Stewardship is a term that describes the care and management of God's blessings that are entrusted to our care. We can either be poor stewards (hoarders of that which doesn't belong to us) or good stewards (freely returning to God what is His and in ways that honor Him and delight us).
Where the rubber meets the road is when we go down one level and ask, "Where does generosity come into play?"
We might say that generosity is for those who have amassed a large amount of money and who are near the end of their careers when they know their financial needs are very manageable.
Maybe generosity is for the person who wins the lottery or gets a big inheritance.
The problem for me, and maybe for you, is that I cannot bear the thought that I might not be generous. That problem is magnified when I have the professional role to encourage people to give joyously to God's Kingdom. Because I know the condition of my heart, one that holds back too often, I sometimes feel wholly unqualified to address giving with others.
Praise the Lord that my life is not the standard; His Word is. One of the ways we can encourage generosity to help donors see the eternal perspective:
Matt. 6:19-24
"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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Notice the reference to temporal treasures - they go away. Notice the heart's affections. Notice the absence of sight (darkness) when we try try to serve two masters.
There is a warning and an encouragement. While we preach this message to our donor friends, let us make sure that we stand and practice in the mirror to make sure we hear it ourselves.
Showing posts with label Joy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joy. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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:
Please pass the gravy....
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:
- It keeps me listening and looking for the Lord's leading in my work
- It reminds me that raising funds is not technique-dependent; while it does require that I do everything with excellence as our Lord deserves.
- It keeps me praying and causes me to praise as friends become generous givers
- It makes me grateful for each gift as it comes in - I can celebrate the details of God's blessing
- It allows me to look back and see how the Lord provided for our needs and gave exactly what we needed
Please pass the gravy....
Saturday, June 19, 2010
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:
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:
- "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").
- 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!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Planting and Harvesting - hard work and waiting
Luke 8:5-7
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Here is the parable from the Development Officer's perspective:
There was a moderately successful fundraiser who came to the town of Muchville to raise funds for his school. He printed some beautiful literature and prepared his story to tell the residents.
The first group he came to had no interest in his appeal; they took his literature and threw it away.
Then he came to some donors who contributed a little bit of money to get him off their back and to keep from feeling guilty. This giving did not last and he moved on.
The next group was very wealthy. The folks started to give, but before long they remembered their very comfortable life and the god of materialism choked out the giving they had begun.
The last group had been blessed with the grace of giving and they appreciated the opportunity to show their love for and obedience to God. They responded in a large way and gave great amounts and were privileged to do so.
The development officer exclaimed, "The Lord has visited His people and spoken to their hearts - the joy of generous giving is evident here".
This parable reminds us that we will encounter many adverse situations, but we must keep sowing and planting because the Great Farmer has gone before us, prepared the soil, and brings the harvest.
Let us keep persevering for the good of the Kingdom.
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Here is the parable from the Development Officer's perspective:
There was a moderately successful fundraiser who came to the town of Muchville to raise funds for his school. He printed some beautiful literature and prepared his story to tell the residents.
The first group he came to had no interest in his appeal; they took his literature and threw it away.
Then he came to some donors who contributed a little bit of money to get him off their back and to keep from feeling guilty. This giving did not last and he moved on.
The next group was very wealthy. The folks started to give, but before long they remembered their very comfortable life and the god of materialism choked out the giving they had begun.
The last group had been blessed with the grace of giving and they appreciated the opportunity to show their love for and obedience to God. They responded in a large way and gave great amounts and were privileged to do so.
The development officer exclaimed, "The Lord has visited His people and spoken to their hearts - the joy of generous giving is evident here".
This parable reminds us that we will encounter many adverse situations, but we must keep sowing and planting because the Great Farmer has gone before us, prepared the soil, and brings the harvest.
Let us keep persevering for the good of the Kingdom.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Joyous is the Generous Giver
"Never be afraid to challenge someone to do something significant for God."
John Haggai
Giving generously can be seen on three levels:
Level 1 - "Should Give" - that proportion that we are commanded to give, like the tithe
Level 2 - "Could Give" - that which given from a look at our assets, or balance sheet
Level 3 - "Would Give" - finish line giving - "if God were to provide this, then I..."
When we meet with donors, we may be looking only at our institution's specific need and this donor's ability (or capacity) to give. When we do that we are missing the heart issue. "Listen" to some of these questions and see if they would help to open up new dimensions (and blessings) for our donor friends. Also, listen slowly and allow our friend to think through the answers - you may be the first to have posed these questions.
