversation, develop a greater sense of community, and encourage more collaboration.
Jeanne McMains, NCF’s executive vice president of marketing and offerings, was invited to present on the advantages of giving real estate as an engine for generosity.
“This was a newly launched gathering of innovative industry leaders committed to using real estate investments for redemptive purposes, and I didn’t know quite what to expect,” Jeanne says. “But I came away completely inspired by the creative business savvy and purposeful drive of the leaders I met.”
Local collaboration grows through NCF
Since then, the effort has continued to gain momentum.
Eric Most, president of NCF Rockies, was an early encourager and saw this initiative as an opportunity to unite givers in the Front Range of Colorado to explore redemptive real estate. That local real estate community caught the vision, and they’ve started collaborating to share about challenges, stories of success, and generosity.
Other NCF teams are also providing a platform for redemptive real estate in their regions and connecting givers to help further the formation of local and regional communities of practice.
More industry leaders will have a chance to connect again on a national level November 12-13 at the next Redemptive Real Estate Summit in Dallas, Texas.
So, what is redemptive real estate?
According to the thought leaders of this movement, redemptive real estate seeks to inspire a gospel imagination for the intentional care of places and people. It situates the whole enterprise squarely in the larger redemptive story of Christ’s aim to make all things new. Therefore, it does not ascribe to a particular technique or strategy. Rather, it’s a unique commitment and posture, motivation, and hope that Christians bring to the challenges before them. Here are just a few examples:
- Supportive housing solutions
Some architects and investors feel called to address the housing crisis that is affecting families and communities across America. They are inventing better models of housing, such as cost-effective modular building systems and other rapidly deployable solutions. Their efforts also include strategies to remove inequitable barriers to home ownership and provide supportive solutions for those who lack access to adequate or safe housing. - Multi-family ministry
According to recent statistics, 37 to 47 percent of people in the U.S. today live in multi-family housing. And all these units across the country are almost 97 percent occupied. A growing number of companies that own and manage these properties have recognized the enormous potential of these built-in mission fields. They’re investing creatively to provide staff onsite who serve, care, and build relationships with residents – most of whom would never experience the love of Christ in their daily lives otherwise. - Reimagining church real estate
Churches and religious institutions own more real estate than almost any other entity in America. But more than 4,000 churches will close this year, and many with property values of more than $2 million will be foreclosed on. That’s why some investors are helping churches rethink how their real estate assets can be deployed for kingdom purposes. - Restoring broken places
Some visionaries are dedicated to creating shalom close to home by revitalizing the communities where they live through strategic real estate initiatives. They’re reinvesting profits from their businesses into non-profit initiatives aimed at creating communities where all residents can thrive.
As the growing body of redemptive real estate pioneers have proven through their early efforts of godly “placemaking,” there is a profound opportunity to shape the places where people live, work, gather, and worship.
“Real estate is a tangible asset, and it’s also an incredible way to make God’s love tangible,” Ian says. “We want to genuinely care for the land, dignify people, honor God, and embrace the gospel invitation of Hebrews 12:15 to ‘see to it that no one misses the generosity of God.’”
Connect with your NCF team to learn more about redemptive real estate opportunities in your community.
