A Generous New Year's Resolution

Proverbs 11:23-28

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

In reflecting on this past year and preparing for the next year we ask ourselves what might we do different that would improve our ability to minister to our donors and volunteers.

Last week's post spoke of the scarcity mentality and the generosity mentality. It seems that this is a real problem for many of us as we face uncertain economic times. But, when were we not in times of uncertainty?

Last night a friend came over who, by his own admission, is living a drab existence. He is single and financially stable, but so worried about everything that he lives a "siege" existence. There is little joy and no real overarching purpose - other than to get through life as unscathed as possible. This is not God's purposes for our lives and I told him so.

As we continued the discussion, a pattern of prayer emerged:

1. Remind me Lord of what you have entrusted to me, both material and spiritual gifts.
2. Have me declare that these are available (and even required) to be used to bless others and to help them enjoy generous living.
3. Have me be more bold in asking people what they are living and saving for.
4. Guide me in helping others see their wealth so they can their opportunity to grow.
5. Challenge them to take a first step to becoming a generous steward and to what God will do.

Next week we hit the ground again. Let's do so with renewed purpose in the calling we have to expand the kingdom.

Remember, all the really hard work has already been done for us!

An Abundance Mentality vs. a Scarcity Mentality

This article by Dan Miller reminds us that scarcity and limited resources is a "zero sum" game that is not biblical.

I’m Happy to Help You – Unless… by Dan Miller 48Days.com

A friend and fellow coach asked me why I encourage and support so many other coaches when I could easily see them as "competitors."

I will borrow Stephen Covey's words from Seven Habits of Highly Successful People here:

"Most people are deeply scripted in what I call the Scarcity Mentality. They see life as having only so much, as though there were only one pie out there. And if someone were to get a big piece of the pie, it would mean less for everybody else.

The Scarcity Mentality is the zero-sum paradigm of life. People with a Scarcity Mentality have a very difficult time sharing recognition and credit, power or profit - even with those who help in the production. The also have a very hard time being genuinely happy for the success of other people.

The Abundance Mentality, on the other hand, flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. It is the paradigm that there is plenty out there and enough to spare for everybody. It results in sharing of prestige, of recognition, of profits, of decision making. It opens possibilities, options, alternatives, and creativity."

If you are a coach and find yourself depressed because someone else stays booked with higher fees, you're operating from the scarcity mentality. On the other hand, if someone tells you about his/her success and you get excited because that means you can probably move your own fees up, that's the abundance mentality at work.

The spirit of the interaction is critical. And this has little to do with one's current level of financial success. I have friends who make $25,000 a year who are genuinely thrilled at any success Joanne and I experience. And a few who while making millions convey the feeling that if I find a dollar in the parking lot it robs them personally of that dollar. Greedy, mean-spirited or angry people are likely operating out of a scarcity mentality. They see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much and if someone else gets it, that means there is less for them.

Success is not like a pie - where if you take a piece there is less for me. Rather, it is like you having a candle and you share your light to start mine as well. You still have 100% of your candle but together we throw off even more light. Someone with a scarcity mentality will want to extinguish your flame.

Clearly, this spirit is also tied to one's sense of self-worth and security. Those with a healthy self-esteem will encourage others, share praise and profits and give lots of recognition. Low self-esteem will trigger resentment at other's success and the attempt to undermine and pull them down.

I have always welcomed working with someone with an abundance mentality and have many times seen their financial success go on to supersede my own. And it caught me by surprise that helping other coaches be successful has produced financial rewards that bypass those of coaching actual clients. On the other hand, I chose not to work or spend time with people who are hanging on to a scarcity mentality.

1. In what ways do you have an abundance mentality?
2. What aspects of your life are operating from a scarcity mentality?
3. Can this model be used not only for business, but for family, social and religious life as well?

Generosity as a Good Word

We have a new parent at Tall Oaks who is very happy with the education her son is receiving at Tall Oaks Classical School and the partnership between school and family.

While they do not have much to give financially, this parent understands that tuition does not cover one hundred percent of the cost and wants to help do her part to provide financial aid.

So, armed with a letter describing the school's scholarship needs, she presented the case to her employer who, in turn, contributed $150 to help needy families. This parent used her good relationship with her employer to present us to someone who we would not have reached out to.

Armed with this success, she is now embarking on coordinating an all-school cookbook fundraiser like she has done in another venue.

Our work as stewardship officers is to help others see that they have something to contribute, time, talent, treasure, and a Good Word. God has been and is generous to distribute these. Our work is to help unearth them and to encourage generous living.

This week we remember the ultimate giving act - when the God of the universe deployed His Son, Jesus, to live among us and to experience the greatest gift of all , eternal life.

Merry Christmas!

Students Learn the Joy of Serving Others

Today I had the distinct pleasure of watching our choral and string ensembles offer their musical gifts to bless the lunch crowd at the local Senior Center. This center is not a retirement or nursing home, but a daytime community center for seniors who are still ambulatory and who want some activities and fellowship.

I told our students that they get to be good stewards of their instrumental and singing gifts by using them to bless the senior citizens and wishing them a Merry Christmas. Yes, they said the Christmas word and didn't even have to apologize.

Afterwards, the guests were very complimentary and we invited them to our all-school Christmas concert in one week. Some of them took brochures about the school to see what we were all about.

