Dale Sutherland

Based in Vienna, Virginia, Dale Sutherland is the President of International Care Ministries (ICM) USA, a charitable organization aiming to alleviate the effects felt by poverty-stricken communities. Dale had a significant history of working within the nonprofit realm, both in management roles and volunteering positions, before coming to work with ICM.

For the majority of his career leading up to his transition to ICM, Dale began his career with McLean Bible Church in 2001. McLean Bible Church is a mega-church based out of Virginia, where Dale later assumed the role of Lead Pastor and Director of Outreach. In nearly two decades of service here, Dale Sutherland led a faithful career as a lead pastor and director of outreach at the McLean Bible Church, with attendance reaching upwards of 13,000 congregants. During his time with the church, Dale was in charge of managing a budget in the millions, overseeing volunteers, leading missions trips, directing operations throughout six campuses as well as partnering with mission organizations, both national and international.

Dale Sutherland also served a variety of communities through his assistance as a Detective Sergeant up until 2013. This position allowed Dale to work on an impressive amount of key criminal investigations ranging from human trafficking to narcotics to homicides. He took the lead and supervised investigations beginning in Washington D.C., spanning to New York City, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. During this time, he was also entrusted with the task of instructing law enforcement officials from international police agencies from Jamaica, Japan, Palestine/West Bank, and the Dominican Republic.

After Dale Sutherland became the President of ICM USA in 2019, he soon found that a successful nonprofit is one that encompasses strong values, acts on its convictions, strategizes effective measures to produce long-lasting outcomes, and creates beneficial partnerships. While ICM looks forward to the day in which no child has to live in ultra-poverty, Dale and his team also recognize the harsh reality of many individuals’ lives in the here and now. Dale now works alongside a team of business professionals, pastors, outreach specialists, and local Filipino employees who are passionate about this worldwide mission and talented in creating effective measures for fighting poverty and its grave effects.

Dale Sutherland is eager to see the continual growth of this ICM and is passionate about contributing to poverty alleviation. His professional career has intertwined seamlessly with his passion for living out the gospel, a goal he always felt called to pursue.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

I had seen the work that had been done in the Philippines for the last 25 years on multiple visits there. I was sure we could help more poor people if we only used this same system in another geography.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I spend my day usually meeting with various folks who are part of our work. They are involved in giving or offering advice to ICM. I wake up and enjoy usually spending some time in prayer and the word and then after that I get started.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Praying and asking God for His direction is first. I think God has given me a great network of brilliant people. I often find that I can accomplish things by just connecting with people or finding answers by asking a friend. This is often how I see ideas become reality.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I’m fascinated by the advances we are making in learning how the Bible can be more accessible to more people. There are new apps and the Bible project. Along with that, there are podcasts and digital versions of the Bible that can make this life-changing book more accessible to others.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

God’s grace is first. People that are much smarter and more hard-working than me haven’t had as much success as I have. God has used a 2.6 student to do things everyone thought impossible. Second, I think pushing is the other secret. When I start something I push and push and push everyone and everything to try and get it to grow and succeed.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Be nicer and more patient. I pushed so hard that I hurt good people. I wish I would have given more grace and accepted people as they are and not required them to be what I wanted them to be.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

That there is no need to change the way Americans do short-term mission trips. If we had millions of people mistreating other people we should address the methods. The problem is the opposite. Relatively few people on this planet want to help others. Why do we get mad or marginalize the few that go out and serve? It’s the leader’s job to encourage these workers and at the same time protect them from making mistakes that could cause difficulty for the message.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

You must push yourself and keep going when everyone tells you to slow down. People who slow down aren’t terribly successful. You can do that in some worlds but not as an entrepreneur.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Constant networking and helping others. I do way more work pro bono than I charge for. That’s what I believe results in a few paying clients that are committed to you.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I have not followed through with good ideas. Others told me to stop and I listened. That has cost me millions of dollars and lots of spiritual fruit.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Nonprofit real estate ventures. A fascinating area that lends itself to unbelievable benefits for ministries and nonprofits. It can also be quite lucrative.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Baseball tickets for me and my grandson to see the Yankees play.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I wish I knew how to use the software. So much I am doing I could do easier if I just used some of what is available.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The Bible. It expands the mind and guides the life of every human on the planet. You will learn more about Life in relationships and business and eternity read that book than any other that was ever written.

What is your favorite quote?

I love the words of an old song: “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus will help you, Jesus will save”