Two Wonderful Ways to Bless Donors

Randy Alcorn recently released Managing God's Money, a follow-up to the The Treasure Principle. This book is the lay person's answer to Money, Possessions and Eternity, his wonderful and thorough treatment of almost twenty years ago.

Managing God's Money is a great gift to give donors. It will help them further develop a theology of money so they (and we) can see that all we have is a gift from the Lord and that we are held accountable to the wise and generous management of all funds.

A second resource is Ron Blue's Master Your Money web site http://masteryourmoney.com/ . This site has many short videos that Ron has recorded and that play easily on your computer. This another way to keep the teaching going that you are doing in person.

Praise the Lord that He has raised up "senior statesmen of stewardship" who can teach us.

The Christian View of "The Good Life"

I am reading a book by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision called The Hole in Our Gospel. In it he says,

“Three clear principles differentiate the scriptural view of our money from the “American Dream” view:

1. It’s not our money
2. It all comes from God
3. We are not entitled to it but entrusted with it.

God expects us to use it in the interest of the Kingdom. How about you? ... Whose “game” are you in? Our own? Or God’s? We don’t have to be in full-time ministry to be in God’s game, but we do have to serve God full-time--as stewards of all that He has given us.

If we are in God’s game, we need to put the American Dream to death, because God’s game is a different game altogether.”

Tomorrow morning I am meeting with a new donor to our school. This is the message I need to articulate with him. Sadly, our culture and (most) money advisors guide people on how to accumulate and spend on our ourselves.

In development and fundraising, we always want to keep asking the question, "To what end or for what ultimate purpose."

It will help us keep our eye on the true prize.

A Fundraising Strategy that Reflects Your School's Value

Yesterday I talked to a fellow administrator who is working hard and wisely to establish a wonderful new classical Christian school on the East Cost. She has a heart for the Lord, for His children, and for a powerful blending of classical methods and Christian worldview.

She and a small band of concerned parents are starting up a new school and they are establishing a culture for the new school that reflects excellence in all aspects. I believe in establishing new and dynamic Christian schools. This is why I went to speak at their first fundraising dinner one month ago. The guests were challenged to imagine a country where graduates are being minted who can think, write, speak and argue persuasively with a Christian worldview so that all thoughts are conforming to our Lord and His precepts.

Now, they need some start-up cash. Here are some of the fundraising ideas they are NOT going to use:

1. A web site affinity contest.
2. Selling magazines or other low-margin items
3. Asking foundations to provide seed capital
4. Sending out letters to local rich people

While these ideas are not wrong per se, they are wrong for this school at this time. A school with fifteen students is selling a concept or vision for what a school can look like.

This school needs to have the founder meet face-to-face with as people who will who can hear the vision presented with passion and clarity. It is also important to have potential backers come to the school during the day to see the students and teachers interacting. In this way the donor is getting the case (the right-brain argument) and the heart (the left-brain reason) which is what is required to invest serious funds.

Bringing donors into the building and interacting with students, teachers and parents is the best way to use the precious time resources that we have.

You may end talking with fewer folks over the course of the year, but the quality of the meetings will be high and we will do a better job of connecting their passions and purposes for giving.

Listening to the Donor's heart

I have a friend who is a wonderful friend to Christian schools. He supports the school his daughter attends and Tall Oaks and another school as well. He loves Christian schools and the life impact we can have when we stay true to the mission.

Recently, he became aware of a regional Christian worldview conference designed for upperclassmen. He approached the school's principal with an offer to help underwrite the cost, but he was told that everyone had already paid their way.

At that moment, the principal should have continued the discussion with the donor to explore other areas of worldview training that could be made available to students.

Instead of thinking broadly as we hear the heart of the donor, we think myopically and, often, we only focus on one imitative or project at a time.

This behavior causes us to miss a potential blessing for the school as well as a frustrating a donor who has a good and legitimate way they would like to help.

How do we combat this myopia? Remember that the school is not "our" school, that is belongs to the Lord Himself and He has His purposes for us.

Listen for clues to the passion and interest in the donor. They may not yell at the top of their voices, but they have a reason that is compelling them.

Repeat back what you heard so that you can validate what the donor is saying. Then, try to think of ways to use their good intentions for the school. This assumes, of course, that their purposes don't pull the school away from its core mission.

You might be surprised at what you hear.

How the Fall Fundraiser Went

This past week we had our Fine Dessert, the official kick-off of the Annual Fund campaign. The Dessert serves two purposes. It showcases some aspect of every part of the school and it gives us the opportunity to invite financial partnership.

This year we produced a new video which you can see here. This promotional piece was followed by a five-minute appeal (write me if you would like a copy) and then by the student presentations. The entire program (excluding the dessert hour) was seventy minutes. During this time we demonstrated something from every grade and guests could see the progression of the education from the youngest to the oldest.

On each seat was a ScholarShare booklet (the name for the Annual Fund campaign) plus a response form and return envelop. Several of those in attendance made contributions that evening totalling about $10,000. I was also able to announce that $55,000 had already been committed by eleven families, which was a huge encouragement.

Going forward, I will be interacting with those who contributed and pledged. It is a joy to hear about their commitment to classical and Christian education.

As a follow-up, we will be sending out an end-of-year report on how the Lord has blessed the school. Yes, we will include a giving envelop because many people contribute in December.

As you do your appeals, remember that donors invest in people who are transformed and who are transforming their world by being equipped with a complete Christian worldview education.

Christian School Fundraising - The Reason to Give

If someone asks you, "Why should I give to your school, how do you answer?". Here are some possible responses:

1. Tuition does not cover the entire cost; we need outside funds to exist and pay for incidentals.
2. We have students from low-income families; they need financial aid.
3. Our enrollment is declining and we need help to make up the gap.
4. Our enrollment is increasing and we need funds for our growing pains.
5. We are expanding our programs and we need infrastructure.
6. The church dropped our school from its missions budget and we need to make up the funds.

While any or all of these may be true, they are not reasons to give to our schools.

We must ask God to show us what is special about our school so that we can communicate it's unique mission for the community in which we are located. Then, we show the impact of the program in the lives of graduates and how they are prepared for their calling.

Lastly, we encourage donors to become generous givers and to enjoy the blessings that come from building up the Kingdom through sacrificial giving.

Here are a few ways to convey these:

1. Our school has these special qualities or unique selling propositions (USP's) that cause us to be effective in executing our mission to train the next generation of Christian leaders.
2. Here is a story about how God used the training at our school to impact a student who later impacted his or her community for Christ.
3. Here is a story of how a donor connected their passion for Christian education and how thrilled they are to participate in the life of the school.

We must always think of the consequences of our educational ministries. Why and how is our community stronger, more caring, more Christlike because our little army of change agents are impacting the world for Christ.

Challenge Grant for Christian School Annual Fund

Next month we will have the formal launch of our Annual Fund campaign. We combine the launch with an evening called the Fine Dessert in which we feature every grade demonstrating some aspect of what they are learning. To that extent, the evening serves as both an introduction, or showcase, for prospective parents. It is one of the few times we can gather the entire school.

This week I had a meeting with the father of one our newer students who wants to make a gift of $10,000, a large gift for a school of our size. He was excited that God has been blessing his business and he is in position to do something significant in response to the Lord's goodness.