1. Are you giving to all the ministries that tug at your heart?
2. If not, what is in the way of you doing so?
3. If there were no limitations, what you give, why to these, and how much and in what time frame?
Sometimes we settle for a specific gift because we have our own goals. But, if we were to put our donor-friends' interests and spiritual growth higher, there would be some amazing ministry happening. Here is what we and our friends can look forward to:
1. They will experience God and His joy in a greater way
2. Their heart will grow for God
3. They will experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from doing something significant
4. It will break the power of money in their lives
5. They will be eternally rewarded - Matt. 6:19-21. "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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
6. They will please God and their faith will grow
But, there is more - there are wonderful benefits to us as well:
1. We are seen as "enablers of grace"
2. We have a more significant relationship with our donor-friends; again, we may have been used the Spirit to show them aspects of their stewardship lives that they had never seen.
3. We can learn from them and be encouraged ourselves - we need to grow, too
4. We have a greater sense of satisfaction than just "getting the gift"
So, joyous is the generous giver - joyous are we to be used in this process!
John Haggai
Giving generously can be seen on three levels:
Level 1 - "Should Give" - that proportion that we are commanded to give, like the tithe
Level 2 - "Could Give" - that which given from a look at our assets, or balance sheet
Level 3 - "Would Give" - finish line giving - "if God were to provide this, then I..."
When we meet with donors, we may be looking only at our institution's specific need and this donor's ability (or capacity) to give. When we do that we are missing the heart issue. "Listen" to some of these questions and see if they would help to open up new dimensions (and blessings) for our donor friends. Also, listen slowly and allow our friend to think through the answers - you may be the first to have posed these questions.
1. Are you giving to all the ministries that tug at your heart?
2. If not, what is in the way of you doing so?
3. If there were no limitations, what you give, why to these, and how much and in what time frame?
Sometimes we settle for a specific gift because we have our own goals. But, if we were to put our donor-friends' interests and spiritual growth higher, there would be some amazing ministry happening. Here is what we and our friends can look forward to:
1. They will experience God and His joy in a greater way
2. Their heart will grow for God
3. They will experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from doing something significant
4. It will break the power of money in their lives
5. They will be eternally rewarded - Matt. 6:19-21. "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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
6. They will please God and their faith will grow
But, there is more - there are wonderful benefits to us as well:
1. We are seen as "enablers of grace"
2. We have a more significant relationship with our donor-friends; again, we may have been used the Spirit to show them aspects of their stewardship lives that they had never seen.
3. We can learn from them and be encouraged ourselves - we need to grow, too
4. We have a greater sense of satisfaction than just "getting the gift"
So, joyous is the generous giver - joyous are we to be used in this process!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
God's plans and our plans
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This week something sad or disappointing (in our eyes) happened and this week something wonderful (in our eyes) happened as well.
How do we know what is truly good or bad? Do we even need to know? If we knew such things, what would we do with such knowledge?
In God's economy there is no wasted or lost effort. Because we serve at His pleasure, it is His perspective that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. Nothing that happens is lost or is unuseful in the hands of the Designer and Sustainer of the universe.
All of it comes (as I said in a previous post) from the hand of a loving God who has marvelous plans for us. And, yes, plans to prosper us even when we cannot see how at the time. That is why we walk by faith and not by the very limited sight of our eyes and finite understanding.
Think about one wonderful school interaction; maybe you were blessed to receive a large gift from a donor. This was from the Lord and you were blessed to be the "catcher" of this material blessing for the school. I had that joy this week.
Think about a "sub-optimal" occurrence. Someone doesn't call back or a gift doesn't come through. Think on this and ponder what the Father is calling us to do, praise Him at all times and in all circumstances.
By the way, I was told this week that my position at the school has been eliminated and I am now out of a job. I am sad and puzzled, yet expectant about what our Lord is up to.
I worked for King last week; I will work for the King next week, too.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This week something sad or disappointing (in our eyes) happened and this week something wonderful (in our eyes) happened as well.
How do we know what is truly good or bad? Do we even need to know? If we knew such things, what would we do with such knowledge?
In God's economy there is no wasted or lost effort. Because we serve at His pleasure, it is His perspective that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. Nothing that happens is lost or is unuseful in the hands of the Designer and Sustainer of the universe.