Stewardship and service are part of the fabric of the school. We want to be seen as a school who is a good steward of what we have been given. Then, we can legitimately invite others to also share what God has given them - all good gifts come from the Father.

As we strive to see others be generous with their blessings, let it begin with me.

Thanking the Lord for Fundraising

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

Too many people have told me that raising resources is a "necessary evil" in the administration of the school.

I think these folks have their theology and history wrong. Raising resources to advance the Kingdom to win others to Jesus has always been part of the fabric of the Christian life.

We recognize that every good gift came from God, that these are merely on loan to us, that good stewardship was an obligation and (when done with a right spirit) a joy. The apostle Paul commended believers for their generous giving as they responded to God's mercy and forgiveness (see the Macedonians).

Nowadays we think, "If someone would die and leave the school with this giant estate, then all our troubles would go away." No, they wouldn't. Lack of funds is not the problem anyway; lack of funds is a symptom of another problem. We'll talk about that another day.

Plus, why should our "problems" go away? In Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica (as in other letters), he addressed persecution of the faithful. He told us to persevere and continue to worship and, yes, to give thanks - in all circumstances.

No, I don't want fundraising to be easy or fast. Here is why:

1. It keeps me listening and looking for the Lord's leading in my work
2. It reminds me that raising funds is not technique-dependent; while it does require that I do everything with excellence as our Lord deserves.
3. It keeps me praying and causes me to praise as friends become generous givers
4. It makes me grateful for each gift as it comes in - I can celebrate the details of God's blessing
5. It allows me to look back and see how the Lord provided for our needs and gave exactly what we needed

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, let's thank the Lord for the good work He has called us to and to remember that we are only a small part of a larger whole.

Please pass the gravy....

Was the Fundraiser a Success?

It depends. How do you measure "success"?

If success equals raising the Annual Fund, then it was not a success. If success means that every school family filled out pledge card or gave a gift, we weren't successful there, either.

Okay, did you get some big lead gift or more? Yes, sort of. We had a family pledge $10,000 This will be their first major gift and it represents some good spiritual growth in the father.

What else? Of the school families who pledged or contributed, all but one were new families to the school - that is exciting that the new families are catching the vision early.

One of the new donors is a young single woman who makes a very modest salary, but she is totally on board with the style of Christian education (classical) and sees the potential of students being educated in this environment. Her first gift was $250, very significant for someone at her station in life.

Lastly, in my "ask" I told our guests that we SHOULD give because we NEED to give. I explained that our gratitude to God for eternal life purchased by Christ must have a way of being expressed. Giving gifts is an important part of our responding with thankful hearts. Thankful hearts lead to generous giving. Generous giving is stewardship in action and leads to Kingdom building (treasure in heaven).

In conclusion, the evening was a success because Christ was held high and His people were encouraged to love Him and walk with him deeply.

Matthew 6:25-33

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

'Twas the Night Before the Ask...

Tomorrow we officially launch the Annual Fund campaign for the school. I am doing the "ask" myself, opting for the "insider" vs "headliner" approach.

The ask comes at the end of the annual Fine Dessert where every grade of the school will give a short demonstration of the work they are doing. I am following the Rhetoric students who will be having a apologetics discussion.

While I will share the financial goal ($225,000), I will not try to break it down into "manageable" chunks for donors to see if they can do their share.

Instead, I am sharing my 3 P's of Stewardship:

Passion - what desires for the Kingdom has God put on your heart?

Provisions - what gifts have you been blessed with that need to be released to Kingdom work?

Purpose - what is the right destination for your giving where it will have the greatest impact?

Legacy is another part of my short talk. We are leaving a legacy, one of generosity or one where we are "tippers" after receiving the blessing of eternal life.

We cannot go into these situations asking: "What are the right hooks or hot buttons?" We must always be looking out for the spiritual best interest of our donor/friends. We must let God be God and trust Him to bring the right resources at the right time for our school.

Pray hard, prepare well; then watch and wait.

I am not the (only) "Stewardship Guy"

Delegating authority - Exodus 18:13-20

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

Stewardship by leaders requires us to delegate responsibility. Jethro encouraged Moses to "share the load" by distributing aspects of the work among other trustworthy and capable individuals within the community.

This is true within the church, where the 80-20 rule often applies. It is also true for stewardship as we, stewardship officers, seek to extend our influence with others. Here are some ideas that I have tried and am developing:

1. Remind the staff and other constituents that you are not the only stewardship person. The skills to see giftedness in others and encourage the use of gifts is not sole domain of the professional.
2. Let others participate in the process so they can experience the joy of helping others express their love for the Lord through generous giving.
3. Discover talent that may not have been used before, but is just waiting to be asked.
4. Keep repeating and explaining the basic themes until others remember and internalize them. I have many teachers come and tell me how they are seeking the time and talent and treasure opportunities.

When we delegate to others, it frees us to have some of the in-depth discussions we need to have.

And, who knows, the new talent may be a significant upgrade to what we do ourselves.

The Week of Fundraising - or blessing?

It is the end of another week of being that lone voice in the wilderness calling people to be generous. Are you tired of doing the things of development, like writing letters, organizing events, and worrying about the school's cash flow?

Let me ask, how about the being of development and stewardship? Were you filled enough to pour yourself out for another? How did you do in listening to some one's heart rather than trying to negotiate a gift?

