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.