All of it comes (as I said in a previous post) from the hand of a loving God who has marvelous plans for us. And, yes, plans to prosper us even when we cannot see how at the time. That is why we walk by faith and not by the very limited sight of our eyes and finite understanding.
Think about one wonderful school interaction; maybe you were blessed to receive a large gift from a donor. This was from the Lord and you were blessed to be the "catcher" of this material blessing for the school. I had that joy this week.
Think about a "sub-optimal" occurrence. Someone doesn't call back or a gift doesn't come through. Think on this and ponder what the Father is calling us to do, praise Him at all times and in all circumstances.
By the way, I was told this week that my position at the school has been eliminated and I am now out of a job. I am sad and puzzled, yet expectant about what our Lord is up to.
I worked for King last week; I will work for the King next week, too.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Blessings out of Buffetings
Sandy shares some perspective that is very important to keep in mind as we trudge through challenging times. It has been said that "tough times never last - tough people do". I would suggest that spiritually strong people are developed in the crucible of life and our work in schools.
"Hear" Sandy encourage us to walk in faith:
From Sandy M. Outlar - Headmaster, Lancaster Christian Schools
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds…” James 1:2
1. My God will “bail me out” of my troubles, not the government.
Philippians 4:19 "...my God shall supply all your need according to His riches..."
2. Things of this world will become less important and faith, family and friends more important.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 "...He has put eternity in their hearts..."
3. We will learn to be stimulated by the Spirit of God rather than rely on a “stimulus package” from the government.
John 16:13 "...He (the Spirit of truth) will guide you into all truth..."
4. We will appreciate more the simple, profound and free things of life that God has sent our way.
Philippians 4:11 "...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:..."
5. We will become more dependent and secure in our Lord.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'
6. Prayer and trust will become priorities in our lives.
Proverbs 15:8 "...the prayer of the upright is His delight."
7. We will be surprised to see how people come to the “riches” found in Christ instead of turning to desperation and bankruptcy.
Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"
8. The evidencing of believers pulling together and becoming more dependent on each other rather than more independent of each other.
Ephesians 4:1-8 "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called...bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace..."
9. To be given the privilege of giving not out of surplus, but out of sacrifice.
II Corinthians 8:2 "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality."
10. To be more humble, grateful and appreciative for all God has given to us through Christ.
Philippians 2:3 "...let each esteem others better than himself."
"Hear" Sandy encourage us to walk in faith:
From Sandy M. Outlar - Headmaster, Lancaster Christian Schools
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds…” James 1:2
1. My God will “bail me out” of my troubles, not the government.
Philippians 4:19 "...my God shall supply all your need according to His riches..."
2. Things of this world will become less important and faith, family and friends more important.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 "...He has put eternity in their hearts..."
3. We will learn to be stimulated by the Spirit of God rather than rely on a “stimulus package” from the government.
John 16:13 "...He (the Spirit of truth) will guide you into all truth..."
4. We will appreciate more the simple, profound and free things of life that God has sent our way.
Philippians 4:11 "...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:..."
5. We will become more dependent and secure in our Lord.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'
6. Prayer and trust will become priorities in our lives.
Proverbs 15:8 "...the prayer of the upright is His delight."
7. We will be surprised to see how people come to the “riches” found in Christ instead of turning to desperation and bankruptcy.
Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"
8. The evidencing of believers pulling together and becoming more dependent on each other rather than more independent of each other.
Ephesians 4:1-8 "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called...bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace..."
9. To be given the privilege of giving not out of surplus, but out of sacrifice.
II Corinthians 8:2 "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality."
10. To be more humble, grateful and appreciative for all God has given to us through Christ.
Philippians 2:3 "...let each esteem others better than himself."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Planned Giving for Eternity
Dale Walvort is Director of Advancement for Kalamazoo Christian Schools, an association that has been in existence for 130 years. He wrote this to friends of the school in November 2008.
Several months ago I attended a meeting that focused on planned giving opportunities in challenging economic times. Several of the topics were interesting, so I decided I would write an article about them for the next issue of our newsletter.
But things didn’t go as smoothly as I thought they would when it came time to “put pen to paper.” At first I couldn’t find the right type of reference material. Then I had several unexpected changes in my schedule.