My wife often asks me, "So, who did you bless today?" It is important to ask this because the question focuses me on the right issue, the heart of the donor or friend.

Here are a few that I can share; none of these resulted in an immediate cash gift:

• Had lunch with a friend from another school who is contemplating a capital campaign; I encouraged him to think of merging with another school who may be struggling.
• Met with a donor who has some longer-term ideas about a special program that excites his family. We discussed how we do some things in the near-term that might lead to these ends.
• Had a committee meeting with volunteers where I was able to share my passion that we do everything be first looking for biblical principles.
• Met with a local business leader who we were able to help by finding them a solution to seasonal parking problems.

In all of these we ask the Lord to direct our thoughts to how we can come alongside a person who has a need. The Lord of the Harvest brings all good solutions to pass.

What a joy to be useful in the advancement of the Kingdom, however He ordains it.

Christian Fundraising vs. Secular Fundraising

The book Revolution in Generosity does a nice job of comparing two mindsets about fundraising,; one honors the fundraiser themselves; the other seeks God's blessing on everyone and in every step of the process.

Let's look at how the two approaches differ:

Philosophical underpinning:

Transactional model - Philanthropy-improving Stewardship for the common good

Transformational model - Managers of what God owns

Focus Raising money through:

Transactional model - marketing transactions

Transformational model - Facilitate raising stewards to be rich toward God, which results in generosity

Ethical framework

Transactional model - Minimalist-”is it legal?” or “will it work?”

Transformational model - Commitment to gospel values of truth, integrity and love

Ideal Outcomes

Transactional model - Donor meets organizational needs

Transformational model - Giver becomes conformed to the image of Christ and becomes generous, like Christ

Solicitation

Transactional model - Manipulative business sales, technique intensive, hype the need

Transformational model -Present giving opportunity, prayerfully matching call to ministry

Motivator

Transactional model -Asker’s style, personality

Transformational model - Holy Spirit works to transform heart toward Christlike generosity

Follow-up

Transactional model -Pressure and persuade to meet quota, don’t take “no” for an answer

Transformational model - Encourage prayer to lay up treasures in heaven and experience godly joy

Accountability

Transactional model - To organization, the law

Transformational model -To God, external values

Predictable Outcomes

Transactional model - Success/failure depends on asker. burnout

Transformational model - Success/failure according to God’s calling

Rewards

Transactional model - On earth, temporal

Transformational model - Crowns and responsibility in heaven for eternity

Anatomy of an Appeal Letter

Each of us receives solicitations for support from several or many non-profits. As we open these (as do our donors) what messages are contained?

Typically, we mention (in passing) how God has blessed the school and wonderful it is to have dedicated supporters (like you!).

Then, we launch into the "ask" where we explain the reasons for our need; you know, the one that sounds like we are almost desperate, but not quite. We don't want to start a panic or have the rumors fly that we are going to close. Sometimes we show specific items that need to be funded to make a connection between a favorite item and a donor's interest.

Lastly, we pull out the "big gun", scholarship aid for needy families. That always "works" if the other items don't connect. Scholarship, like poverty, can tug at heart strings - then, we hope, someone feels sorry for us and throws us a gift.

This is not biblical stewardship; it is manipulation in using guilt or shame to solicit a gift.

Our roles are to remind our donor friends of their blessings from God and to boldly make our case saying why our school is a great investment in Kingdom building. We can and should remind them that each of us are stewards of blessings and how we should give as directed by the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 9:7 "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Look over your letters and see what messages are coming out loud and clear.

The Mentor: Get one or Be one

Acts 11:19-26 The Church in Antioch - How God used Barnabas to advance the kingdom

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.


Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

This looks like mentoring to me; coming alongside, encouraging, and being true to the message he had been given. Also, Barnabas and Saul were meeting with the church for a "whole year" indicating that teaching was occurring throughout. It takes time to change culture.

Have you been called to be a mentor to a "younger" leader, someone who can call on you to be a safe place to exchange ideas and try them on. If the Lord has laid this on your heart, be a good steward of your time and volunteer to go on the journey with someone. You will be a blessing and you will be blessed as well.

Do you need a mentor? If so, find someone who has the maturity and wisdom to give good counsel. He or she will not give you the "answer" to all of the questions or challenges, but he (or she) will help you with maintaining your principles while you explore other avenues of your work.

Giving generously and receiving graciously; both sound biblical to me.

Grandparents and their Giving Legacy

"What am I leaving behind?" These are the words on a small pamphlet that was given to our guests at this month's Grandparents' Day.

Here are some of the legacy messages included in this "non ask" piece:

• We are stewards of the gifts God has given to us. At the end of our earthly lives we will stand before the Lord and be evaluated as to how we managed the gifts God put under our care. We want to hear, "Well done my good my good and faithful servant."
• We cannot take our talent and wealth with us when leave this earth. "Do not store for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, ..." Matt. 6:19-21
• There is a present joy in seeing your assets used and directing them rather than having them distributed upon your death.
• Grandparents can invest in future generations of students.
• Grandparents honor the Lord as they respond to His command to be joyful givers. "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7

"How do I contribute to future generations?"

