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,

A Journal devoted to Stewardship!

The Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS) has published its spring issue which is dedicated to biblical stewardship. The leadership asked six of us plus the Executive Director talked about the topic in his lead article.

Please read one and see the amazing consistency between us in our desire to please God first in how we go about our work.

The link is below. Even though these essays are written by and for schools, the principles are valid for anyone in Christian ministry.

Let me know what you think!

http://www.accsedu.org/files/2012%20CLASSIS/2012%20Spring%20Classis%20%28online%29.pdf

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Students Learn the Joy of Serving Others

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

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

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

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

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

Being a Good Steward vs. Doing Stewardship

Philippians 2:1-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christian Stewardship and the Expectant Heart

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

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

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

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

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

Eph. 3:20-21

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

Being Good Stewards of Opportunities

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

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

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

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

What are the blessings from this interaction?

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

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

Look for these - your phone is about to ring!

Partnering with our "competitors"

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Christian schools have a wonderful opportunity to work together to advance and promote Christian education. Rather than see each other as competitors for a finite number of students, these cooperative schools see each other as partners in communicating the message that a Christian worldview is imperative for our children.

How can schools band together in these joint efforts and what does this have to do with stewardship? The answer to the second question first. When schools come together with one unified voice they save resources (time, talent, and money) as each one contributes to a larger effort. In my role with www.DiscoverChristianSchools.com I am working with 15 schools in the Twin Cities area for a November event. The evening is called Christian Education: A Real Choice for You and is a tribute to the organizers for their willingness to work together to speak to parents.

In this way the schools are being good stewards of their resources; one handles the advertising, another gets the venue, another lines up the speakers. and so on.

In order to partner together schools (and other like ministries for that matter) need to realize that we are not the only solution to a problem, but that the Lord purposes each of our schools with a special mission. Also, we must realize that there are plenty of potential students if we do our job to "raise the level of the pond" so that all boats (schools) float higher.

In short, partnering requires humility that reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

Development versus Stewardship

Is there a difference between development and stewardship, or is it just semantics?

Development, as it is practiced, focuses on a financial transaction. In other words, we "develop" sources of funds of gifts. Development may imply that it is a process. First, someone is introduced to the school or ministry and they (may) begin as smaller donors and then work up to becoming major donors or ones that name the ministry in their will or estate planning.

Stewardship, as the Bible describes it, is the wise use of our time, talent, and treasure. Isn't stewardship, then, just an expanded definition of giving? Isn't it just saying that that you can give your time and talents if you don't have extra money to contribute?

I would say that the practice of stewardship involves more than assessing the ability to give and then "spending" out of the excess.

Let's try this. What if we (in the business) loved our donors enough to stop long enough to hear their heart? What if we provided a space for them to express their passions for Kingdom work and how they could express their love for Christ if current resources were no object?

What if we asked donors to take an inventory of their God-given gifts, talent and other resources? In this way, we are participating in "whole life" stewardship, not only the spending of financial assets.

Lastly, what if we helped make the connections between their God-placed passions and God-given provisions to accomplish Kingdom purposes. Some of those purposes may actually fall to our school or ministry. If they come to us, that is great. If not, then another ministry is blessed.

The practice of stewardship doesn't necessarily involve raising lots of money. But, don't be surprised if the Lord releases amazing funds when we do our work His way!

Stewardship training begins with the Young

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

These commandments (love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength) that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

I would admit that these instructions are primarily written for parents and home life, but since many parents partner with us (Christian schools), the admonition is for schools folks as well.

We can and should teach stewardship to our children. As parents we teach by example the joy of obedience to give our tithe to the local church. We teach giving generously when we contribute or volunteer to other worthwhile causes.

In the school, we can also teach stewardship. We can (as is done in my school) have the upper school students participate in keeping the building clean and neat. The activities of collecting trash and vacuuming remind our young people that stewardship is the "care of" of what God has entrusted to us. The cleaning is not punishment, but training in the basics that we all need.

This platform allows us to move into the stewardship of time, talent and treasure God has given. It is where we can teach money management and generosity from a Biblical perspective. That way, our children become generous young people, people who understand that everything we have has been given by God for His glory and our good.

Learning stewardship before we have so much money - that's a concept worth considering!

Stewardship - A Case Study

Malachi 3:10-12

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.

I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty.

My stewardship model / motto is: Helping connect the PASSIONS of God's people with His PROVISIONS for Kingdom PURPOSES. These three P's help me focus and they help me communicate how the Lord is directing me in biblical stewardship.

This past week I had the opportunity to see the process work again:

A donor-friend calls and tells me that his school teacher friend has this wonderful collection of classic resource books for early elementary students. He knows of my work in my new school and gives me their contact information.

I call and make an appointment to have them meet me at the school later in the week. The visit went great, the couple was impressed with our school and decided to bless us with all 1,100 volumes. Our school probably doubled the collection for these grades. The donors were pleased to see their collection received and used. I even received a thank-you note from the donors! This is the "bi-lateral" blessing - when both the giver and receiver are blessed by the gift.

Lessons for the stewardship officer:

1. Good friends (like the one who called me) are precious gems
2. We must keep talking about the value (and beauty) of non-cash gifts
3. Often the best gifts come at times when we least expect them - be on the lookout for them
4. When PASSIONS connect with PROVISION amazing things can happen
5. Remember to follow through - my interactions with these new donors are just beginning; we want to have them come back to read aloud to the students and let them see the other aspects of our education enterprise

The Lord says "test me". With expectation, pray that the Lord makes us available for those unplanned blessings.

A "Stewardship Trajectory"

Matthew 19:27-29

Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?' Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.'

