This Lent, many of us are turning toward the familiar symbols of the season—ashes, the cross, the empty tomb. We’re reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice, the weight of hope, the call to follow even when it costs us.
But what if, for your pastor, Lent is also about running numbers?
What if the person preaching the Good News is also calculating how long they can keep paying Bay Area rent? Or explaining to their spouse—again—why they’re staying in ministry even when it feels like housing makes that impossible?
It’s not just here. Aslan is working with ministry staff in California, Washington, and Colorado. The problem is national. The calling remains local. The need is urgent.
This Isn’t a Budget Problem. It’s a Faith Opportunity.
Churches often freeze when they look at housing—not because they don’t care, but because they think the only answer is a giant capital campaign or a heroic budget ask.
But what if the solution wasn’t inside the budget at all?
What if there are people sitting in the pews—or just one degree removed—who would gladly invest in a pastor’s housing future? Not donate. Invest. Partner. Share in the long-term vision of keeping ministry rooted where it belongs.
Ministry leaders don’t need a handout. They need access. They need someone to share risk, open doors, and take faith seriously enough to put it into a deal.
What Does Faith Look Like in a Housing Crisis?
We say we believe in resurrection. But when it comes to housing, we often act like God’s already left the building.
The real estate market isn’t beyond redemption. In fact, it might be one of the most faithful places you could direct your next investment.
- Have equity in a second property? Lease it below market to a ministry family.
- Looking for an aligned investment? Join our Down Payment Assistance Program and co-invest in a pastor’s first home.
- Own a home but no longer need it? Convert it into housing for those called to serve.
It doesn’t take a church board vote. It takes vision and a willingness to say, “Yes—this matters.”
Aslan Makes It Real
At Aslan Housing Foundation, we build the structure behind the vision.
We’ve designed a Down Payment Assistance Program where private investors co-invest with pastors and churches. We structure the equity, manage the legal, and provide a path to ownership for ministry leaders who would otherwise be priced out.
We also operate the Aslan Marketplace, a platform where individuals can offer rooms, rentals, or homes to ministry staff—at meaningful discounts, with meaningful impact.
We’ve helped leaders in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and beyond stay rooted in their calling—because someone believed that home should be part of the mission.
If You Can Write a Rent Check, You Can Write a New Chapter
The church is not short on generosity. But sometimes, we need new vehicles to activate it.
This Lent, don’t assume that housing is someone else’s problem to solve. Ask what it might look like for you to invest in something that lasts longer than a market cycle—and deeper than a donation.