• Take stock of your blessings: time, talent and treasure.
• Ask God to give you the desire to be generous with these blessings.
• Pray for clarity and boldness to do something significant for the Lord.
• Seek out areas in the school where you can apply your time and talent. There are many volunteer opportunities available.
• Give financially - this commitment strengthens your partnership with the school.
• Consider planned gifts of stock, other non-cash assets or future gifts that might be included in your estate.

I hope you are asking, "So, how did it work?"

I don't know, yet. But, I am confident that if we communicate faithfully and respectfully and in keeping with God's precepts, we can expect a harvest. It will be on His schedule and His way.

Don't Panic - You'll run off the road

Maybe you have heard the expression, "Desperate people do desperate things". I believe that condition can affect us; it has hit me recently.

When we finalize the budget and calculate the "gap", that lovely plug figure required to balance the budget, we can gasp at the size and wonder what we have gotten ourselves into.

When this reality hits, we (I) can go into an all-hands-on-deck frenzy that makes me want to call and write large donors asking them to rescue us just one more time. Then, we say we need to let everyone know our real needs so they can "be praying" about the school's need. Actually, we just want them to write the check; praying is fine, though.

Prov. 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"

Thankfully, I have a friend who reminded me Who is in charge and this admonition caused me to re-phrase an upcoming appeal. Rather than write about the school's needs, here are the messages that were conveyed:

• Thankfulness for the blessing of a Christ-centered education
• Appreciation for the partnership of parents
• Recognition of the privilege of being able to support our children and their teachers
• Joy in giving as we respond the God;s blessing each of us

Don't let the tyranny of the urgent drag you into a crisis mindset; God is not bound by our timetables or budget foibles.

Stay on course, communicate directly and confidently, and encourage your friends to seek the spiritual blessings as they live each day.

Raising Money or Raising Donors?

I want to commend The Sower http://sowerbook.org as one of the best primers for biblical fundraising. Authors Scott Rodin and Gary Hoag make the case and give the guidance for us to become ministers of stewardship, thereby raising "resourcers" for the Kingdom, not just the occasional gift.

The book's "visual" is the sower described in 1 Co. 4:6-9

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

In this passage we are reminded that we sow and cultivate in people's lives, and we may have the privilege of reaping, or receiving the gifts.

In taking this approach we need to remember two things:

1. Generosity is not something that we can effect; it is a heart change (transformation) by the Holy Spirit. Have said that, we can encourage generous living and generous giving, the seed that we are to sow.
2. We cannot (or should not) reduce our work to generating a cash transaction. That doesn't bless or grow the donor; nor does it stimulate biblical stewardship. We are to seek spiritual transformation, helping donors to become rich toward God.

Getting our minds and hearts oriented this way is difficult; and many boards struggle with the concept, too. But, ministry is hard work - if it were easy, we would do it in our own strength.

Hospital visits and Stewardship

I have some friends who are in the hospital right now. One is very ill and close to death. The others will survive, but they are in serious situations.

God has given me a burden and desire to visit these friends, so I have been travelling to the hospital every day for awhile to listen, comfort and pray for those who are suffering terribly. Much of the time is spent sitting next to the family members who are worried, tired and grieving. The hope they have is in the Great Physician who is pleased to work through mortal doctors and nurses.

What do hospital visits have to do with stewardship? They remind me of some important truths and they help keep me calibrated and motivated. Here are a few that may resonate with you:

1. Every day I wake is a blessing from God, a day to acknowledge Him as my Master Scheduler.
2. The fact that I can walk into the hospital and walk out is another blessing. So, my tiredness is not important.
3. Everyone needs a good word and human touch. As disciples of Christ we are to come alongside (Gal. 6) and help bear one another's burdens.
4. Giving resources to Kingdom work (including mine) is important, but it is not always the priority; life and death issues can consume the whole mind of a donor.
5. Life on this earth is short. We need to make good use of our time.
6. Our hospital-bound friends may be receptive to the gospel; they may be experiencing the lack of other "saviors", like health and status and wealth.
7. God is pleased when we keep the well-being of others foremost in our minds. If I leave my home thinking, "Where will the next big gift come from?", I am not thinking the Lord's thoughts.

How does the practice of hospital ministry impact my fund-raising? It gives me a sensitivity and care for others and keeps me grateful for the blessing of availability.

Auctions - friend or foe?

Many Christian schools employ the annual auction as a way of raising funds. The school deploys the parents to secure or procure items (usually for free or at reduced cost) that can be sold for a nice profit, which benefits the school.

Some of the positive aspects of this approach are:

1. Stakeholders (parents) are engaged in the support of their children's school
2. It brings the school community together by working cooperatively
3. It gets the parents interacting with the neighbors and businesses who get to learn something about the school
4. People who have craft and other skills can be stewards of their talents and contribute to the school in this way
5. The auctions can raise large amounts of money

Some of the negative aspects are:

1. Parents get worn out from soliciting (or begging), hence a slowdown on bid items
2. Businesses, too, get weary of be asked for free or discounted items unless they already have a healthy relationship with the school and auction support flows from the relationship
3. Auctions, in their purest form, are financial transactions that do not build relationships or assist donors in the stewardship growth.

There are additional positive and negative aspects, but what do we do with auctions?

I suggest that you look at ways of tailoring the auction to encourage and build relationships with people who see the school as a ministry they want to be involved with. For example, a class may assemble a basket of mementos or a scrapbook or even get the parents to help with a quilt.