He asked how this gift could be leveraged to encourage additional giving. We came up with two ways:

1. Use this gift to encourage other major donors to make a significant commitment.
2. Use the combined commitments of these major donors (10 total) to provide the encouragement and impetus for others at the Dessert to make a pledge or gift to the Annual Fund.

In this past week I had some wonderful conversations with friends of the school who are committing to larger-than-usual gifts to bring this "Challenge Grant" up to a larger amount.

So far, we have over $40,000 in commitments and there are others to hear from. I believe we will be able to go to the dinner with almost half of the Annual Fund pledged. Praise the Lord!

This Challenge Grant is not a matching program. The individuals are going to contribute; this is not a conditional offer, i.e. if you don't get the first $50,000, then you cannot get the matching $50,000.

No, we have a group of families who stand strongly for the school and want to back their words with action. They do not want to be named, their donations will aggregated and anonymous.

Maybe your school has a donor who God is raising up to lead such a challenge.

Connecting Faith and Generosity

Acts 4:32-47 The Believers Share Their Possessions

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For, from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levi from Cypress, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and set it at the apostles' feet."

Throughout the scriptures we see how faith and generosity are connected. This is not surprising since we see many examples of greed leading to destruction and misery.

As we encourage generous giving and generous living in others, it is critical that we live that way ourselves so that we, too, experience the freedom and the power that comes from holding loosely onto things. Notice that in the process of "unclaiming" possessions, the apostles were testifying with power and with grace.

If giving generously is conducive to sharing our testimony that Jesus saves sinners, how much more so should our sharing God's blessings be a witness to others to follow the example?

How good are we at being generous? Generosity includes our material wealth; it isn't limited to it? What skills has God placed in you? Are you sharing these freely? How about your time? This is what we hold onto the most tightly.

We cannot preach and teach what we do not live.

Balancing the Imminent with the Eminent

In our work as fundraisers, development or stewardship officers we can get caught up in the immediate, or imminent part of our work. Those are things like planning for events, getting our mailings out, working on newsletters, etc. These tasks, when part of a comprehensive and cohesive whole, are good to work on. This is "the stuff" of advancement and getting out the message about our school.

Then, there are those aspects of our work which are not pressing from a scheduling perspective, but are every bit as important because they are the most significant. Websters defines eminent as high, lofty, towering or prominent. These are the items that may not make it to the daily planner, but are those where life happens. A family needs a word of encouragement, another development officer needs a shoulder to lean on, a volunteer would be blessed with a little recognition, etc.

Balancing these two competing priorities is the mark of maturity in our world. We should have a game plan that keeps us on track while we build in unscheduled time for unexpected opportunities to bless others and to think out of the box.

How do we do this? First, recognize that the work of advancement is never done; there is always someone else we want to introduce to the school. Second, find a mentor who will walk alongside you, who will pray for you, and will help hold you accountable to balancing competing priorities.

Leadership Attributes in Christian Fundraisers

I am pleased to share the thinking of several mature leaders who give us insights into the ways that we live and think in our leadership roles. More can be said about each, but here are a few thoughts to consider:

True Leadership

Giving one's life for the service and well-being of others - following in the steps of Jesus.

Steward Leader

Making the best use of every asset given to us. Using these to accomplish the mission of our school for God's glory, not man's.

Encouraging Giving

Even when we invite others to give. we are not trying to GET from them, but trying to help them GROW into a life of generous giving. That may mean that our school is not the direct or immediate beneficiary.

Growing Today's Young Leaders

Encourage them in their love of service to improve the community. These acts of service will naturally lead to financial generosity.

Communications

Are we spending as much time listening as we are talking? We value and our friends when we make the time to listen and learn.

Acting

While we trust the Spirit to move in hearts, we encourage the young disciples to take the first baby steps to grow in the grace of giving.

Leadership Multiplication

We are called to make disciples who will come after us. These new leaders can be our greatest legacy - are we finding and developing them now?

Is Your School Worthy of Funding?

Most of what I write about deals with the our interaction with donors and helping them see the case for generous giving to the Lord. This is a very important aspect of our work, that is to "raise up and disciple cheerful givers."

Impetus for giving comes from the Holy Spirit's moving in hearts to release resources to grow the Kingdom.

But how are we doing as worthy receivers of these blessings?

Some are basic requirements; some help donors decide how much they want to invest.

Is our financial house in order?

1. How reasonable are our expenses relative to our size?
2. Are we charging the right tuition? Too low is not good stewardship; it's not a sustainable business model.
3. Do we have externally reviewed statements?

Are we "on mission" and improving?

1. Is accreditation part of the annual or bi-annual review process?
2. Does the board take time to assess and course correct our plans?
3. Are we talking to and listening to parents to insure that we are aligned?
4. What are our plans for growing and developing our teachers?

Have we assessed the risks or challenges?

1. What are the financial hurdles that face the school?
2. Are we thinking about leadership and succession planning?
3. Are we looking for ways to enhance employee compensation?

Do we have an exciting and promising future?

1. Can our donor friends see the impact in the community and in our world?
2. Can our friends see where they can participate; and not just financially?
3. What are some of the big plans that generate enthusiasm from others?

This is not a comprehensive list, but it will help us put ourselves in the shoes of those with whom we meet.

We always need to be able to answer the answer, "What is it about our school that makes it a compelling destination for meaningful investment?"

Christian School Hosts Grandparents' Day

Last week I reported on the response from the almost two hundred guests who attended this annual event. Today I want to share the essence of what we communicated. Regardless of the immediate response we want to be faithful to the Lord's commands and principles.

As you develop this and other events, I hope you will have both the mind of the Lord and best interests of the guests foremost in your thinking.

Grandparents' Day 2011

Remarks:

When we go, we will leave an intangible legacy, that is all of the teaching and wisdom that you could impart to your children and grandchildren. You hope they "caught" your spirit of independence, honesty, caring, hard work, and your faith in God. Much of this you get to see in this lifetime. This spiritual legacy lasts through all future generations.

Then there is the tangible legacy, which is your material wealth. This legacy is much more quantifiable, but it is also one that, if invested wisely in a Kingdom enterprise, lasts forever.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Each of us a steward (or caretaker) of the gifts God has given. At the end of these earthly lives we will stand before the Lord and we will be evaluated as to how we managed the gifts God put under our management. We want to hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
• We cannot take our talent and wealth with us when we leave this earth
• There is a present joy in seeing your assets used today rather than having them distributed after your death
• Grandparents can seed into future generations of students by helping to provide scholarship funds for needs families
• Grandparents honor the Lord in being generous givers as we respond to His commands to be joyful and cheerful givers

Grandparents' Day Response Form

I would like to be more involved in my grandchild's school. Please contact me about:

1. Reading to younger students
2. Being a prayer partner
3. Being a chaparone on field trips
4. Coming in as a guest speaker and talking about my profession or my special interests
5. Helping with long-terms plans for the school such as the arts and music, science and technology, athletics
6. I have some ideas on how I can help lower-income families

Asking Donors to Fund a Special Project

Two weeks ago I shared the story of the student whose family needed even more financial aid than the school could grant. I presented the situation to several people who had indicated an interest in helping in this way. I called each and got permission to present this "case".

Praise the Lord. The need was met by two and a half times! In other words, these friends of the school gave $5,000 against a need of $2,000. Generous is the way I would describe these four friends of the school. Also, they were very pleased to be asked and to help.