When you read this several months will have passed since September 2008. But I am sure you remember those few days in September to be one of the most turbulent times for our economy since the Great Depression. All of our financial institutions seemed shaken down to their cores. Nothing seemed permanent anymore.
I was at the Barnabas Foundation annual meeting while all of this was happening. This organization is a Christian foundation that provides planned giving services to its Christian ministry members and their constituents. The seminars focused on issues such as the importance of will planning, how to promote planned giving, and some technical estate planning matters. The dominant theme of all discussions was that everything in this world belongs to God.
Then at the end of the week I was in church and noticed in the bulletin that the sermon topic was “Joy that Outlasts This Life.” As I listened to the message and followed the outline I was blessed to discover that my pastor had chosen to preach on the stewardship principles found in I Timothy 6. One of his central themes was that while everything in our lives on earth is temporal, we can use our material possessions to ensure future, or eternal, joy.
There haven’t been many times in my life where God has spoken to me as clearly as He did during that week. For this article, it would have been a good thing to tell how a charitable gift annuity can create tax savings in a down economy. But most people, including me, must work hard to remember that God owns everything in our lives and that we must use our material possessions to advance his kingdom. So my topic changed after that week ended.
Many (most, I hope) of you reading this article love and appreciate Christian schooling. Some have “lived” our schools for an entire lifetime, while others have been partners for several years. No matter how long you have been part of Christian schooling it’s my hope that you can see how the investment in the lives of Christian students is indeed an eternal investment.
Everyone’s financial situation is different (and changing, as we have seen in the past months). But one thing that will always remain constant is the opportunity to give back to God’s kingdom on earth when one goes to His heavenly kingdom. The process of preparing for that time is called planned giving.
So if you want to make a true eternal investment, I encourage you to learn about the basics of estate planning and about stewardship opportunities. These come from meeting with me and our planning partners.
Several other Christian schools around the country have a base of financial strength that is almost unequaled simply because they and their constituents have worked intentionally in the area of planned giving for many years; some are willing to name a schools as a partial beneficiary in their estate plan. Now these schools are in a strong position to be able to handle any decline in enrollment and the need for new facilities because of the eternal investments that were made. But first things must come first. Will you take this step of true stewardship?
Several months ago I attended a meeting that focused on planned giving opportunities in challenging economic times. Several of the topics were interesting, so I decided I would write an article about them for the next issue of our newsletter.
But things didn’t go as smoothly as I thought they would when it came time to “put pen to paper.” At first I couldn’t find the right type of reference material. Then I had several unexpected changes in my schedule.
When you read this several months will have passed since September 2008. But I am sure you remember those few days in September to be one of the most turbulent times for our economy since the Great Depression. All of our financial institutions seemed shaken down to their cores. Nothing seemed permanent anymore.
I was at the Barnabas Foundation annual meeting while all of this was happening. This organization is a Christian foundation that provides planned giving services to its Christian ministry members and their constituents. The seminars focused on issues such as the importance of will planning, how to promote planned giving, and some technical estate planning matters. The dominant theme of all discussions was that everything in this world belongs to God.
Then at the end of the week I was in church and noticed in the bulletin that the sermon topic was “Joy that Outlasts This Life.” As I listened to the message and followed the outline I was blessed to discover that my pastor had chosen to preach on the stewardship principles found in I Timothy 6. One of his central themes was that while everything in our lives on earth is temporal, we can use our material possessions to ensure future, or eternal, joy.
There haven’t been many times in my life where God has spoken to me as clearly as He did during that week. For this article, it would have been a good thing to tell how a charitable gift annuity can create tax savings in a down economy. But most people, including me, must work hard to remember that God owns everything in our lives and that we must use our material possessions to advance his kingdom. So my topic changed after that week ended.
Many (most, I hope) of you reading this article love and appreciate Christian schooling. Some have “lived” our schools for an entire lifetime, while others have been partners for several years. No matter how long you have been part of Christian schooling it’s my hope that you can see how the investment in the lives of Christian students is indeed an eternal investment.
Everyone’s financial situation is different (and changing, as we have seen in the past months). But one thing that will always remain constant is the opportunity to give back to God’s kingdom on earth when one goes to His heavenly kingdom. The process of preparing for that time is called planned giving.
So if you want to make a true eternal investment, I encourage you to learn about the basics of estate planning and about stewardship opportunities. These come from meeting with me and our planning partners.