These kinds of projects help forge meaningful connections between the donor and the school and allow for there to be an on-going and growing relationship that allows us to go deeper with the donor.

So, before we throw out the baby with the bath water, look for ways convert the transactional event to a transformational experience.

Write me back with your experience; we can sharpen each other.

Being a Good Steward vs. Doing Stewardship

Philippians 2:1-8

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Doing the job of being a stewardship coach is more than beating our bodies and minds into a new discipline. If we try to do that, we will fail because human motives are impure and human strength is limited.

However, we can be a good steward, which is to put on (or imitate) Christ's humility. If we see ourselves as nothing but servants of the One who gives us breath then we are positioned for for the work of stewardship.

I was speaking with a young friend today who "gets it" in knowing that we seek transformed lives, not just profitable transactions. I reminded him that he did not always have this handle on the truth. Moreover, we are continuing to grow in knowledge and wisdom. As such, we should stay humble recognizing that puffiness can stunt our spiritual growth.

With the humility of Christ as the standard we can approach others with grace and care, the same grace He lavished on us when we came to see that we cannot save ourselves.

We should still be bold and passionate, while being ever mindful of the One who gives and releases all good gifts.

Sailing and Stewardship

One of the first things I learned when I started sailing small boats was that, while I should have our destination in sight, I may not be able to sail straight to it. Winds, currents and other conditions demand that we may have to "tack", or sail in diagonal directions to eventually arrive at the destination.

Development and stewardship is, in many ways, similar. We must tack in building and developing relationships. I see this in two areas:

1. The Lord wants us to pray and to rely on Him. If He makes the process the "cause and effect" as we find on the transactional world, where is our faith? If it is a linear process, then we reduce the process to "this many visits or appeals" equals this many dollars. So, we just get better at turning the crank on the find raising machine.


2. On the higher level, there are people and organizations that we can and should bless, and there is no immediate return or connection with the goal of raising funds. Here, we need to see that we stewards need to be available to the King to be used in a way that advances His Kingdom. Most of us do not have vast sums of cash wealth, but we have much to share with others. Who knows, maybe we can even help them with their fund raising!

The sailing analogy breaks down a little because, in development, we may not be able to see the destination that the Lord has for us. However, we can watch the prevailing winds (the Spirit) and sail in the direction He points.

The results are His after all; to God be the Glory.

The Joy of Used Computers!

What school or other ministry has not been offered one or more used computers? However, many times these "gifts" are not current in hardware or software or operating systems.

So, unless we have IT departments with nothing to do (no way!) these gifts are not really beneficial for either students or staff.

When this situation occurs, we can politely say "no thanks, our specifications require current operating systems". Or, we could take a tack that brings the donor into closer relationship.

Here are some thoughts from a call I received recently:

1. Someone thought of us. They tried to match their gift with our need: a great place to begin.
2. I called back and asked how they found out about the school and how this batch of hardware became available. I learned that this mom may be putting her child in our school in the next year.
3. We want to keep the dialog going to see if the computers can be used.
4. We want to discuss other areas of interest with the donor to see how they might contribute in another way.

A culture of stewardship looks for faith-based relationships, which takes more time and effort than a simple "Sorry, these units don't fit our needs".

In the ministry work to which we are called we welcome opportunities to help our friends walk closer with the Savior.

A Donor's Self-Portrait

When we speak to donors we have the opportunity to "interview" them about their passions so we can see if and how our school (or other ministry) fits into their giving make-up.

A donor may not be able to quickly articulate their passions for others; after all, who asks questions like that?

By asking about other ministries the donor gives to, we can begin to triangulate on what types of work blesses the heart of the donor. Then, if we are active listeners, we follow up by saying, "so your heart is really moved you see....., right?"

This happened to me today. My friend almost got teary-eyed when he described the before and after pictures of surgeries used to repair cleft pallets. I never knew about this burden for underprivileged children, but it helped me see a little more of the donor's heart.

As we went through the other areas of interest I was developing a composite picture of a generous giver with a heart for restoration of lives through various venues and methods. Now, when I see something about one of his areas of interest I can forward that to him.

These "touches" keep us in ministry dialog even when we are not the immediate recipient of monetary gifts. However, blessings come in many forms and we not should presume to know when and how the Lord might move the donor in the direction of our school.

Be still and....

The Stewardship of our Time - Loving well

John 3:16–20

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.

In this passage, we see that John questions whether it is possible to truly have God’s love in you if you have no compassion for the poor. He uses as his example Christ’s love manifesting itself through the sacrifice of His very life.

God didn’t just give a little for us; He gave His best. He gave Himself. John is saying that it is no different for us: True love requires sacrifice. And our love is shown by how we live our lives: “Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

One of the clearest ways we love “with actions and in truth” is through giving to others. By giving, I don’t mean just money, although that is certainly an element of it.

Another important element of giving is with our time. Most of us are so busy that the thought of adding one more thing to our weekly schedule is stressful. Instead of adding in another thing to our lives, perhaps God wants us to give Him all of our time and let Him direct it as He sees fit.