It happened again this week. Our debate team wanted to go to a tournament that requires a long drive and an overnight stay. We presented the $700 need to an attorney friend who appreciates this aspect of classical education and he responded immediately with a "yes".

These two stories illustrate the beauty of matching a donor's passions and provisions (money in this case) with a Kingdom purpose (training students in their rhetorical skills and providing Christian education).

The donors were not new to the school. They were all already on board with the mission. Again, they were pleased to be presented with a giving opportunity that touched their heart.

When a Fundraiser Does Not Work

Have you ever prepared, prayed, and planned for an event only to see very little of the desired result? It can be very frustrating when you work hard on a special event and look at all the empty envelopes at the end.

Case in point: Our Grandparents' Day. Many schools have this annual rite to recognize the important extended family and bring them in to school for a "love-in" with their grand children.

The egg casseroles were many, as was the coffee and Danish. There were lovely decorations and charming presentations by the various classes while everyone was all together. I gave a stewardship presentation (details in a future blog) that focused on both the intangible and tangible legacy of a grandparent. We didn't ask for money, but for them to indicate their interest in various aspects of their grandchild's school.

The (immediate) results: Two checks and ten sheets indicating some type of interest. I was worn out looking at all of the blank response forms.

Before the self-pity took hold, the Lord reminded me of some important truths:

1. We employed a biblical approach in our overall presentation and collateral material



2. We honored out guests and made every effort to serve them and meet their needs



3. We represented the needs of the school without sounding desperate or sad



4. We invited involvement according to our guests' interests and passions



5. We stood on scriptural truths and let them speak for themselves



6. We asked the Holy Spirit to convict the hearts, not the devices of men

Where to from here? Rejoice in the ones who responded and follow up with them. Remember that we were not always "there" and that our Lord works in His ways and His timing to bring His results.

Have a great weekend - I will!

Christian School Development Without a Development Person

I have been challenged recently to develop a strategy and plan to help a school with a development plan even though they have no one person to assign to the job.

There are several workable alternatives to staffing. Before you tackle these, it is important to decide what are the critical objectives that need to be met. These can be:

• Lead an event or two


• Send out appeal letters


• Introduce the school to the local community


• Bring in grandparents and other volunteers

Once the critical objectives are decided, then the school can decide how and who is the best staffer. Look for people whose talents match the skills required for the job; a good match is very powerful. This can be done in a number of ways:

• Volunteer


• Part-time just assigned to development


• Added responsibility for an administrator or a teacher - this could be an interesting enrichment opportunity

Lastly, organize some help in the form of a task team. This is not a group of people who have lots of ideas and advice; it is the group of people who trust and agree with the plans that are already committed to and are willing to be the hands and feet.

If this is new, pick a few clearly-defined goals and do them well in this year. Then, others will want to join your well-oiled and tuned machine!

Grateful Donors Love to Give

Today it happened. A donor responded to a very targeted appeal to assist a low-income family with a need for tuition assistance.

Last week I described the need of a student to get more aid than we normally allow. Five people were contacted who I thought would be pleased and willing to hear the request. Each one said they would; three have already indicated they were going to help.

Today the wife of one of the men I contacted came in with a check plus the promise of a corporate match from her employer. She was thrilled to be able to help the tuition deficit, and she was also grateful that I approached her husband first. "In doing so", she said, "he is stepping into the leadership role that he should take."

This donor thanked me (the school) for allowing them to participate in helping a school family and she was grateful for putting her husband in his leadership role.

Another person responded today and said they felt privileged to be in a position to help; they thanked me for thinking of them.

2 Co. 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.

The Stewardship of Faculty and Staff

It is no secret that Christian schools (and other ministries) do not pay market wages for their dedicated and capable staff. We assume that they are "in it for the ministry". In fact, many are, but that is no reason not to compensate them well for their labors.

Salary is only one component of compensation. Here are valuable benefits that figure into total compensation:

• Free or reduced tuition or trade-off against salary. Valuable and non-taxable (at least for now)


• Health insurance and flexible spending accounts for co-pays and deductibles


• Short and Long-term disability - generally very low cost since teachers tend to be young


• Life insurance - $50,000 in coverage can be very cost-effective


• Retirement plans (i.e. 401K) where the employees' contributions are matched by the school

If your school does not offer these, it could be another way of declaring how you value your staff and their contribution to the school.

Further, you may find an exceptional benefits organization (as have we) who will also provide financial counsel and advice.

Lastly, there may be a donor who sees the need to provide these kinds of benefits who would step up and help underwrite the cost. You don't know until you ask.

Caring for employees is the good stewardship of our most valuable assets.

A Serious need - An Unexpected Blessing

Last night the administration of our school received an email written by one of our students in which she described the serious financial situation that her family is facing. Because of some family and occupational issues, the student will need additional financial aid to stay in the school.

I am privileged to be able to "catch" this request and to see how God might answer the need.

This opportunity allows me to contact some friends of the school and ask them permission to present the situation. Praise the Lord; every one I asked said that they would hear the request and would pray about how to respond.

How do we go about asking people to give in these special situations?

1. Have an on-going relationship. Make sure connections to the school are current.



2. Know what kinds of requests would or should resonate with the donor friend.



3. Try to anticipate if this is a good time to receive such a request.



4. Pray about who to contact. If it isn't clear, then do not proceed. That's the Spirit telling you "no".



5. Then, boldly ask on behalf of the need (student in this case) and trust the Spirit to move.



6. Rejoice in the opportunity to share needs with those who will be blessed if they are led to participate.

I don't know how the Lord will meet this request. No one has answered yet. Every one I asked was thankful to be asked, though.

God brings the harvest of both souls and finances.

Christian Generosity "Works"

For some people, being generous is a not a natural act. They (we) share because the Bible tells us to share - so it must be right and good for us. Some people are so awed by the amazing grace shown to us on the Cross of Calvary that generosity is the natural expression of gratitude and love.

If, then, generosity is Biblical and good for us, what are the specific blessings that we experience and that we can share with our donor friends? In other words, how does generosity work?

1. Generosity is brilliant because it changes our lives. People who give generously feel great about it and find themselves blessed in ways they never expected. Great things happen for the giver and the receiver - bi-lateral blessings if you will. Jesus confirmed this in Acts 20:25 (more blessed to give than to receive). Proverbs 11:25 tells us "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

2. Generosity connects us with others. When people are generous and gracious, they exude love and happiness. That type of kindness is very attractive to others. Also, when we give it makes us draw closer to the one we are blessing. If we allow this behavior to continue we become empathic and we realize that we have even more to share.

3. Generosity helps us invest in what matters. Generosity causes us to invest in high-yield instruments, the lives of others. Spiritually, generosity protects us from short-sighted, bad investments of our time, out talent, and our treasure and creates long-term wealth. In a sense, everything we do is an investment. How we do our "sowing and reaping" is a function of our maturity. Again, Jesus taught us about this in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:19-24) where He instructs us about investing where moths and rust so not destroy.

4. Generosity frees our hearts. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This is the reason Jesus gives to invest wisely and for eternity. Money is the mirror of our heart before God. The checkbook is the visible manifestation of this reality. When asked about my stewardship work, I will say (with a smile), "my job is to relieve people from the burden of wealth." Having less simplifies life and allows us to spend more time listening to God's leading.

These are some benefits that we can have in mind as we help people see the "genius of generosity".

