Novo Mission

The information on this page was last updated 11/17/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

Novo is a Latin word that means to make new. Our name is a powerful statement about the aim of our partnership with God's work in the world-the redemption of people everywhere. We long to see men, women, and children made new in the image of Jesus.

Our name also describes how we go about this redemptive mission. We are innovators, artists, risk-takers, and catalysts. We believe creativity is critical to sparking and sustaining the gospel movements we long to see.

Novo works creatively to multiply gospel movements around the globe. Our leaders go, serve, equip, mobilize, and collaborate with others until the good news of Jesus is heard by everyone. We look for innovative ways to partner with God wherever he is making people new.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Novo Mission
1240 North Lakeview Ave.
Suite 120
Anaheim, CA 92807

Website: novo.org

Phone: (714) 779-0370

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 953523150

CEO/President: Mark Thrash

Chairman: Charles Clift

Board size: 11

Founder: Small Group of Individuals

Ruling year: 1993

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 12/31

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1982


Purpose

ACTIVATING PRAYER - While prayer pervades every aspect of a movement, it is critical in laying the foundation and creating the conditions for a movement to launch and thrive. "Activating prayer" is a specific type of prayer and is movemental in nature. It operates comfortably in the supernatural, expecting signs and wonders, dealing with the demonic, and knowing how to appropriate the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit. It includes spiritual mapping, prayer walking, strategic prayer, and is often declaratory. It harnesses the spiritual authority God has delegated to us and exercises the power of blessing.

ENGAGING CULTURE - Engaging culture means wisely undertaking an array of cultivating activities and actions-all of intrinsic Kingdom value in and of themselves-which serve as powerful "bridges of God" into the cultural context for the good news of Jesus to take root and spread. Such engagement means meeting the felt needs of people in the name and power of Jesus. It means discerning where the Spirit of God is uniquely active, people are receptive, and responding appropriately. For movements to occur, cultural engagement must be fully integrated with the gospel in power through activating prayer, and must lead to and connect with the gospel in word as people become fully committed and obedient disciples of Jesus.

MAKING DISCIPLES - gospel movement has, at its core, effective tools and processes to help people far from God become committed followers of Jesus and then make disciples of others. Such multiplication is at the heart of our understanding of discipleship and spiritual growth. While the history of the Church contains many evangelism and discipleship models, we favor a highly effective "discovery process" which does not rely on experts, is organic, and is easily reproduced regardless of setting or culture.

GROWING LEADERS - Unless leaders are developed intentionally, from within a gospel movement itself, the movement will inevitably collapse under the weight of its own success. Such movement leaders will exhibit a wide array of gifting, all of which are necessary to guide and build ministry momentum that will go far beyond themselves. It is imperative that these leaders know how to identify new leaders and how to appropriately coach, mentor, and launch them into ministry.

FORMING CHURCHES - History shows that for every successful gospel movement, there are two essential structures of the Church that work synergistically and in partnership: the missionary and the local. Apostolic mission structures, like Novo, are always somewhere in the mix. And healthy local church expressions-not institutions-also emerge and multiply to steward the fruit of the movement. It is always "both and...," not one or the other. In the disciple-making processes used by Novo, the functions of a healthy church are coded into the values and structure from the beginning. Novo also implements a range of tools to help new or established church expressions thrive missionally.


Mission statement

Novo is a band of creative missionaries sent to multiply movements of the gospel and mobilize the church for that mission around the world.


Statement of faith

We believe:

I. God exists and has revealed Himself to mankind. The Bible is a special expression of this revelation. This revelation also finds its ultimate expression in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God is spirit and eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, indivisible and of one substance.

II. The Bible, all the books of the Old and New Testament, is Holy Scripture, the inspired Word of God, infallible and inerrant in the original writings. It is fully authoritative and our only absolutely trustworthy guide for faith and life.

III. We believe that mankind was created in the image of God; that men and women sinned, and thereby incurred, not only physical death, but also that Spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature.

IV. Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, preexistent with the Father, God of very God. He is the eternal Word become flesh, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

He was crucified, suffered, bled and died. He was buried and three days later rose from the grave victorious over death and the powers of darkness. He ascended to the right hand of God the Father where He is glorified as Lord of all.

He is the only mediator between God and Mankind. He is the God-given atonement for the sins of the world and there is salvation in Him and Him alone.

V. The Holy Spirit convinces men and women of sin, effectually calls them, and is the divine agent by whom they are born into the Kingdom of God. He indwells, enlightens, and empowers believers to live in union with Christ.

VI. Human beings are accountable for their response to the forgiveness, pardon and reconciliation offered them in the Lord Jesus Christ. When an individual trusts in Him, the person is justified by God and adopted into His family. Failure to believe in Him results in eternal separation from God.

VII. God's will for those who are disciples of Jesus is that they exhibit transformed lives evidenced by purity, holiness, and growth in Christ-like character. He desires that they each participate, according to their spiritual gifts in the task of effectively sharing the gospel message of salvation with those near and far who have yet to believe in Jesus.

VIII. The Church consists of all those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. The primary purpose of the Church is to worship God and glorify Him by building up believers and effectively reaching the world with the gospel of Christ.