Giving that is not motivated by love is worth nothing. Paul says from this kind of giving we “gain nothing”; however, when we give out of love, we gain much. Giving results not only in heavenly compensation, but also gives us great joy in our lives here and now. As we love more genuinely and deeply, giving becomes the obvious and natural response. Taking and keeping for ourselves becomes unattractive and imprudent.

So, in our many interactions, maybe we can slow down, breathe deeply and really try to love the person across the desk or table.

The Power of Community in Stewardship

God made us to live in relationships. To be in relationship with the Father, through the work of the Son in the presence and power of the Spirit. He also created us to live in community with each other on the horizontal. I was reminded of this over the past several weeks and again today.

When our school (www.TallOaksClassicalSchool.org) moved to our new location we had volunteers helping in a massive way. Some were painting, some moving, some packing, and some working on the technology infrastructure. Each sub-group had its own energy and enthusiasm and the dynamic 0f the group propelled them to go further than any one person would have done on their own.

Good Neighbors (www.GoodNeighborsHomeRepair.org) has its Summer Youth Work Camp this week in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Similarly, teens and adults are "swarming" on houses in need of critical repair and months worth of work is being accomplished in only five days.

Events are time-consuming parts of the job of development and stewardship officers, but they can yield results that are greater than the sum of many individual efforts.

For our planning purposes:

1. Have a good attitude about mobilizing volunteers; believe that the Lord has given us capable volunteers who are just looking to be plugged into the organization
2. Recognize that more is being gained than the actual work itself; relationships are being developed
3. Deep and strong ties to the mission occur when we are well-deployed and working shoulder-to-shoulder with each other
4. Often, financial gifts just flow out of people seeing immediate needs and acting on them; the challenge may be keeping track of the generosity

When God Changed my Plan

"A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum"

Two weeks ago I was sitting in a wonderful training course sponsored by The Stewardship Alliance (http://www.thestewardshipalliance.com/). In this first day of a three-day course I was struck down with an illness that caused me to be hospitalized for 5 days.

I hate being confined, not able to come and go when and where I wish. Yet, the ultimate Stewardship Officer had me on my back to remind me of some important things, things that I might not have thought about unless He had my full attention.

Our God is so good; He is always the best at using (shall I say redeeming?) the time we think is wasted.

During my hospital stay I was allowed to think more holistically about my role as a father, husband, church member, and stewardship officer. The change in venue let me see that I need make some changes to my work and life priorities and schedule.

I am returning to my "normal life" with renewed purpose for my work, appreciation for those who love and care for me, and how I can better balance all of these to give God the glory He deserves.

While I do not recommend these forced down times, the summer can be a good time to review our plans, re-connect with key donors and volunteers, and to test what we do in light of the mission of the school.

When a Building is not a Building

For many schools, owning their own building is a (the?) measure of security, permanence and stability. Ownership implies that the school will be around for a long time and is in this community as a good and stable neighbor. Many schools design their own building and have the architect design a structure reflecting the values and priorities of the school's mission (see last week's post).

If a school buys a building they may still personalize it to have it conform to the methods and philosophies in its charter.

However, while we do these things, which are good in and of themselves, we need to guard against our own sinful desires to build monuments. Remember the Tower of Babel.

I am not railing against owned buildings. Buildings can pull the school families and the operations together in healthy ways. And, when done in the context of thoughtful stewardship, they can be very positive. In some cases, owning is less costly in cash flow than renting.

However, while capital campaigns can be wonderful for raising resources and support, they are not the answer to every problem.

I am very aware of this as my school, Tall Oaks Classical School, has just moved into a wonderful facility that we are blessed to be able to rent for a reasonable rate from a church who is also committed to Christian education.

Owning a building can be a burden. Think of our own homes. If the government didn't give us an incentive to ownership through the mortgage interest deduction, would we buy? If we didn't expect the value to increase (common these days), would we buy? We have to maintain, insure and upgrade an owned facility. This effort takes significant resources, time and money.

And, if there is a mortgage, how many educational decisions are impacted by the need to service the debt.

We can go on, but a "building is not a building" when it becomes a drain on resources or distraction from the mission to educate children.

As stewardship officers I ask us all to think biblically about each decision we undertake and test it against our school's mission and the Lord's total ownership of the school.

The Mission (statement) is the Mission

As we go out and "sell" our schools to the investing public, we should be careful to remember that we are asking donors to join us on this amazing journey to something larger than we could ever do alone.

For example, the Mission of Tall Oaks Classical School (http://www.talloaksclassicalschool.org/) is:

The mission of Tall Oaks Classical School is to assist parents in preparing their children to excel in every duty and calling God has for them throughout their lives by providing a Classical and Christ-centered curriculum designed to equip our graduates with the tools to acquire, process, express, and defend knowledge from a Biblical worldview.

Notice these key words and phrases: assist parents, excel in every duty and calling, defend knowledge, Biblical worldview. These are large ideas that conjure up the idea of transforming society by unleashing a new generation of change agents. Change agents who carry out and extend the Great Commission that our Lord Jesus has given us.

We need to communicate our mission often and broadly. Our parents and other stake holders can be amplifiers of the vision which, when chewed upon, yields some stimulating flavor, just like the sugar cane I chewed on as a boy.

The stewardship officer serves up the mission to people who are looking to connect their passions for the next generation with a school that is clear about what God has called it to be and to do.

Take some time this summer thinking through how you can make the mission the school's rallying cry.