Growing Generosity in Donors' Hearts

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.

Christian Fundraiser's Giving Resource

The ECFA has many great resources, but I want to highlight one in particular. It is a 32-page booklet called Giving from the Heart: A Legacy that Lasts Forever. Here are the topics covered:

• A Godly Steward


• Your Time and Talents


• Gifts to Family


• Outright Gifts


• Gifts of Securities


• Gifts of Inventory


• Gifts of Life Insurance


• Gifts of Inventory


• Gifts of Real Estate


• Giving a Life Estate


• Giving through Charitable Remainder Trusts


• Giving Through Your Will


• Giving Through Charitable Gift Annuities


• Giving Through Living Trusts


• Giving Through Donor Advised Funds


• When Gifts Are Deductible


• Your Charitable Deduction Limitations and Proving Your Deductions

This handy booklet can be ordered in bulk at discounted rates. You can call 800-323-9473 and they will send you a free copy to review. You can go here for a link to the ECFA page.

Please order the free one for yourself and see if the booklet, in combination with you overall stewardship plan, can help educate donors in how they can support the Kingdom work going on at your school.

The Stewardship of Time and Talents

You are (or become) aware of a particular need. You become personally involved because you want to be a part of something that positively affects the lives of others. Gifts of time and talent are perhaps the best contributions a donor can make to the school.

We often overlook the importance of being good stewards of the time God has given us. "...As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work." John 9:5.

Stewardship of time is giving God first priority. In spite of all He had to to do, He took time for quiet meditation. He found time to be alone with his heavenly Father.

Stewardship of time means taking time to rest and renew your strength, evaluate your life, and focus on God's will for your life. As I get older, I have a greater sense of urgency to use my time well; I feel the clock ticking.

And it is setting apart time to be with the ones you love the most here on earth. Do we give adequate time to family and friends?

Similarly, Goad has equipped us with gifts and talents. Who benefits from them? Are they just used in our working hours - or are they used for God's Kingdom?

So, at Back to School Night, I intend to ask people how they used their time this summer. Did the time off allow them (and me?) to re-kindle their relationship with Jesus?

In summary, stewardship of time and talent for the Kingdom reminds us:

• who He is,


• who we are, and


• what our relationship should be to the time and talents He has given us to manage in His name.

Christian Fundraisers Need to Dream Big, too

A few weeks back I wrote about a donor to our school who has some lofty ambitions to reach the inner city schools with a classical and Christian education. His dream goes beyond what he can act on right now and even further than our school has forecast in its strategic plan. However, the idea stimulates our thinking to go beyond what we usually think of and it is an opportunity to lay before the Lord some plans that only He can make happen.

We fundraisers should dream, too. Many times it is about a new facility which implies a capital campaign. What if we set our financial sights a little lower and conceived of a new program or two that would substantially change our offering and strengthen the overall education?

Some of these ideas are contained in the school's Strategic, or Long Range, Plans. For example, we have some specific ideas of expanding our music and orchestral program. We can see the day when our athletics program is broader. Our Strategic Plan envisions the day when we can launch an NILD program to help students with mild learning disabilities.

When the rest of the school is occupied with the daily task of training the young minds, we stewardship folks can be projecting a year or two or three into the future and talking to people about projects that create a step change in the school's overall education.

Think about these and when someone asks, "What's new?", you'll have a great story to tell that might just capture someone's imagination.

Stewardship Question: How Much is Enough?

Philippians 4:12
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

How much is enough? This is one of the really hard questions for people (me included) to answer.

You might say, "Why should we ask the question; aren't we just trying to help people become generous toward God?" I would say yes and I would also say that we can help people see how God has already providing for them so they can see how they can give more today.

Just this week I had the conversation with someone I am close to and we were able to step through a "poor man's" financial needs worksheet. We talked about:

• Getting debt free


• Retirement cash flow


• What he wanted to allow his children's remaining education, transportation, wedding and even a down payment on a house


• Health care and long-term living

After this brief analysis we concluded and agreed that he had plenty for every foreseeable and unforeseeable event.

Ready to give now? No, not really. "There might be something else", he declared.

That's the way it is with our work. We are the Holy Spirit's messenger of the Good News that Christ is all we need. How our friends respond to this and other biblical truth is a function of spiritual maturity.

We should still ask the questions and provoke people to think more deeply. From my experience, we stewardship officers may be the only people asking these questions. Praise the Lord that there are some Christian financial advisors who will do so, too.

Working together, while allowing the Spirit to do the heart work, we may be able to help our fiends get relief from the burden of wealth.

Christian School Scholarship Funds

Many Christian schools would break even each year if they didn't have to give so much financial aid. Said another way, schools that could collect full tuition come close to having a balanced budget.

For many schools (mine included) financial aid to needy families is not funded by external means; we just see it as "negative income." In reality, our schools' average realized income is ten to twenty percent less than the published rates.

Christian schools want to reach more students and families with Christian worldview education. So, how do we go about it?

First, we pray for guidance in how to award financial aid. Many schools have solid processes that require the student to maintain high academic and behavior standards as well as having the parents submit financial information that is evaluated by third-party analysts who evaluate how much tuition the family can pay.

Next is the funding sources. There are some foundations who will help schools underwrite the annual scholarship/financial aid (using these two terms interchangeably in this blog) requirements. The problem with foundations is that they will only fund a school for one to three years; then they move on to another organization.

There are two ideas that foster generous giving and build long-term relationships with the school and even needy parents.

Scholarship Fund or Endowment
This can be started with a single large gift or just committing funds on a regular basis until it builds to a large amount. The idea is to maintain the principle and take out the earnings (or some fixed percentage), say 5%, each year which is designated for scholarship. An endowment of one million dollars would contribute $50,000 to scholarships for year. How it is divided and allocated is a function of school policy. This kind of giving may be interesting to grandparents who might have appreciated securities, real estate, or life insurance policies.

Student Sponsorships
This idea is popular in urban schools where most of the students needs lots of aid to be able to attend. In these settings, sponsoring families will contribute a ten to twenty percent share for a student's monthly requirement. The school can invite donors to sponsor a student chosen by the school. Here is a place where a school can be very creative. For example, two donor families could contribute $1,500 per year, which is fifty percent of a $6,000 tuition. These sponsors could meet the family and see if there are other ways to support them, thus strengthening the connection and making it more than just a financial transaction.

As we go about these plans, keep in mind Paul's admonition from Philippians 4:17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.

May our donors experience the joy of giving generously.

Christian School Fundraisers - Start Your Engines!!

Today is the beginning of the last summer month. For many of us, it isn't even a whole month to get our plans mapped out and key dates set on the calendar.

As we get ready to greet the students and parents back, now is a good time to look at our overall plans and see if we are ready to hit the school year running.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Are the major dates and plans on the calendar?


2. Have you thought about the major themes you want to convey?


3. Who are some key donors you want to contact before the year begins?


4. Have you thought and prayed about some key volunteers that you want to bring along to help share the load?


5. What books or articles do you need to read to get your mind and heart focused on where the Lord wants you?


6. Have you picked a big goal that, without the Lord's supernatural work, will make a large difference in the life of the school?


7. Who are your prayer and accountability partners?

This also a good time to renew some professional friendships and to run these ideas and plans by.

Who knows, maybe someone has some insight that could help you be more successful.

