What is a "fully fledged Christian bank?"

[Dave McClung]

I was reading about some of the results of my Kiva loans and was impressed by the following email I received. The lending institution is planning to become a "Christian Bank." I am not sure I know what would make a bank a "Christian Bank", but I am favorably impressed by the email. I intend to continue supporting the loans initiated by them.

Here is the email -- Henry from Mombasa received a loan of Kes 50,000 and bought five pigs. He sold them and earned profits which he used to buy more pigs. His family is thankful for their financial needs and diet were catered for. His business challenge is the stiff competition.
SMEP is a Deposit Taking Microfinance institution born out of an initiative of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). It began as a feeding programmee-to feed the Mathare slum dwellers in Nairobi, Kenya. NCCK realized that the poor needed to be self reliant and economically empowered and the feeding programmee was transformed into a microcredit scheme. What started as a small project has grown into a deposit taking microfinance institution that has a dream of providing many financial solutions to entrepreneurs. In future, SMEP plans to become a fully fledged Christian bank.

I am frequently critical of businesses that refer to themselves as "Christian Business" because I see them as trying to obtain business because of the lable. I am particularly critical of businesses that refer to themselves as "Christian" but act no differently than other businesses. What I like about this email is that their motive in using the term "Chrisian bank" seems to be based on accountability to "Christian" goals of helping people to become "self reliant and economically empowered." Those are goals that I can and will support. I am particularly impressed that a "feeding" program could mature to become a program that is helping people become self reliant. I would love to see more charities mature that way.

[Bill Morrison]

To a biologist, a fledgling is a bird that has developed enough to leave the nest but is still dependent on its parents.
I doubt the bankers mean the same thing, but like you apparently feel, this term may not have a whole lot of real meaning.
Sounds to me like stores that advertise "quality" products: they want that to sound like something good, but of course "quality" could mean lousy quality too!
Like you, I don't really like the use of "Christian" in advertising a business. I have a friend who basically says he will run the other way when he sees that type of advertising. I don't feel quite that strongly about it, but do know what it is like to be burned when dealing with a "Christian" businessman. If a firm really is run in a Christian manner, people will figure that out without any advertising needed.

BILL

[Dave McClung]

To a biologist, a fledgling is a bird that has developed enough to leave the nest but is still dependent on its parents.
I doubt the bankers mean the same thing, but like you apparently feel, this term may not have a whole lot of real meaning.
Sounds to me like stores that advertise "quality" products: they want that to sound like something good, but of course "quality" could mean lousy quality too!
Like you, I don't really like the use of "Christian" in advertising a business. I have a friend who basically says he will run the other way when he sees that type of advertising. I don't feel quite that strongly about it, but do know what it is like to be burned when dealing with a "Christian" businessman. If a firm really is run in a Christian manner, people will figure that out without any advertising needed.

BILL

I think they "full fledged" meaning that they have the ability to operate on their own but remain connected to the Council of Churches.

[Larry Parsons]

To a biologist, a fledgling is a bird that has developed enough to leave the nest but is still dependent on its parents.
I doubt the bankers mean the same thing, but like you apparently feel, this term may not have a whole lot of real meaning.
Sounds to me like stores that advertise "quality" products: they want that to sound like something good, but of course "quality" could mean lousy quality too!
Like you, I don't really like the use of "Christian" in advertising a business. I have a friend who basically says he will run the other way when he sees that type of advertising. I don't feel quite that strongly about it, but do know what it is like to be burned when dealing with a "Christian" businessman. If a firm really is run in a Christian manner, people will figure that out without any advertising needed.

BILL

Years ago I recieved a letter asking me to join a program and in the letter he made a statemnt that there were no such thing as Christian business but that doesn't mean that Christians can't be running the business.
Thanks
Larry

[Dave McClung]

Years ago I recieved a letter asking me to join a program and in the letter he made a statemnt that there were no such thing as Christian business but that doesn't mean that Christians can't be running the business.
Thanks
Larry

I don't agree with that statement. All of the Nazarene schools are "Christian Businesses."