New Year. Same Mission.

By Russ Crosson, Chief Mission Officer

As we enter 2026, Blue Trust is preparing to welcome team members from across the country to our annual Legacy Summit for a time of inspiration, encouragement, and fellowship. This year’s theme is A Bigger Story, which was inspired by Proverbs 11:24a: “The world of the generous gets larger and larger” (MSG). Scripture reminds us that by living generously, we expand our influence, worldview, and blessings. This message feels particularly timely as the firm enters its forty-seventh year—reminding us why Blue Trust was created and calling us to remember that each of us plays a role in the greater story God is writing.

During the 1970s, Ron Blue made 11 trips to Africa, where he witnessed the stark disparity in financial resources between the U.S. and Africa. That experience unsettled him and prompted a deeper question: could Christians steward their wealth more faithfully and use it to make an eternal impact? In 1979, Ron felt convicted to apply his CPA background to help Christians steward the resources God had entrusted to them, leading to the founding of Blue Trust.

From the beginning, the firm’s mission was clear: to free up resources to fulfill the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18–20, when Jesus instructs His followers to carry the gospel to the world and make disciples. Embedded within that mission statement is the company’s guiding purpose—helping people give generously and leverage the currency of what is fleeting into the currency of what will last forever. Financial freedom can certainly include getting out of debt, diversifying investments, and spending less than you earn, but the deeper question is why these strategies matter. Many of us pursue these principles to increase our capacity for generosity and, in doing so, work toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

The Call to Give
At Blue Trust, we help clients answer the question ”How much is enough?” and draw a clear financial finish line. As individuals identify these metrics and grow in their ability to give, they participate more fully in God’s purposes and the story He is writing through each of us.
By supporting ministries around the world, we help ensure the gospel is carried farther—and we are part of advancing God’s redemptive work as we await Christ’s return. See what Scripture says about this important impact.

• ”This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14.
• “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
• “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.” Revelation 5:9.

Wow! What meaningful work to be a part of! As we strive to be more generous, these Scriptures offer encouragement and perspective.

• “The generous person will be prosperous.” Proverbs 11:25
• “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging for bread” Psalm 37:25
• “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” Luke 6:38
• “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19
• “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Be encouraged. God is in control. We can’t out-give God, and He will always meet our needs. In Malachi 3:10, the Lord challenges us, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”

Generosity requires abundant faith, and as our faith grows, we are better aligned with God’s plans. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Modeling Generosity
It is also important to model generosity for future generations. Our children and grandchildren will observe not only what we say, but how we live and the choices we make. How will they remember us? What will our lives model for them? Time and time again, I have been reminded how much our actions and the example we set (intentionally or unintentionally) impact those around us. Years ago, at the gravesite of one of my clients, his granddaughter approached me and said, “Thank you for teaching my granddad to be generous.” This client’s commitment to generosity became a legacy that continues to impact future generations.

When I began this journey with Blue Trust more than four decades ago, generosity was not a defining part of my life. In fact, I was not intentional or impactful with my giving at all. A few dollars in the offering plate at church when it passed by was the extent of my generosity. Over the years, however, as my wife Julie and I took purposeful steps of faith and increased our giving, we witnessed God’s provision in ways that consistently exceeded our expectations.

Even more meaningful has been seeing that posture of generosity reflected in our sons. What we practice is often what the next generation learns. Those who follow us are shaped by what we model today. Through generosity, we are invited into something far greater than ourselves—becoming part of the bigger story God is writing.

So, will you join me in continuing to step forward in faith—trusting in God, giving generously, and advancing His work in the year ahead? Be confident, encouraged, and expectant, knowing we are part of an epic story aligned with the heart of God—one where our impact expands exponentially as our generosity grows.

I am grateful to be on this journey with you. May 2026 be filled with God’s richest blessings for you.