The Christian Fundraiser - A Conduit of Blessing

The best fundraisers I know don't believe that they actually raise funds. They don't even believe they raise "friends."

The best fundraisers are not really fundraisers at all, but they are very capable messengers for biblical stewardship and conduits of blessing.

As messengers, the fundraiser (or development or stewardship officer) effectively communicates Biblical precepts about the management of time, talent and treasure.

As conduits of blessing, then, we are merely the "catcher" or "receiver" of gifts, only to have those gifts applied to Kingdom work on behalf of the donor who contributed what the Lord gives him first.

This week, the headmaster and I had the privilege of informing a school parent that her daughter was selected to receive a scholarship funded by a donor who was looking for a promising student to sponsor and whose family needed some financial assistance.

The mom was overwhelmed and joyously received the gift. She thanked us profusely. We said, "don't thank us" and we reminded her that we all should thank our Lord for His provisions of such a donor and for motivating the family to give generously.

Being God's ambassadors for generous giving is a good role for us. When, the gifts come in, we need to step aside and let the true Giver be thanked for the gifts we receive.

Donor Growth and Maturity - Generous Giver and Mature Steward

Wes Wilmer in his book God and Your Stuff: The Vital Link Between Your Possessions and Your Soul describes the stages of maturity of the donor as he or she grows closer and closer to the mind of God in terms of possessions and giving.The six categories:

1. Imitator


2. Modeler


3. Conformer


4. Individual


5. Generous Giver


6. Mature Steward

Today, we will review the last two stages: The Generous Giver and The Mature Steward

Stage 5: Generous Giver

Faith Characteristics: Grasps the main ideas of an individualized faith as well as individualized practices. Becomes interested in developing the faith of others.

Evidence in Use of Possessions: Recognition that all one owns is from God. Begins to give of one's own initiative, rather than out of obligation or routine. Derives joy from giving.

My thoughts: I hope this is where most of us stewardship officers find ourselves. These donors inspire us and quietly set a high standard for others to see. They are willing to talk about and encourage stewardship, not to boast, but to desire that others experience the sheer joy of giving.

Stage 6: Mature Steward

Faith Characteristics: Little regard for self. Focuses on God and then on others. Free from man made rules.

Evidence in Use of Possessions: Recognizes the role of a faithful steward of God's possessions. More concerned with treasures in heaven than on earth. Content with daily provisions.

My thoughts: Greater humility and dependence on the Lord for every breath, meal, and a place to sleep. Quiet and centered on Christ. His or her life is an open hand of blessings received and shared with others.

As we see ourselves on this continuum, let us pray that we are seen less and Christ is seen more. The goal and end product of this stewardship is the freedom to worship the Savior with every fiber of our being

Donor Growth and Maturity - Conformer and Individual

Wes Wilmer in his book God and Your Stuff: The Vital Link Between Your Possessions and Your Soul describes the stages of maturity of the donor as he or she grows closer and closer to the mind of God in terms of possessions and giving.

The six categories:

1. Imitator


2. Modeler


3. Conformer


4. Individual


5. Generous Giver


6. Mature Steward

Today, we will review the middle two stages:

Stage 3: Conformer

Faith Characteristics: Faith becomes a basis for love, acceptance,and identity; involves most aspects of life and is shaped mainly by relationships. Faith does not yet form a cohesive "philosophy of life."

Evidence in Use of Possessions: Gives because it is the thing to do. Like recognition, tax benefits, and other personal gain from giving.

My thoughts: Again, this individual would rather be on the "right" side than run the risk of being wrong. The emphasis is still on "me" on not others. A measured approach.

Stage4: Individual

Faith Characteristics: Begins to "own" one's faith. Faith is less defined by others as one becomes able to personally examine and question one's beliefs.

Evidence in Use of Possessions: Starts to give in proportion to the what God has given. Danger of becoming prideful regarding giving or giving for the wrong motives. Wonders why others don't give more.

My thoughts: "Gets it" individually, but is still looking around at others. Knows where gifts comes from and acknowledges that, but can get become a little judgemental toward others.

As you can imagine the last installment will describe the kinds of donors we all seek to be. Before we assume that we have "arrived", let us bow our knees and ask what more we need to learn.

Growing and Maturing Donors - Imitators and Modelers

Last week I met with a generous donor who loves the school. Instead of asking for a gift or a pledge, I asked him to tell me about why he gives. He said, "No one has ever asked me that before".

Questions like this and others (see the previous blog post) cause our donor friends to think more deeply. His answer reflected his recognition of God's blessings and his passion for the kind of education his children are receiving.

Today I want to share the wonderful work of Wes Wilmer, V.P of ECFA and author of God and Your Stuff: The Vital Link Between Your Possession and Your Soul. In it, he describes the correlation of soul maturity and use of possessions in six stages.

1. Imitator


2. Modeler


3. Conformer


4. Individual


5. Generous Giver


6. Mature Steward

Stage 1: Imitator

• Faith Characteristics: Like a child, is marked by imagination and influenced by stories and examples of others


• Evidence in Use of Possessions: Is able to mimic the examples of others in giving when shown or instructed.


• My thoughts: This is where we find the new donor, not really sure about the theology or rationale for giving, but knows instinctively that it's right thing to do.

Stage 2: Modeler

• Faith Characteristics: Takes beliefs and moral rules literally. Perception of God is largely formed by friends.


• Evidence in Use of Possessions: Gives specifically when given an example to follow.


• My thoughts: These donors are the "go to" who don't need an explanation, they just need the destination and some guidance in how and how much to give.

Most of our donors will fall into these two categories. Later this week we will discuss the other four so we can learn how the Lord grows us in our giving maturity.

Asking Donors the Money Questions

Donors, like all followers of Christ, are in different stages in their walk and maturity about money. Some are very new (childlike in the scriptures) and they are imitators in that they follow the example of others.

We will explore these levels in a subsequent blog when we look at the good work of Wes Wilmer.

In the meantime, however, we meet with people and we should have some basic conversations about money with them. We can and should ask:

• "Do you give to your local church?"
  


• "What other ministries or causes do you contribute to?" and "What is it about their mission and work that causes you to support them?"


• "What motivates you to give so faithfully?"

These are not asked to manipulate or to paint someone into a corner; it is so we can get to know them so that we have our conversation at the right level. Again, we cannot give milk drinkers solid food until they are ready.

Remember, Jesus was unashamed to talk about giving as He "sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put," in Mark 12:41-44, in order to teach his disciples the difference between giving out of one's surplus and giving sacrificially. He was not timid talking about money and giving, and neither should we be. Jesus loved asking questions, not because He did not know the answers, but to get people to think.

It comes back to our motivation. Are we asking these to induce shame or guilt? Or, we are asking so that our donor friends think through the rationale for why they do what they do?

The way we think about donors impacts how we pray for and encourage them.

Lord, give me your heart for this fellow saint. Amen.

The Stewardship of Wisdom

Proverbs 13:10
"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice"

"No one can give me advice about this problem; our school is unique!" So goes the excuse of those who refuse to admit their shortcomings while wandering in the development wilderness.

I believe that almost one out of every two or three schools is going through some sort of transition or organizational challenge. Some of these are routine and can be handled with internal resources. Some, though, are thornier and could be helped by having perspective and wisdom from others not directly involved.

Sadly, I see schools wrestle unnecessarily rather than "hang out the dirty laundry" for all the world to see.