When I think of the legacy question, there are three specific questions that come to my mind:

1. What will I be known for in this life and the next?
2. What am I leaving behind?
3. What am I looking forward to?

Considering these questions can be helpful to us as we consider short and long-term decisions about our time, talent and treasure.

For example, when we don't have anything planned at a particular moment, maybe we should ask, "Who could use a blessing?" Thinking about others and their needs takes the focus off of us and it sets up an opportunity to be blessed by others as we use our gifts (maybe time and talent).

So, are you (we) known for extending Christian love to others? Do we have the reputation of being more concerned about the relationships and giving blessings than of accumulating wealth?

Being "heaven minded" causes us to think about God's desires and His Kingdom before we think of our own comfort.

Eternal life is that future state of glory that Jesus came to secure for all who would believe. We should look forward to it and be less concerned about maximizing our own glory here on this earth. That's the longer-term view that puts on the "stewardship trajectory", or a path managing all that God has given us for His glory.

Keep the future state in mind provides a template for making the right decisions today.

Holiness leads to stewardship

2 Peter 2:9-12

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

We are called to holiness (to become Holy- 1 Pe 1:16) through grace the Lord has given us in Christ. This conversion (called sanctification) process is "powered" by the Holy Spirit who refines our thinking by conforming our will into His Will. In doing so, we put off the "old man" and put on the new man, who is Jesus Christ, our Savior.

The passage from 2 Peter calls us out of the day to day and to live differently, "to abstain from sinful desires...Live such good lives among the pagans that...they may see your good deeds and glorify God..."

Biblical stewardship is counter-cultural. The culture we live in says, "You earned it - it's yours - go out and enjoy it". In contrast, biblical stewardship declares that we own nothing, but are caretakers of what God has given us to manage. Biblical stewardship says that we are to keep the Gospel in our minds as we use our resources (time, talent, and treasure). Others may see this and glorify God on the day He visits - evangelism is in view.

As sons of God with an eternal inheritance (heaven) we are to model "otherness" as we are becoming holy. As it relates to those who disciple others, we have the privilege of making connections for people and showing them them that giving is the model that Jesus gave us; the One who gave His very life for us. We may not be called to called to sacrifice our lives for another, however, we can sacrifice some temporal pleasures in favor of Kingdom expansion.

Let us think of holiness in this light; one who has his eyes on the prize of heaven such that the trappings of this earth are not weighing us down.

Re-thinking the Appeal Letter

1 Th. 5:11

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Appeal letters are an important aspect of the school's regular communication. They serve to help the donors understand the condition of the school and to see how they can support the work.

Sometimes the letters are not letters at all, they are appeals within a newsletter or some other publication of the school.

Either way, it is an important communication that merits tremendous thought and prayer ans we conceive them and send them out.

Too many schools send out desperate request for funds, warning readers of the dire results if we don't make a contribution and soon. Indeed, there are times when the urgent appeal is necessary, but these cannot be the regular approach to our partners. It is like the boy who cried "wolf"; we'll be ignored after awhile.

As we write these one-way communications, there are some things we need to keep in mind:

1. We are Christian ministries who depend on prayer and provisions of the Lord for our existence
2. We serve at His pleasure for His purposes; we do not exist for our own good
3. We must talk about the consequences of our work, the Christian worldview and how that manifests itself in the lives of young people who will be used as "change agents" for Christ
4. Donor/friends should be invited in to participate with the school in its Kingdom work and to do so as they respond to God's call on their lives to be good stewards of their blessings
5. We must be transparent in our financial status so that trust can be established. It may mean that we need an eternal validation of financial integrity, like the ECFA mark
6. Lastly, keep in mind that neither the school, not the donor are the center of this communication; it is the Gospel and its transformational work in lives

As we plan and write these communications over the next several months, you may want to have them read by some friends who will give you honest feedback when you ask the question,

"Did this encourage you in you walk the King?"

No Competition in the Kingdom

In ECFA's Focus on Accountability newsletter (2nd Qtr. 2009) Shelley Cochrane lays out the case for why we should not be striving to improve our ministry resources at the expense of other Kingdom enterprises.

See the entire article here http://www.ecfa.org/HomePage.aspx

Here is the shorthand version of Shelley's writing:

1. Shortage of resources - "...the issue of competition is only a symptom of a much greater problem. Competition in the kingdom exposes the fact that Christians falsely believe that resources are finite and inherently limited".
2. A God-centric model - "There is no evidence in God's word to indicate that God encourages competition to improve performance and motivation. A god-centric model is not based on a finite, closed system that encourages competition, but rather on the nature of God Himself. God is never confined to limitation of time and space."
3. The Human Element: Faith in God's Supply - "God created people with the ability to learn and think and act. Very often accomplishes His will by enabling men and women to exercise their gifts and abilities to produce good results."
4. So what does biblical stewardship look like? - "God resources what He initiates, and great care must be given to discerning the mind of Christ before creating an agenda that requires funding...When the believer crosses the line from fixating on the tangible to relinquishing himself into the hands of a fearsome God, this desperate dependence is the substance of faith."
5. Collaboration not Competition - "Whether the structural competition that has crept into our ministries is accidental or intentional, a choice must be made. Every single servant of God must choose: Either God is abundantly able to meet every need according to His riches in Christ Jesus or there is a shrinking pie of resources and each ministry must get a piece before it's gone." Shelley goes on describe how we fundraisers can help others to be generous toward God. This can only come if we believe everything we are telling the donor.

There is also a collaboration that can (and should) happen between ministries. This cooperation is not just exchanging ideas (tips, tricks and techniques), but sharing stories of transformation that the Lord Himself orchestrates; He just lets us be used in the process.

Lastly, what a testimony we can have when we demonstrate love and appreciation for each other's kingdom work. Non-Christian can look at that see how we love and care for each other.

More Gospel grace in action!