Common Bond — Ask the Expert
Questions for Tim Schwan, vice president, Church and Community Engagement

Q: What’s your role with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans?

A: I lead the Church and Community Engagement team, which builds and facilitates the relationship Thrivent Financial has with Lutheran institutions. We develop and manage programs that support our common bond with the Lutheran community and improve the health and vitality of the Lutheran church. In addition, we are involved in special projects like the “Luther” film, the Pastor’s Desk Diary, and GivingPlus®, a program that engages our members in donating to Lutheran institutions.

Q: I often hear about the “common bond” at Thrivent Financial? What does that mean?

A: Having a “common bond” is fundamental to all fraternal benefit societies. They charter and form themselves around something in common with the people they serve. Our common bond is the people of Lutheran faith. When we started 100 years ago, we wanted to serve Lutherans, their churches and communities. That has been a constant for our organization. We’re grassroots and are centered on people who call themselves Lutheran and participate in all Lutheran congregations.

Q: What is a “fraternal benefit society” and how does it differ from other financial services organizations?

A: A fraternal benefit society is a not-for-profit organization that provides insurance to its members and operates for the benefit of its members and the public. Fraternals are organized locally, as Thrivent Financial is through our chapter system. At Thrivent Financial we really have two bottom lines: a financial bottom line, with corporate goals and measures that help us manage the business as good stewards, and a second bottom line around the good that we help Lutherans do. It is unique to have corporate goals and measures that focus on engaging more of our members and employees in doing more good in their communities.

Q: What sets Thrivent Financial apart from other companies in terms of corporate giving?

A: At many companies, the executives and staff make the corporate-giving decisions. At Thrivent Financial, our members direct where most of our charitable resources go. They do this through their community and congregational service teams, and by the decisions they make through programs such as GivingPlus. We build the programs and systems—our members use them to access and leverage Thrivent Financial resources to help others.

Q: So members are key to giving?

A: Absolutely. While we do corporate giving on a significant scale, we can do so much more through our members. Consider the funds our members raise for needs in their communities and how we supplement those funds. Look at the sweat equity and the value of a Thrivent Financial volunteer hour. That’s Thrivent Financial at its best—multiplying our giving back. We certainly provide grants and gifts from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation and at the corporate level. But it is all dwarfed by the impact our members make every day through the good they do in their communities.

Thrivent Financial also is unique because we’re called as an organization and as members to make a difference in the lives around us. We give because we are good corporate citizens, but not out of a sense of obligation. Rather it’s a calling. It’s who we are. That calling is embedded in the service and work that our members and employees do every day.

Q: How does Thrivent Financial support the Lutheran church?

A: We support churches in a variety of ways but mostly through our members. That’s the wonderful thing about being a membership organization—our members can help those institutions they care about. It’s done through Thrivent chapters, and through community and congregational service teams that help not only local Lutheran churches, but also schools, camps and nonprofit organizations. Our members’ gifts to many Lutheran organizations are supplemented—$1 for every $2 given through our GivingPlus® program. And it’s done through our financial representatives when they meet with members to make charitable plans.

We provide help through programs like Simply Giving®, an automated giving program that enables members to be consistently charitable to their Lutheran congregation.

In addition, a variety of grants and gifts are available. The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation grant programs help Lutheran institutions, providing dollars for projects that contribute to the health and vitality of the Lutheran church. Gifts or grants have been given to several churchwide organizations to help them in their ministries. Also, the Lutheran Community Foundation helps individual donors use charitable vehicles to provide resources to Lutheran churches and organizations.

This organization is really rooting for the Lutheran church, is really proud of it and helps it in-kind in lots of ways. Our executives speak at conferences and serve on boards and committees of Lutheran institutions, and many in our workforce are active at their own churches. Our work and services have a different tone. We know that our members value their faith journey, and much of what we do supports, honors and respects their faith life.

Q: As a Lutheran, why should I choose Thrivent Financial as my financial services provider?

A: We’re passionate about serving Lutherans, and we have the experience and expertise to help them reach their financial goals. Our portfolio of financial products meets a variety of needs. And, by working with us, you can be part of an organization that helps improve every day the lives of families and individuals in need, communities, Lutherans and Lutheran organizations. I can’t imagine anyone who knows us, who is Lutheran and who cares about their Lutheran roots who wouldn’t want to be part of us.

We know that some question how serious we are about the “for Lutherans” part of our name. But I have never seen our commitment to serve Lutherans be stronger. Being a fraternal, a financial services organization that cares for others, and doing good through and for Lutherans and their communities are things I take great pride in.

Q: Does Thrivent Financial take a position on theological issues?

A: We are not the church; we don’t take a stand on theological issues. Our members and our employees have their own faith positions. They develop and grow as faithful people through the ministry of their congregations. Word and sacrament ministry is the ministry of the church. We are not called to take a theological position—we are called to serve the financial needs of all Lutherans and their families and help them reach out and serve in their communities.

Q: What are your favorite ways to volunteer?

A: My family and I have been so blessed by our church and other organizations in the community. In my volunteering, I seek to give back to those organizations that have made a big difference in our lives. At church, I enjoy teaching Bible class. My favorite recent church volunteer activity was an eight-day mission trip to Mexico to build a home for a family living in a cardboard and tin home. Two of our adult children went along, and it was fun doing this with them. It was powerfully humbling to be part of making a difference in the lives of a family of seven who occupied the new home. I got to know the people in my church better, and I developed a new kind of closeness with my children. It reminded me of how much I enjoy volunteering with my family. I’m on the local YMCA board and our Habitat Affiliate Board because of what they do for young people and for people in need and for people who need decent housing. I coach an amateur baseball team, too, helping our players be successful on the field, and also off the field by giving back to heir community through free baseball clinics for kids, etc.

Tim Schwan
Position:
Vice president, Church and Community Engagement
Family:
Married with four adult children and one granddaughter
Education:
B.S. in education, Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska; master’s in counseling, Kearney State College, Kearney, Nebraska.
Favorite volunteer activities:
YMCA board member; Habitat affiliate board member; coaching the Appleton Legends, an amateur baseball team; teaching adult classes at church; recent eight-day mission trip to build a home in Acuna, Mexico.