Isn't it interesting that we want donors to come to us for advice in how much and where to give their money, but we wouldn't ask them to help us sort out a complicated issue in our own work?

We are focusing effort now on future plans for the school. It's not quite strategic planning (though planning is involved) and not a capital campaign (though it involves raising funds); it is something a little different. A few weeks ago I was frustrated and felt totally incapable of knowing the next step. God, in His abundant provision, put several wise people in the meeting who helped clarify the issue and map out the next step or two.

If we are serious about raising time, talent and treasure, it may mean that we have to genuinely solicit advice from our friends who can (and want to) help. It means that we cannot use the meeting as a subterfuge for an ask or to gain their favor for a future gift.

It means that we say "you have some wisdom and perspective that could be helpful in this situation". Then, we stay quiet, listen and pray through what we heard.

Donors have much to contribute; let's make sure we ask for the wisdom gift to be shared as well.

A Generous Donor with a Bias for Action

Last week I met with a major donor to the school. This was our first sit down meeting where we were able to get beyond the quick conversations in the normal course of school events.

I asked him to tell me his story about family, work, and his coming to Christ. As we discussed his work I asked him to tell me about his passions. "No one ever asks about my passions", he replied.

As we talked more, this man talked about a new and exciting ministry in which he and his church are involved. It is a ministry to homeless families that requires lots of hands-on time from the church that is working with that family for that week. My donor friend says this is good way of putting feet on his faith. Direct involvement, versus writing checks, engages us in a way that has the gospel penetrating hearts more deeply.

Knowing his bias for action allowed me to present an opportunity to take on ambassador role with the school. This role will allow him to use his communications skills and his passion for classical and Christian education.

Getting to know donors at the heart level does not require that we know them for a long time. It does require that we listen well and to ask permission to present some other ideas that could fit well with their skills and interests.

What happens next? We both go back and pray that the Holy Spirit clarifies and directs. Our objective is not to get every job filled with a good match, but to see the Kingdom expand as His saints take up the mantle of stewardship of everything He has entrusted to our care. Even our entire lives are not ours.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Cor. 6:19-20.

A Generous Donor Dreams a Big Dream

Yesterday I got to visit with a donor who I've never met in person. He and his wife became major donors when they blessed the school with a gift of $1,000. As with almost every gift to the school I called to say thank you and to inquire as to what motivated this particular one. But, since we had not met in person, I asked for an breakfast appointment.

As we talked he told me why he and his wife were so pleased with the school and how the education provided the perfect incubator to develop their son spiritually, academically and relationally. He has just finished his first year of college and he is excelling there, too.

Given the impact that Tall Oaks education had on their son, they desire to help scholarship a student from a lower-income family who might not otherwise be able to come. They are particularly interested in inner city kids whose parents may have never considered this kind of school.

It gets better. Their really big idea is to have our suburban school mentor and nurture an inner-city Christian school that desires to become a premier academic institution. We only dreamed yesterday about what this could like and the resources that would be required, but it was an exciting conversation to be sure.

What is important is that this donor had the opportunity to "fly their dream" and to express their dedication for Christian education.

We are "donor disciplers" who are called to help God's people bring their best to His table.

The Legacy of Generous Giving

I am thankful for national Christian leaders like the National Christian Foundation (NCF) who helps donors with planned and other significant giving. What follows is compliments of NCF and reprinted with their permission.

According to a recent study by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, teenagers report that their parents are the biggest influence on whether they give their time or money to non-profit charities.

Do you know what teen givers say their parents do?

Here are the top ten parenting techniques that separate giving teens from non-giving teens, in their own words:

1. They explained how I can help other people by my actions.



2. They encouraged me to speak up in family discussions.



3. They spoke to me about the volunteering and giving they do.



4. They supported me on things I cared about.



5. They told me why they were proud when I did good things.



6. They encouraged me to be my own person.



7. They set goals for me to achieve.



8. They spoke to me about the way my actions made other people feel.



9. They taught me to always consider other people’s views.



10. They explained the importance of giving to others.

Even though we do not see a thread of Christian generosity in this list, imagine how much more potent this teaching can be when we tie it to the work of Christ on the cross as He purchased eternal life for us.

As we talk to our donor friends, here are two more questions we can pose: "How do you inculcate your generosity to your children? What are some of the disciplines that you employ to make giving a way of life and not just a grudging obligation?"

Generous Giving - the Story within the Story

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will."

Look at these poor people giving their money away - they even ask for the privilege of doing so! What did these Macedonians have that we don't have?

I think they asked the right question first. They did not ask "How much shall I give?", but must have realized that the preceding question "Who is the real owner of everything I have?". Maybe, the question is upstream from there. More foundational: "Who owns me?"

That's the real question we have to ask ourselves and our donor friends. We cannot meet with people and we beat around the bush to see how generous they are feeling before we do the "ask".

As I compiled the year-end statistics I learned that the Lord brought in almost 40% more than last year. As wonderful as this overall number is, there are wonderful stories behind this:

• The new family that didn't think they could afford the tuition and they gave a big gift


• The donor with no children but sees this school as critical for our area and wants to scholarship a student


• The non-Christian couple who loves our school and volunteers in many ways - they gave generously


• The grandparents who increased their giving by 40%

Each one of these is a reason to celebrate God's goodness. Let's make sure we don't lose these precious gems while we gaze at the whole jewelry case.

Fundraising Success by Connecting Faith

Two months ago I met with newer school family who had given a small annual fund gift in December. The family was thrilled with how their child was doing in the school and is grateful to the Lord for leading them to our school. They have become regular volunteers and are present at all school functions.

However, it was only seven months earlier when the parents were concerned that they could afford the tuition, much less the younger siblings who were not school age yet.

Throughout the school year, God blessed their private business and grew it to the point that they gave me permission to speak to them about a larger year-end gift. When we met together we looked back over the year and marveled at God's abundant provisions to their family that is now totally committed to Christian schooling. In the span of a few months, they went from "can we afford tuition?" to "how can we say thanks for the blessings?".

So, I encouraged the family to pray about a gift that reflects their thankfulness. I promised not to ask again, but that I would pray for them as they sought the Spirit's leading in how to respond.

The result? This week we received a gift that was almost 6 times their first gift! When I called to thank the father he told me that they feel very good about this act of worship (giving).

Further, he said that they believe this is just the beginning of giving larger and more frequent gifts.

We are called to help people connect faith and finances for their growth and God's glory.

Critical Success Factors for Development

Proverbs 15:22
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

What makes a development officer successful in their work and ministry? Is it their previous experience? Probably not, unless they came from a similar institution. Is it specific training? Again, probably not since few people go to school to become fundraisers. Is it their personality? Personality is important especially if the development person is outgoing and gregarious.

However, having guidance and support from several others may be the most important factor in "raising the fundraiser". First, if you are looking for a new development person, look for these characteristics:

1. Passion - for Jesus and for the school


2. Discipling - a desire to see God's people grow in the grace of giving


3. Teachable - A wise person knows what they don't know - willing to take direction


4. Innate skills - such as writing, organizing, recruiting, motivating


5. A bias for action - if "nothing is happening", then he or she makes something happen

Now, how to help this person be successful:

1. A clear position description including general and specific goals


2. Besides the head of school (the direct supervisor), the development officer needs a board member who has a keen interest in development and who can be a helpful sounding board.