IX. Jesus Christ will one day return, raise the dead, judge all men and women, and establish his glorious Kingdom.

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

C

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Leadership Training

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating75 of 11011 of 21
Fund acquisition rating169 of 11025 of 21
Resource allocation rating323 of 11026 of 21
Asset utilization rating167 of 11012 of 21

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20042003200220012000
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
9%3%4%4%1%1%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
7%3%4%4%1%1%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
99%100%99%98%99%100%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
8%3%4%4%1%1%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
1%0%1%2%1%0%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20042003200220012000
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
83%85%83%83%85%85%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
92%94%109%105%75%85%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
74%80%90%87%64%72%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
8%6%-9%-5%25%15%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
11%15%-19%-9%50%44%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
11%12%13%13%13%13%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20042003200220012000
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.422.082.191.791.392.22
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.093.456.503.222.461.23
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.817.1814.265.763.422.72
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20042003200220012000
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
18.935.372.275.367.417.56
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.040.190.440.190.130.13
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
6.381.360.471.693.033.83
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20042003200220012000
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
7%5%7%6%5%11%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
57%45%42%53%68%40%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20042003200220012000
Cash$413,384$203,495$45,402$122,807$195,088
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$391,978$276,631$1,064,992$1,418,635$1,678,140
Short-term investments$687,720$202,071$502,904$752,662$583,754
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$1,493,082$682,197$1,613,298$2,294,104$2,456,982
Long-term investments$1,967,700$1,967,700$1,967,700$1,967,700$0
Fixed assets$1,690,114$1,783,915$1,620,612$1,386,688$559,053
Other long-term assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total long-term assets$3,657,814$3,751,615$3,588,312$3,354,388$559,053
Total assets$5,150,896$4,433,812$5,201,610$5,648,492$3,016,035
 
Liabilities20042003200220012000
Payables and accrued expenses$44,203$62,824$60,590$65,842$78,224
Other current liabilities$233,672$237,325$240,479$243,765$246,599
Total current liabilities$277,875$300,149$301,069$309,607$324,823
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$0$0$0$0$0
Total long-term liabilities$0$0$0$0$0
Total liabilities$277,875$300,149$301,069$309,607$324,823
 
Net assets20042003200220012000
Without donor restrictions$655,967$244,129$387,795$1,594,081$467,121
With donor restrictions$4,217,054$3,889,534$4,512,746$3,744,804$2,224,091
Net assets$4,873,021$4,133,663$4,900,541$5,338,885$2,691,212
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20042003200220012000
Total contributions$11,414,709$8,874,061$8,672,934$10,441,438$7,873,830
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$51,303$86,470($39,889)$58,831$2,349
Other revenue$0$0$229,094$0$0
Total other revenue$51,303$86,470$189,205$58,831$2,349
Total revenue$11,466,012$8,960,531$8,862,139$10,500,269$7,876,179
 
Expenses20042003200220012000
Program services$9,166,070$8,096,192$7,729,641$6,696,641$5,688,003
Management and general$1,258,847$1,280,325$1,209,857$1,052,902$902,011
Fundraising$301,737$350,892$360,985$103,053$94,701
Total expenses$10,726,654$9,727,409$9,300,483$7,852,596$6,684,715
 
Change in net assets20042003200220012000
Surplus (deficit)$739,358($766,878)($438,344)$2,647,673$1,191,464
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$739,358($766,878)($438,344)$2,647,673$1,191,464

Compensation

Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 11/17/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

Church Resource Ministries ("CRM") was founded July 1, 1980, by a small group of men and women highly committed to world evangelization and convinced of the centrality of the local church in God's plan to reach the world for Christ. Two local churches which were also very significant in the early days of CRM were Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama, and the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, California. Both willingly provided an environment where aspects of CRM's ministry could be put to the test. Also extremely influential in the forming of the organization was the School of World Mission Institute of Church Growth, Fuller Theological Seminary. CRM is greatly indebted to the Church Growth Movement and the Navigators (out of which a number of initial staff came). Whereas CRM's Navigator heritage emphasized the importance of individuals and the one-to-one facet of disciple building, the Church Growth Movement provided a much appreciated emphasis on the sociological components of the evangelistic mandate.

Before CRM was formed, counsel was sought from a broad range of Christian leaders and well-informed Christian lay men and women as to the need for such an organization. Without exception, the advice was to move ahead. There was widespread enthusiasm for a mission organization willing to focus its energies on the Church, the training and equipping of her people, and the development of leadership.

CRM's commitment in the beginning years was to " start small, go deep, and then think big" regarding the growth of the ministry and its impact. This was taken to mean carefully building solid foundations based on proven experience and expertise, selectively recruiting staff, and building a base in the United States which would serve to provide the manpower and resources for the cross-cultural and world-wide expansion of the work. CRM's leadership realized at the organization's inception, and is increasingly aware today, that the needs of God's people in the US pale in comparison to the other numerous areas of the world where the Spirit of God is moving in unprecedented fashion. CRM is deeply committed to the "ta ethne" of which the Great Commission speaks. This means the task for which God has called this ministry is not fulfilled until there is a viable evangelical church serious about and committed to the biblical mandate of world evangelization in every people group in the world.

Today, staff or staff teams serve in major metropolitan areas throughout the U.S., Europe, Russia, South America, Australia and Southeast Asia. Sixty percent of the staff are involved in direct cross-cultural ministry among a broad variety of different people groups. CRM's ministry among the poor and disenfranchised, primarily in urban areas, is called "InnerCHANGE." Although committed to historic Christianity and evangelical theology, CRM staff ministers among churches from a multitude of various denominational persuasions.


Program accomplishments


Needs

Church Resource Ministry express its needs as follows:

Each of our staff raises funds for their own personal and ministry support. Such support is usually an amount given monthly or some other regular, periodic basis. To request more information about sponsoring a CRM staff member, email Jon Moore or call 800.777.6658.

The CRM Family of Funds - 7 specific, individualized ways to support CRM.

CRM has a wide variety of ways that one can invest your time.

  • Short Term Ministry Opportunities
  • Vision Trips
  • Revitalization and Multiplication Events