Several other Christian schools around the country have a base of financial strength that is almost unequaled simply because they and their constituents have worked intentionally in the area of planned giving for many years; some are willing to name a schools as a partial beneficiary in their estate plan. Now these schools are in a strong position to be able to handle any decline in enrollment and the need for new facilities because of the eternal investments that were made. But first things must come first. Will you take this step of true stewardship?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Open Doors in the Face of Economic Downturn
From Rob Spykstra, Veritas Academy, Lancaster, PA
If you were hoping for the secret door to development success in raising funds during economic downturn, then you might be disappointed in my thoughts, disappointed that is, if you define development success solely on money raised. However, if development success in fundraising is defined differently, then you might be greatly encouraged.
As Christian development directors we are to define our success in fundraising, not merely by dollars raised, but more importantly by hearts ministered. And I am finding great success, that is, open doors like never before.
Just today I spoke with a businessman who I had never met. As I shared with him the possibility of his company taking tax credits for the benefit of our school he simply said, “I don’t need tax credits. I don’t have any taxes because we’re not making any money.” Then he began to share his concerns. By the tone of his voice he was asking for some hope.
This became my open door.
Perhaps God will give you open doors. Here are some thoughts we can share. Here is some hope we can give.
We can share about God’s purposes. God graciously gives us economic downturn to reveal our hearts and sweep away our trust in the uncertainty of riches. Riches have always been uncertain and unreliable for true joy. The writer of Proverbs reminds us to stop toiling after wealth, “When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”(Proverbs 23:5). Rather we are to trust “in God who graciously gives us all things to enjoy.”(1 Timothy 6:17) God is after our joy, and he knows it is not found in wealth.
We can share about God’s resources. I found that if hope in my abilities or in others’ abilities my joy always wanes. This economy certainly causes me to shudder at my and others’ abilities. But I am not without resource. Our hope is in God who owns all things, “all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours.”(1 Chronicles 29:11) Our hope is in God who strengthens us in the face of great difficulties, “In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”(1 Chronicles 29:12) There is plenty of resource.
Finally, we can share about sound investments. Paul says, “Be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” Why? “Thus storing up treasure for yourself as a good foundation for the future.”(1 Timothy 6:19) What future? Eternity. In the face of economic uncertainty we can offer up our ministries as a sound investment, one where those who receive will benefit, but also one where those who give will benefit . . . both not only now, but for all eternity.
Give God thanks today for this economic downturn, there is some real open doors for success.
If you were hoping for the secret door to development success in raising funds during economic downturn, then you might be disappointed in my thoughts, disappointed that is, if you define development success solely on money raised. However, if development success in fundraising is defined differently, then you might be greatly encouraged.
As Christian development directors we are to define our success in fundraising, not merely by dollars raised, but more importantly by hearts ministered. And I am finding great success, that is, open doors like never before.
Just today I spoke with a businessman who I had never met. As I shared with him the possibility of his company taking tax credits for the benefit of our school he simply said, “I don’t need tax credits. I don’t have any taxes because we’re not making any money.” Then he began to share his concerns. By the tone of his voice he was asking for some hope.
This became my open door.
Perhaps God will give you open doors. Here are some thoughts we can share. Here is some hope we can give.
We can share about God’s purposes. God graciously gives us economic downturn to reveal our hearts and sweep away our trust in the uncertainty of riches. Riches have always been uncertain and unreliable for true joy. The writer of Proverbs reminds us to stop toiling after wealth, “When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”(Proverbs 23:5). Rather we are to trust “in God who graciously gives us all things to enjoy.”(1 Timothy 6:17) God is after our joy, and he knows it is not found in wealth.
We can share about God’s resources. I found that if hope in my abilities or in others’ abilities my joy always wanes. This economy certainly causes me to shudder at my and others’ abilities. But I am not without resource. Our hope is in God who owns all things, “all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours.”(1 Chronicles 29:11) Our hope is in God who strengthens us in the face of great difficulties, “In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”(1 Chronicles 29:12) There is plenty of resource.
Finally, we can share about sound investments. Paul says, “Be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” Why? “Thus storing up treasure for yourself as a good foundation for the future.”(1 Timothy 6:19) What future? Eternity. In the face of economic uncertainty we can offer up our ministries as a sound investment, one where those who receive will benefit, but also one where those who give will benefit . . . both not only now, but for all eternity.
Give God thanks today for this economic downturn, there is some real open doors for success.
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