3. A mature outside mentor can be extremely helpful in training and for on-going accountability.


4. Continuing education - reading and workshops and coaching will help keep the ideas and initiatives flowing

Development is often a lonely role. It is not in the mainstream of school operations, but critical for the school's health. Take care to choose this leader well. Then, invest in their success.

Courageous Christian Fundraising

Last week I was in Atlanta at the annual conference of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools where I was privileged to describe the daily (and hard) work of biblical stewardship.

Conventional fundraising employs techniques and methods that are tuned to efficiency and financial effectiveness. So, if selling wrapping paper is less efficient than an "a-thon", then do the "a-thon" which brings in more money with less effort. After all, the "bottom line" is getting funds right?

Does God only care about the fact that we get the funds? Or, is He also concerned about the "why" and "how" of the fundraising? The scriptures make it clear:

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. " 1 Co. 10:31

We are obligated to make Christian fundraising Christian. Otherwise, it is secular fundraising on which we drizzle some Bible and hope that this will sanctify the method.

I have been impressed with the school leaders who told me, "I know this is hard work, but it's the right thing to do. Our job is to disciple people in their walk with Jesus." It is more difficult to look at someone as a fellow man and to walk with him to see his blessings as opposed to seeing him as a "giving unit" with a dollar sign on his head.

It takes more time, more prayer and more involvement. It results in more disappointments, but it can result in greater joy as the donor responds to the Spirit's call on his or her life.

At the end of the proverbial day, do you want to be known as this prolific fundraiser who gathered lots of funds, or do you want to be known as the one who God used to grow donors in their faith; and, who gathered the large sums?

Be courageous and see the Spirit carry you to the next right decision.

Endowment Funds for Christian schools

How can you bring up endowment when we can't even raise the Annual Fund to cover the "gap" that is required to make budget? Can't we just discuss endowment when (and if) we get caught up?

I don't think so. Here are a few reasons to begin to think, plan and act in this direction:

1. Prudence - it is good stewardship to plan for lean times. Remember Joseph's planning during the seven years of abundance (Ge 41:46ff).


2. Donors - many donors do not prefer to give to "keep the lights on", but want to build future capacity for the school.


3. Future - schools have longer-term plans that require larger amounts of money. This could be funding annual scholarships (the annual earnings of the endowment could fund scholarship for that year). It could also fund other initiatives not covered in the operating budget.

There are two arguments I have heard against funding endowments:

1. Accumulation - building more storehouses for grain only to have this taken away.


2. Current period starvation - money invested for the future may dissuade donors from giving for current-period needs; they believe they have done their part.

To both of these I say, come to the Lord humbly and ask for direction. He will guide if there is too much accumulation; He will direct the monies to be used for other purposes. We must trust the Lord that He is working in donors' hearts and telling them where He wants them to invest.

Our job is to make our schools worthy of investment, communicate with donors and trust them to follow the Lord's leading. We cannot and should not attempt to engineer the giving.

If endowments are in your future, what should you do today?

1. Ask the Lord to assemble some people to help you think about the future needs of the school.


2. Pray for a vision for the school's future that balances current and future needs.


3. Remember that donors want to see us continue in our mission. That means that they may be more forward-looking than we are.

Stewardship is Nurturing Spiritual Seedlings

While we in the stewardship world do not believe in using techniques to "move people along" to becoming generous toward God, it can be helpful to employ a semi-structured conversation that opens up the dialog to explore some critical background.

My friends, Scott Rodin and Gary Hoag in The Sower come to the rescue again when we have the pleasure of a face-to-face meeting.

"The Christian leader must focus on nurturing each person through personal interaction and correspondence, caring more about the spiritual preparation that the giving...Face-to-face visits scatter the seeds of truth...But how does a leader approach this important work?"

"When calling on someone, regardless of his or her connection to the ministry, approach with intentionality. say you are calling to set up a meeting to hear what God is doing in their life and to share what God is doing at the ministry. Use these five P's to remember the purpose of the visit."

1. Person - Learn about who they, not just what they do.


2. Passion - Find out what facet of God's work they are passionate about.


3. Permission - Seek permission to share about your ministry.


4. Participation - Share how stewards participate in the King's work.


5. Pray - Encourage them to pray about their response.

I had the opportunity this week to have this type of structured conversation. It doesn't feel as rigid as it may look. Remember that we care about the soul of our donor friends; we want them to experience the joy that comes when we release God's "stuff" right back into the Kingdom to do more life changing.

In that sense, this is ministry and discipleship.

Give it a try and tell me how it impacts you.

Young Stewards: "A Day of Service"

Is there an age that is too young to teach stewardship?

We tested this idea in April during an all-school Day of Service. The goal of the day was to share our blessings (time, talent and treasure) with many agencies within a 20 radius of the school. Also, we wanted to share Christ's love by going into the community and witnessing through serving.

One hundred parents and teachers joined in as we carpooled to 16 locations - all 320 of us!

Our students blessed the homeless shelters, Salvation Army, food bank, clothing bank, senior center, soup kitchen, retirement home, and others.

Here's how one of the parents described the day:

"I just wanted to express how much we appreciated the Day of Service. It was such a blessing to see first-hand the Kindergartners and First graders at the Friendship House in Wilmington. It was equally rewarding to hear how much my girls were blessed by blessing others at Shoes to Share and the New Castle Senior Center. We've always tried to instill in the girls how giving back is part of being a Christian and showing Christ's love. But, to have the entire school involved and seeing it on the kids faces and hearing the testimonies of their parents--- it made such an impact on our school family, I can't imagine what an impact it must have made on our community! I pray that this will become a yearly event and that the people of Delaware will not only see Tall Oaks as an impressive academic school, but as a school where God is alive and working in the lives of our staff and students and parents."

Biblical stewardship is a way of thinking, not merely an activity that we do. Please contact me if you would like to hear more about this stewardship day.

Psalm 8:

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The Essence of Stewardship

When asked to describe "development", how do you answer the question? For most of us, I suspect, it begins with a explanation of the needs of the school and how we can raise money from our various constituencies. And, yes, our school is worthy of support; that almost goes without saying.

"Listen" to one of the leaders of the biblical stewardship movement, Wes Willmer:

“Stewardship is God’s way of raising people, not man’s way of raising money.”
Wesley K. Willmer, God & Your Stuff (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2003), p. 9.

I need to hear this. You see, it's not so much the "what" of development and fundraising (auctions, appeals, golf outings, etc.), it's the "why" and "how" that is critical. Be sure that the Lord cares very much about how we "do" fundraising; it reveals so much about how we think about ourselves, the donors, and how God works in providing for our school.

For instance, when you think of ways to "close the gap", does your mind race to the people who have the most wealth, or the ones with the fanciest car? These are the people who SHOULD be willing to give because they have so much, right?

Some of these donors need to be "raised", but not just asked for a gift. Other donors are well on the path to living like they know the Provider, and they are naturally more generous. The approach we should employ is different for each, but it should always be with their spiritual growth in mind.

In these days when we are planning for the next school year, take some time to evaluate and pray about the essence of stewardship and how that is manifested in your actions.

Prayer and Practice: A Summer Stewardship Project

I have been blessed to meet many other Christian school administrators over the past decade. God has raised up godly and capable men and women who have much to contribute to their schools and local communities. They have taught me and supported me in growing into the position I hold in my school. I suspect many of you have done this for the "youngsters" who move into leadership roles.