Donors who Disappoint

Psalm 5:1-4

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

I don't like to wait, especially when I and the school need financial gifts to come in to meet a project need.

This is the end of the year. We sent out the year-end appeal and we have received a good response, but not a great response (at least in terms that I measure).

Several people have told me that they are going to contribute, but the gift has not come in. Should I write? Should I call with one of those "gentle reminders"?

And, I am a little frustrated, too. You see, there are people who can give, but don't. There are people who can give more than they do, but won't.

This frustation can create a tension between me and the donors;; one that is not healthy for long-term relationships.

Then, thankfully, the Lord (gently) reminds me of some very important truths:

1. I am not the fund raiser - He is. I am the "catcher" and "acknowledger" of the good gifts.
2. I did not always "get it" in terms of giving; this took many years of maturing. And, I still don't get it as I should. Growing in grace is a process.
3. He has always provided what we needed and when we needed it; why should I presume that we know the Lord's schedule, which is always perfect?
4. That I need to walk fully in the faith that I proclaim - that is to trust in Him and be gracious with everyone. He has been patient with me for these years; I need to be patient with my brothers and sisters as well.

So, on this steamy day near the end of the fiscal year, be still and know who is God.

Permission to be a biblical fundraiser

I had the privilege this week of speaking at the annual convention of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools ( www.accs.org ) . My topic: Stewardship: God's Way to Raise Resources.

This topic has been the source of content for this blog over the past year and I had the joy of challenging my peers to think and act in accordance with the Scriptures as they think about raising resources for their school.

God was gracious in giving me the ability to communicate clearly and with passion. Afterwards, I received many nice comments, but there were two that I share now:

1. "It just makes sense that God, who is sovereign over everything, would have principles by which we raise funds; and, that they would be different than the non-Christian world follows (who is mostly concerned with "what works").
2. A second person told me "You gave me permission to be particularly Christian in my approach to raising funds.

What a joy to help people catch God's vision for how we live!

The Generous Giver

Charles Stanley has recently released a marvelous post which is copied below:

June 7

A Cheerful Giver

2 Corinthians 9:6-12

God loves a cheerful giver because He Himself is one. He wants the bounty that He pours out on His children to overflow toward others. Sadly, many people treat their wealth more like a personal reservoir than a divine channel. The reservoir mentality treats wealth as a means to provide solely for one's own family, goals, and desires; money for God's work is given reluctantly.

The stingy person figures that as long as he offers something, it shouldn't matter that he'd rather not.

However, attitude is vital. To God, the state of a believer's heart is more important than his or her actions (Hos. 6:6). Lukewarm giving is a signal that we aren't fully engaged in seeing the Lord's work done. We'd rather ensure our own security. What surprises the tightfisted believer is that God does not fill a reservoir.

Even people who appear affluent never feel that they have enough. True contentment comes with accepting that our wealth—however limited—belongs to the Lord and is sufficient for our needs. As soon as we understand that, our reservoir bursts its banks to become part of God's divine channel. As He pours in, we cheerfully pour out with full confidence that He will provide for both our needs and our gifts.

The Lord's ultimate plan does not include making all of His children prosperous. His purpose is to make every one of us generous with all that we have—wealth, compassion, knowledge, etc. Cheerful giving is courageous giving because we have to trust that the Lord will provide.

Raising up Giftedness

Ephesians 4:11-13

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

This fourth chapter of Ephesians speaks to the unity of the body, which implies the body of the church. Therefore, it may be a stretch to equate the local Christian school to the church, but there is the a parallel that relates to gifting.

In the Christian school, as in the church, there are many sources of gifts. There are those who organize events, write newsletters, maintain the the web site, take pictures, work alongside teachers, coach, accompany the choir, and so on.

Each year, God gives us new families who bring with them talent and gifts that are useful to the school. The application of these gifts is a blessing to the school and a blessing to the one who is getting to apply their talent to the Kingdom work of the school.

What is our job as "development" or "stewardship" officers? It is to uncover these gifts and to encourage their use for the school of even another ministry where they can be useful.

First, we may have to ask ourselves if we have the "gift" of identifying gifts. This talent, I believe, is an acquired skill that comes from investing time in and attention to people so that we can hear their heart and to nurture them. In that sense, stewardship has a pastoral component.

This week I have the privilege of speaking to administrators at the ACCS (association of Classical and Christian Schools) conference in North Carolina. One of my tasks will be to challenge (provoke?) my peers to dig deeper and to see our work as larger than simply raising monetary resources.

After all, we are not in these jobs only because of the cash we bring, are we?

The Power of a Good Word

In the last several weeks our school had a visitor who toured and was very impressed with our

• Small classes
• Efficient operations
• "Back to basics" approach to curriculum
• Discipline
• Manners and attentiveness of the students

When I followed up with him after the tour he told me that he did not have financial resources to invest, but he would be willing to write a letter to the editor of the local paper.

Today the letter was printed on the Opinion page where he declared that here is a "school that does more with less", referring to efficiency and focus of the school. No doubt, this will resonate with people who care about education in general because they see how much is invested in the public school system.

The beauty of the world in which we work is that there is always something to offer or to give. In this case, a non-Christian can sing the praises of a school that is reminiscent of the school he remembered as a boy.

