Inside the Struggle: Christian Humanitarian Organizations, Funding Cuts, and the Future
Release Date: 05/09/2025
How Joyful Generosity Is Changing the Way We Give
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What if giving could be joyful instead of guilt-driven? In this episode, Jamie Goodwin, professor at Wheaton College, shares how her background in global churches, journalism, and teaching led her to a deeper view of generosity. We talk about practical ways to give—like giving circles and hybrid nonprofit models—that engage communities and reflect diverse cultures.
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The Future of Foreign Aid
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What’s on the horizon for foreign aid and humanitarian response strategies, especially in light of ongoing funding cuts to foreign aid around the world?
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NGO Strategy and Leadership: 10 Steps of Crisis Management
The Better Samaritan Podcast
Veteran humanitarian leader Roger Sandberg joins us to discuss how NGOs can lead effectively in the midst of funding cuts and uncertainty. As political shifts tighten budgets, the gap between global needs and available resources continues to widen. Roger shares practical strategies for assessing risk, strengthening communication within teams, and re-imagining sources of funding.
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Faith, Resilience, and the Realities of Humanitarian Work
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What happens when humanitarian work collides with political upheaval and shifting policies?
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How Funding Cuts Are Impacting Anti-Trafficking Efforts With Rev. Dr. Sandra Morgan
The Better Samaritan Podcast
How do federal and foreign aid cuts impact anti-trafficking work, both directly and indirectly?
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Compassion and Complexity: Evangelicals on Government and Humanitarian Aid
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What happens when churches, governments, and communities work together across differences in opinion for the common good? In this episode, Dr. Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, joins us to talk about how different parts of the evangelical church are responding to shifts in humanitarian aid and funding, and why these varied responses matter.
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Beyond Charity: Rev. Eugene Cho on Faith, Advocacy, and Fighting Global Hunger
The Better Samaritan Podcast
How do advocacy and policy help combat child hunger and malnutrition, both in the U.S. and around the world? In this episode, Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World, joins us to talk about what’s needed to tackle food insecurity around the world, what’s working, what’s not, and why surface-level solutions won’t cut it.
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What Happens When Foreign Aid Gets Cut? Lessons from the Front Lines
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What happens when humanitarian aid gets pulled, but the needs don’t stop? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Beth Stuebing, a missionary surgeon in Malawi with the Christian Health Service Corps. She shares what it’s like on the front lines of healthcare when funding disappears—and why faith-based organizations working on the ground can’t do it alone.
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Faith in Action: How Students Are Advocating for Global Health and Justice
The Better Samaritan Podcast
What happens when college students decide to take action on global issues?
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Inside PEPFAR: What’s at Stake and How Churches Can Engage
The Better Samaritan Podcast
This episode, we talk with Jenny Dyer, founder of the 2030 Collaborative, about her involvement raising awareness for HIV/AIDS - from working with Bono and the ONE Campaign to championing global health in Washington and beyond.
info_outlineIn this episode, we sit down with Michael Cerna from the Accord Network and Elli Oswald from the Faith to Action Initiative to talk about what happens when faith-based nonprofits face major funding cuts.
Spoiler: it’s tough.
From staff layoffs to shifting American opinions on international engagement, Michael and Elli share the hard realities—and the hope. We get real about working with the government, why accountability matters, and how churches can step up.
Plus, Michael and Elli share their perspectives on how young leaders and global communities are sparking change in powerful ways. This episode is honest, eye-opening, and full of practical wisdom for anyone in the nonprofit or ministry world.
Read more from Michael Cerna/The ACCORD network:
Michael Cerna | Faith, Funding, and Foreign Aid:
https://www.nae.org/michael-cerna-relief-development-faith-government-funding-usaid-todays-conversation-podcast/ Read about how one organization in Faith to Action's network is being impacted:
https://wng.org/roundups/the-usaid-closure-leaves-a-vacuum-what-will-fill-it-1740694625
Bio:
Michael Cerna:
Michael Cerna serves as CEO of Accord Network, a coalition of over 150 Christian organizations dedicated to global relief and development. Prior to leading the Accord Network, Cerna served in strategic and partnership roles at HOPE International, Mission: Hope, and Renew Outreach. He also previously worked at McKinsey & Company and holds a master’s degree in International Management from Kennesaw State University.
Elli Oswald:
Elli Oswald is the Executive Director of the Faith to Action Initiative. Before this role, she served as Director of Mission and Outreach at Bethany Community Church in Seattle. Elli also served as the Children in Crisis Research and Communications Coordinator for World Vision International’s Child Development and Rights Technical Team, specializing in community-based care for children deprived of parental care. She has a B.A. from Pepperdine University and an M.A. in Cross Cultural Studies and International Development from Fuller Theological Seminary.
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The Better Samaritan podcast is produced by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, which offers an M.A. in Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership and a Trauma Certificate. To learn more and apply, visit our website.
Jamie Aten, Ph.D., and Kent Annan, M.Div., co-direct the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College and are the Co-Founders of Spiritual First Aid.
This episode was produced by WildfireCreative
Theme Song: “Turning Over Tables” by The Brilliance
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(Note to the listener: In this podcast, sometimes we'll host Evangelicals, and sometimes we won't. Learning how to “do good, better” involves listening to many perspectives with different insights and understanding. Sometimes, it will make us uncomfortable; sometimes, we'll agree, and sometimes, we won't. We think that's good. We want to listen for correction–especially in our blind spots.)
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