Mid-Year Check Up and Prescription

Here we are in the middle of the summer.  For many of us, it is a time to plan and to take strategic steps as we get ready to re-launch the regular activities for the fall.  Here are two ideas:

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP CHECK-UP

“An annual stewardship “check up” is a great way to stay in shape as a good steward. Questions for this checkup might include: How is God’s grace present in your life? How is God blessing you? How are you responding? How are you taking responsibility for the ways in which you live your life? In what ways are you going beyond yourself in service? How have you experienced God’s presence as you served others this year? In what ways will you challenge yourself this coming year to reach out to someone in need? How are you offering yourself in generous response to the lavish gift of Christ’s love?”

Leisa Anslinger and Victoria Shepp in Forming Generous Hearts: Stewardship Planning for Lifelong Faith Formation (New London, CT: Twenty Third Publications) p. 103-104.

MAKE SOME NEW FRIENDS AND CHECK UP ON THE OLD ONES

This is a great time to connect with those you might not see during the school year.  You can have relaxed conversations as you share what God is doing in the school.  As always, we should listen to hear what they like (or love) about the school and how they connect to the mission.  We can always ask if they feel comfortable recommending the school to a potential new parent or someone else who might have an interest in education.  If you have an introductory tour of the school, make sure you hand out cards with the dates and times.  These visits are great for soliciting ambassadors for the school.  If possible, go to them in person.  We need to leave our comfortable desk and meeting them where they are conveys honor and value,

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.

Fundraising and Donor Conversations

Much of our fundraising work takes the form of broad communications like appeal letters and email blasts; the authors of The Sower call crop dusting. These forms have their place in providing basic information and a compelling story or "case" for supporting the school, but they do not engage donors at a personal level.

When we get (better yet, make) the opportunity to speak with donors in person we can approach them with intentionality as we share the work of the school.

Gary Hoag uses 5 P's to remember the purpose of the visit:

1. Person - Learn about who they are, 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 our ministry in the school.

4. Participation - Share how stewards participate in Kingdom work.

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

I would add that we, too, should pray that the donor has the courage to earnestly seek God's plan for their time, talent, and treasure. We could even ask permission to follow up with them to see how they are doing in their communion with the Lord about these important issues.

During these discussions we must be on guard to check our own motives to be sure we do not slip into manipulation. There is plenty of residual sin in me that this is a constant battle, "Am I really and truly interested in the spiritual well-being of the donor?"

Practicing these conversations helps us to see that growing generous stewards is a long process, and it must begin with each of us. Would others characterize us as generous or thankful as demonstrated by how we return to the Lord the blessings with which He blesses us?

Lastly, while we can and should be winsome and articulate, we cannot do the heart work of convicting; that is the Holy Spirit's alone.

Anatomy of an Appeal Letter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Joy of Used Computers!

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

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

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

Here are some thoughts from a call I received recently:

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

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

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

Being Good Stewards of Opportunities

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

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

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

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

What are the blessings from this interaction?

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

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

Look for these - your phone is about to ring!