Our stewardship work is to create an environment of generosity where people experience the joy of doing something outside of their own interests. Oftentimes, this is a "Christan-to-Christian" experience, but it does not need to be.

Also, we never know how the Lord may use this introduction to lead us into the next conversation when we can discuss matters of eternal consequence.

Christian Stewardship and the Expectant Heart

The school where I work has an end-of-the-year "mini" campaign to raise the balance of the Annual Fund.

In organizing this work, we enlisted a parent to chair the campaign and thirteen Class Captains to pray for each class and to follow up to encourage 100% participation from the other parents.

I don't know what the Lord will do with our specific financial goals, but even now I can see some of the marvelous work He has begun:

1. Several parents have expressed their confidence in what the Lord will do for the school and are praying
2. A parent visited me this morning and told me she thinks she will will write a "missionary letter" to her congregation and ask them to support this school that ministers to unbelievers
3. A set of grandparents who are willing to tell their story so that other grandparents will be motivated to give to the campaign
4. Another meeting this morning with a Classroom Captain who said that our conversation helped her enlarge her vision for the school. She said she will urge her husband to do more than they first thought.

That's the role of the stewardship officer. We are to be seed planters, vision casters, gift revealers, and faith encouragers. In doing this work, we trust the Holy Spirit to do the "heavy lifting" of moving in hearts so that His people desire to release generously into the Kingdom role He has for us.

Eph. 3:20-21

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Being Good Stewards of Opportunities

One of the wonderful aspects of being a stewardship officer is the flexibility we have in pursuing opportunities to make new connections because of and through the interests of our constituency.

Here is an example. One of our school families is interested in Christian citizenship. This couple wants to see Christian families take their place in the public square of ideas and to make our voice heard in legislative halls.

I was invited to attend a "summit" this week and took the opportunity because this family cares deeply about being good citizens and being good citizens is totally consistent with our mission, and civics is an area where we train our students.

The event was a wonderful morning of training and encouragement to get informed and to be involved in the political process, something each of us should do.

What are the blessings from this interaction?

1. We are connecting with each other on a deeper level and one that the donor is passionate about
2. I valued this couple by investing time and energy into them
3. The school made new contacts
4. We are in a better position to take on a special and targeted project since we know more about each other

Stewardship is hearing the passions of people's hearts and helping them make connections that will grow and strengthen the Kingdom.

Look for these - your phone is about to ring!

Stewardship and Snow Shoveling

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to he grace given us.

If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach.

If it is encouraging, let him encourage. If it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Many of us are having a lot of snow these days and I have not been feeling too grateful for the weather; especially since I am doing the removal without the aid of a powerful snow blower.

But, in my last outing to remove the most recent four inches, I was struck with the need to praise God and to be thankful for some gifts I had not thought of.

I am thankful for inventors, especially the ones who created waterproof clothing so I can be outside and not get wet. I was grateful for the shovel design that saves my back (a little!) from bad ergonomic moves. I am grateful for the paving company that made my driveway smooth and easy to push the shovel against.

Now, I remember what we stewardship officers are to be excelling in. We are supposed to be the encouragers that Paul writes about. We are to see the giftedness in others and, in a way that blesses (not puffs up), tell them about how grateful we are.

Then, we are to help our friends leverage the skill for the Kingdom so that the important expansion work is done and that so that others might be inspired to do likewise.

Why, I am almost ready to take another pass at that blizzard!

Generous Living for Each One of Us

When we think of how others can be generous with the blessings of the Lord we should instinctively turn inward and ask ourselves, "Am I practicing the disciplines that I would ask of others?" If not, then we may be guilty of manipulation or not living in the fullness of what we have been blessed with.

Ruben Swint (Ruben@generis.com) listed the following New Year’s “generosity resolutions” in his monthly The Generosity Newsletter. I believe that are worth sharing.

• I will daily receive God's generous grace and blessings.

• I will ask God to show me how I can be generous in this day.

• I will be generous with time for my family and friends.

• I will strive to hold a generous opinion of all persons.

• I will care for my body with regular exercise and healthy food.

• I will give generously in proportion to my wealth.I will teach my children to work, earn, give, save & then spend.

• I will remember that we live in God's economy & abundance.

This "attitude of gratitude" helps with our orientation and puts us in the right place even when we are not currently receiving big gifts for our ministry.

Again, our Lord is not impressed or manipulated by our feeble attempts, He will do His will, but He also allows us to participate in the sharing of the grace with which we have been blessed.

Give Thanks - Get Blessed

2 Corinthians 9:7-15



Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.



And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."



Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.



This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.



Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.



And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!



One of the best aspects of being a stewardship or development officer is getting to call thank donors for their gifts.



In these conversations I have the opportunity to hear the story behind the gift.



Here is an example. I called and spoke to a school parent who made a gift to our school. They were quick to say that giving is their pleasure and privilege; that they wish it could be more, but they will continue to give as God enables them to do so. They said they would continue to give after their son graduates because they are thankful to God for establishing the school and they want to help the next generation get this kind of training.



This is where the "bi-lateral" aspect of giving comes in; when the donor received blessing from God as they respond with grateful hearts to His provision of faith and other blessings (Christian education in this case).



If we are too busy to acknowledge gifts with personal contacts like phone calls, then we are too busy.



Take some time out of today to make a call or two - you will be glad you did!