Here is an idea to consider for this summer: find a "prayer and practice" friend with whom you can spend time.

Recently, I was approached by a long-time friend in Christian schooling to do some "visioning" together. He has lots of experience that is different than mine and I have some background that could be useful to him. In our first meeting we ranged over a number of issues and we were able to find a few areas where we could be helpful to each other. We agreed to come back together on a regular basis to discuss further how we could begin to enhance our respective schools.

How can you do this? Think of a person who you respect and who you could meet with on a regular basis. Summers are less structured times; we can think a little more creatively without the normal pressing schedules. Call and meet for coffee; a non-school venue is conducive to out-of-the-box thinking.

Lastly, pray with and for your friend asking the Lord to reveal His ideas to both of you. No need to worry about competition. There are plenty of students available if our parents get the big idea of Christian schooling.

Stewardship Can Begin at a Young Age

Like many middle-aged administrators I find myself behind the curve when it comes to the latest advances in technology. Telephone and email are my standard electronic modalities. The "smart phone" is a recent acquisition, but many of its features go unused.

However, I know that I must stay up with the times and take advantage of the constantly-improving technologies. My latest foray is to develop a social networking strategy to link up this blog with Advance Christian Schools so that we might be able to connect with and help more school leaders.

So, right under my nose, I find one of our own students who is very proficient with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. and I have asked him to share his abilities with me. Of course, he can set up the accounts and do the automatic links and feeds, but he started with me asking really good questions:

1. What is my passion and objective for this networking capability?


2. Who are the people I am trying to reach? What messages do I want them to receive?


3. What is my end goal or action I desire for these interactions?


4. What does success look like?

Wow! This interaction sounds a lot like the kind of questions we want our upperclassmen to be asking.

My young protege is unleashing his passion (social networking), using his provision (vast computer skills), and applying them to a Kingdom purpose (connecting and equipping leaders).

Look around your school and see if the Lord has placed a young gem right under your nose.

Secular Fundraising vs. Biblical Steward-raising

Scott Rodin and Gary Hoag have published a very valuable book The Sower, which trains us stewardship leaders. Here is a side-by-side comparison of three methods of seed sowing:

Secular Fundraising

• Leaders seek transactions: gifts to accomplish their organizations' purposes from donors who have financial resources.

Biblical Steward-raising

• Leaders seek transformation: to help others use the spiritual and material gifts entrusted to them to accomplish God's work.

Secular Fundraising:

• Leaders reinforce worldly thinking through strategies such as public donor recognition that may work culturally but be inconsistent biblically.

Biblical Steward-raising:

• Leaders help people discern between worldly thinking and godly thinking by modeling biblical stewardship principles.

Secular Fundraising

• "It's all about relationships!" The leader's goal is to build relationships with people that will result in many gifts over many years.

Biblical Steward-raising

• "It's all about the most important relationship!" The leader's goal is to draw people closer to God. As a result they will be more generously involved in God's work.

Praise the Lord that we can practice a distinctly Christian worldview, one that allows grows the giver in the walk with Christ and needing to be worried that our school will be underfunded.

If we focus on what God is calling us to do, He will provide resources He wants to come to us.

Developing Generosity in Givers

This morning my friend, Gary Hoag ( Generosity Monk ) gave me a pointed reminder from Peter Marshall: How much should I give?

“Give according to your income lest God make your income according to your giving.”
Peter Marshall (1940-2010), cf. 2 Corinthians 8:11-12. Quoted in Handbook for Christian Living by Charles F. Stanley (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), p. 551.”

As a stewardship officer I am asking people to respond to God's love through Christ's death by returning to him in proportion.

How do we give back to the One who gives Eternal Life? What does that mean in terms of giving the tithe and offerings?

On one hand I don't know where to begin; God owns it all and I owe Him everything. On the other hand, he only requires the tithe. So, we've narrowed down giving to somewhere between ten and a hundred percent.

So, how do we do define generosity? I have suggested giving past the point of pain and to the point of joy. Still kind of nebulous, right?

I know of a local person who increased his giving by five percent each year until he gave seventy five percent and used twenty five for himself.

Then there is R.G. LeTourneau, a famous manufacturer of earth-moving equipment who gave much more that he took in and established an excellent technical university in Texas.

How much is generous? I can't say, but you'll know it when you see it.

Malachi 3:10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Stewardship and Catching Vision

As I have been growing up in the development and stewardship world, I have heard some timeless sayings:

"People don't give to organizations; people give to people" "That's why development folk need to be winsome"

"People need to see the big picture and how their gift fits into the larger whole"

"People need a rational case in the mind to justify what their heart is urging them towards"

While these truisms are valuable, they don't fully take into consideration the passions of donors, nor do they make us allow for the work of the Holy Spirit in our efforts to advance or grow the school.

Last week I was meeting with a school parent and sharing with him a new three-to-five year initiative for the school. Throughout the presentation, which proposed funding for various parts of the school's strategic plan, I reminded him that these all subordinate to the Lord's plans for us.

I explained that we are not simply asking donors to agree with our plans to fund the school. We want to hear from God's people as to what He is putting on their hearts. So, as to timing and priority, we trust the Lord to tell us where He wants us and when.

This is not to say that we don't need any plans; we should and they should be well-thought out. We also need to be about catching the Lord's vision for our institution.

Some of that wisdom comes from hearing the hearts of the people who we are partnering with.

Knowing What We Don't Know

Proverbs 1:1-7


The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.


Throughout the scriptures we are taught to seek wisdom. Wisdom is a precursor and companion of knowledge and understanding, all of which is critical for life.

From Proverbs 2


My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.


The wisest people I know are the ones who are keenly aware of the fact that they have not "arrived" at wisdom. In fact, the more they learn and grow, the more they realize how much there is left to learn.


This attitude is so critical for us in leadership. We must have a healthy respect for what we do not know and then to seek wisdom and knowledge from those who will came alongside us.


This week I met such an individual, one who is well thought of and accomplished. However, he will not accept mediocrity and he fully acknowledges that other perspectives can and will help him improve his school in a way that he cannot by himself.


Praise the Lord for humility. If we can all realize that we do not have all of the answers and can agree that this declaration is not a sign of weakness, then our schools are poised to become premier institutions of redemptive grace.

The Generous Fundraiser

In the world of fundraising, it is presumed that we ourselves are generous with the blessings we have from God. After all, doesn't it make sense that we cannot ask for what we are not giving?

So, what does generosity look like in our lives? Here is a quick test that you get to grade and score yourself.

1. How am I doing with my financial giving? Am I giving in the same proportions of my income that I ask our donors to do?
2. How am doing in giving my talent? Have I offered to help another development or stewardship person any assistance, encouragement, or prayer?
3. What am doing with my time? Is my schedule so full that I cannot be "interrupted" with the needs or concerns of another? Do I take my precious time and think about who might need a good word?
4. Would others describe me as a generous person? Would they say I am effective and efficient, but not particularly loving?
5. Am I sharing my journey of becoming a generous giving in a way that invites others to join or does it come across like I have "arrived" and my donors just need to catch up?

I write this as I come under conviction for holding back. The Lord is gracious to forgive, but He also puts generous saints in my path who remind me that I have far to go.

Thank you Lord for your patience with me.