About Idle Treasure: a Christian response to the wealth sitting in donor advised funds
There are billions of dollars accumulating in donor advised funds and we are here to ask the question, is this okay?
Some Christians say everything is fine; the system is working as it should. Others say this is a major problem.
Hosted by financial counselor, Courtney Markley, this mini-series will take you through a narrative journey to explore what really lies beneath this number.
But this story isn’t just about donor advised funds; it is about each of us and the elephant in the room: Christians give less today than during the Great Depression. It’s simply become normal in our culture for God’s people not to live generously.
Could our lack of giving be a sign that something greater is going on?
Throughout the journey we will hear from industry experts, ministry leaders, entrepreneurs, and biblical scholars. We’ll be joined by John Rinehart, Randy Alcorn, Ronald Blue, Peter Greer, and Craig Blomberg – just to name a few.
We'll explore the challenges people face when giving to charity, the obstacles of passing down generational wealth, and the vulnerable reasons we often keep money to ourselves.
The goal of this podcast is not to convince you to give more money away.
This is an invitation into a gentle discussion about giving, discipleship to Christ, and our idle treasure.
Publisher
Courtney Markley
Category
business · religion & spirituality · society & culture
As we close the Idle Treasure series, we turn the spotlight back to the real question behind donor-advised funds. This conversation was never simply about how much money sits in charitable accounts. It's about what our money reveals about our nearness to Jesus. We walk alongside the rich young ruler, as he holds a key to the DAF dilemma. From there we name three themes that consistently marked the people we interviewed throughout the series. We also share a big assumption underneath t...
21 Apr 2026
The Solution: Part One
What are possible solutions to the DAF dilemma? And, how should Christians be responding to this Idle Treasure? Some obstacles to generosity are practical, some are relational, and others are spiritual. In Part One of the Idle Treasure finale, we walk through two practical, concrete tools that can change the trajectory of your giving: a financial finish line and a sunset strategy. We hear from one financial advisor who put a cap on his personal spending to free up more...
14 Apr 2026
Who is Responsible?
In the last several episodes of Idle Treasure, we’ve been unpacking reasons why money in DAFs stay stagnant. Many people are starting to wonder who should be held accountable for the DAF dilemma. Some say it’s the government’s responsibility to put more regulations in place. Some say the duty falls on the advisors and DAF sponsors. Some say it is up to the individual to ensure funds are deployed. And many say it is a different entity entirely that should be held accountable. In this epi...
31 Mar 2026
Bonus Episode with Randy Alcorn
In this episode we sit down with best-selling author Randy Alcorn to talk about the money accumulating in DAFs and private foundations. Randy argues that God rewards implemented choices, not stored intentions, and he challenges us to think practically about "good works." Along the way, we explore stewardship, spiritual warfare, and why mammon remains a live threat even for sincere Christians. Randy also addresses several practical questions about giving charitable assets. Questions like: how...
24 Mar 2026
The Challenges with Charity
Choosing which charities to give to is not an easy decision. For Christians who want to steward wealth well, partnering with nonprofits can prove challenging. In this episode, we talk through the psychology of giving when there are millions of nonprofits, constant fundraising pressure, and too little clarity to make confident decisions. Then we zoom in on the practical obstacles that stall grantmaking: limited information, wildly different charity effectiveness, nonprofit capacity constraints...
17 Mar 2026
The Burden Of Blessing
“I hate having money.” When a young inheritor says that out loud, it exposes something most of us rarely name: wealth can bring loneliness, fear, and constant relationship tension. In this episode we sit down with Kate, who inherited millions of dollars at 21, to talk about the burden of blessing and the hidden pressures many next-gen inheritors carry while families navigate the Great Wealth Transfer and the growing DAF dilemma. Dr. Gary Hoag also joins us to explore how scripture chal...
10 Mar 2026
Bonus Episode with Dr. Craig Blomberg
In this episode we pause our Idol Treasure series to sit down with Dr. Craig Blomberg. Craig joins Courtney to dive deeper into many of the topics covered so far. There are strong cultural and spiritual factors that influence our behavior with money, so as we continue to learn why wealth is accumulating in DAFs, Craig brings a strong biblical perspective to expand on the purpose of wealth, the roles our society plays in our understanding of stewardship, and we’ll explore many questions like:&...
3 Mar 2026
The Siren Call of Wealth
What if our most “responsible” money moves are quietly discipling us away from Jesus? Joined by guests John Rinehart, CEO of Gospel Patrons, and Leo Sabo, president of the Christian Stewardship Network, we peel back the layers of conventional wisdom to reveal how fear, control, and comparison often masquerade as stewardship—and why scripture calls us to a radically different way with wealth. We also examine donor advised funds, the temptations of control and social capital, and th...
24 Feb 2026
Anxiety and the American Gospel
What if the real barrier to generosity isn’t a lack of resources, but the stories we’ve believed about safety, success, and “enough”? When talking about the charitable assets sitting in donor advised funds, many people are eager to jump to solutions, as perhaps they should be. While we do want to address possible solutions to the DAF dilemma, we first need to uncover why this is happening in the first place. Over the next several episodes we’re going to explore the various reasons why f...
17 Feb 2026
Are these numbers right?
In this episode we pull back the curtain on donor advised funds to ask a sharper question: if assets are allocated but not activated, have we truly surrendered them to God’s purposes? With billions of dollars sitting in DAFs and urgent needs multiplying, we explore the tension between smart planning and delayed impact. Throughout the conversation we break down the core mechanics of DAFs, from why givers use them to the real advantages for non-cash gifts and tax efficiency. Then we tackle the...
10 Feb 2026
The Origin Story
In our first episode we will begin pulling back the layers of the DAF controversy by looking first at the origin story. Who created the modern donor advised fund and why? The answer might surprise you. Links from episode: DAF Research Collaborative Report Idle Treasure is sponsored by the Center for Financial Discipleship.
26 Jan 2026
Trailer
Coming February 10th.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
12 ratings
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