Paul J. Meyer’s commitment to Christian Stewardship began with the words of another notable Christian business leader. As a young professional, Paul went with his pastor, Dr. Bill Hinson, to hear the testimony of Christian industrialist R.G. Letourneau. Mr. Letourneau gave his testimony and said that his goal was to give 90 percent of his income to the Lord’s work and live off 10 percent. He wanted to reverse the common Christian idea of tithing. This struck a chord with Paul –it became a turning point in his view of wealth as belonging to Christ and not him. In the days that followed, Paul committed to tithing. He would pursue this commitment to Christian Stewardship for the rest of his career.
Paul’s commitment to Christian Stewardship was the basis for everything that followed. It began small, but it turned into several millions of dollars, growing, ultimately, into the Paul and Jane Meyer Family Foundation. In 1984, Paul and Jane established the Foundation, which has provided more than $75,000,000 in support of non-profit organizations that have met the spiritual and physical needs of people the world over.
The Meyers used the success of their 70+ worldwide companies to fund this new endeavor. Paul and Jane began each morning with this scripture: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it,” followed by this prayer: “Please, Lord, give us someone to minister to and help today.” Since Paul’s death in 2009 Jane has continued to approach each day the same way. Serving as President of the Paul and Jane Meyer Family Foundation, she is also guided by its mission statement:
“To provide resources to carry out the work of the Great Commission by investing in Christian mission ministries, charities and needy individuals that they might, in turn, impact our world for Jesus Christ.”
The Meyer Family Foundation supports both local and international non-profit organizations, a small sample of those charities include the following:
- Mission Waco
- Friends For Life
- Compassion Ministries
- Family Abuse Center
- Passport to Success
- Waco Boys & Girls Club
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Legacy Family Ministries
- Marketplace Ministries
- The Carpenter’s Hammer Ministry
- Haggai Institute
- Lead Like Jesus
- Rick Caywood Ministries
- Baylor University
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
The following words from Mission Waco Executive Director Jimmy Dorrell attest to the transformational support Paul and Jane Meyer have provided to nonprofits through their Foundation:
“Concern for the ‘least of these’ is one of the clearest callings in the Bible, yet few Christians take that calling seriously. Paul and Jane Meyer are two of the exceptions! Because of their incredible generosity, prayers, and encouragement, Mission Waco has been able to provide shelter for the homeless, jobs for the unemployed, healthcare for the sick, tutoring for children, teens, and adults who struggle to learn, and assistance for the poor and marginalized throughout Central Texas. They are genuinely concerned and deeply compassionate for the things that break God’s heart!”
The Meyer Family Foundation’s core values align with the family’s Christian faith. Also in keeping with Paul’s commitment to education, the Foundation continues to support access to quality education, most recently through their gift supporting Baylor University’s Paul and Jane Meyer Conference Center at the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.
Paul and Jane Meyer’s generosity, though, was not restricted to their Foundation. Paul, who had a love for talking with people, often struck up conversations with people in all walks of life who crossed his path daily. His fervent prayer in each of these interactions was for God to provide an opportunity for Jane and him to help. Many times, those he encountered walked away with his business card and a promise to help if they would contact him. Those who did reach out saw their lives touched through scholarship support, housing assistance and many other forms of help, due to the generosity of Paul and Jane.
Jane Meyer continues to honor Paul’s legacy in many ways. From the more than 50 local and international charities that have received transformational support from the Foundation, to the more than 300 charities who have been recipients of the Foundation’s generosity, Paul J. Meyer’s legacy of Christian giving continues to impact lives and spread the powerful truth of the Great Commission.
