Learning Lessons in Fundraising- Saying No is Okay

Hi! This post is brought to you by Lesley- the 'feel-er' of the family. I want to apologize upfront for this post. The latter half of this post is my feelings and I am 100% transparent, which is scary. But I am ‘Keepin’ it real.’ So here I go. 

Fundraising isn't for wimps or the faint of heart. It is an existential journey into the life of the believer. Since this is what the last 6 months has been in our life, it has become an education to what drives a believer and reveals other qualities as well. Fundraising is hard because you now become the person to avoid in social circles with some people. And that just stinks- from the person who thrives on social interaction. I don't want to be that person. But more on that toward the end of this entry...

When we began this journey, we delved into the realm of fundraising education, reading books, talking with fundraising experts, breathing in everything we could on the topic. One Fundraising movement out there that we immersed ourselves in is the “God Ask,” Steve Shadrach (http://supportraisingsolutions.org/ ) Fundraising Bootcamp Ministry. The underlying thread of the whole fundraising movement is that all that God gives the Christian is under His authority. It is not ‘our’ money, or possessions, or time, or talent, it is God that has given to each of us for a specific reason- we are to steward- to bless the nations. (see Gen. 12), and not necessarily for ourselves to squirrel away for our own benefit. So when we ask other Christians in a very sound, biblical way to fund ‘God’s’ ministry, it is the Christian that prays and petitions the Lord for how the Lord wants His money spent. (1 Chronicles 29:14).  

This is indeed freeing for us. When a believer comes back with, ‘we prayed about this for days, and God has told us ‘no’ or ‘yes’ For us, it is a God answer. And it takes any emotion out of it for us, emphasizing God’s will and taking any personal feelings of rejection out of it. A social person's dream!

We have seen God’s people sacrificially give of their time, their selves and their resources to our local church, fellow missionaries and to us. Oh, to have more Christians pray over bonuses, income revenue, and their paychecks for GOD’s Mission – for HIM! I have seen selfless- sacrificing Christians go halfway around the world on their vacation, come back with malaria, just to encourage a missionary that is reaching a lost people group and to help build a school for HIM. And it is humbling, God-inspiring, and Awesome! There are people out there willing to give till it hurts for God’s mission and I am grateful for THIS body of Christ. I have seen these Christ followers give to the point that it hurts, and there is a sacrifice to GOD and it is glorious, and a beautiful fragrant offering!- But for every Christ follower that lives in such tune with God’s heart, is the encounter with the Christ follower who doesn't get it.  Some that grew up in churches that outsourced the Great Commission and separated missions into a category instead of living a Christ lifestyle that the New Testament speaks of, and it breaks my heart. I am keeping it real.

The gap between the New Testament Christian and many today’s Christian are miles apart. We live in one of the most affluent areas in the world, surrounded by comforts of any kind. If we are in pain, there is a cure. If we need to fix a discomfort, we can get it now. And Satan has done the best job inoculating us from ever stepping outside this comfort zone- to even seek Him in prayer to find out what God wants and leave the comfortable. One of the best lines in the movie, “God’s Not Dead,” (although there were many) - was this one:

 Mina's Mother: Sometimes the devil allows people to live a life free of trouble because he doesn't want them turning to God. Their sin is like a jail cell, except it is all nice and comfy and there doesn't seem to be any reason to leave. The door's wide open. Till one day, time runs out, and the cell door slams shut, and suddenly it's too late.

The last observation I have is what I call the" Duck and Run" that has affected us, (well, me really) personally- that we have witnessed and felt. Recently, we saw a couple that we really love and fellowship with, out in the community. She didn't think I saw her, but as soon as she spotted us, she grabbed her husband’s arm and literally ran around the corner, away from us- intentionally. This is the same couple that cancelled a meeting to hear what God is doing in our lives, won’t answer phone calls or return emails. Seriously people, it is okay to say no! But it is hurtful to dodge us like we have the plague.  We truly believe God has a plan for HIS money and HE will guide those to give- but pray about it. It is between you and the Lord. We don’t want you meeting, or giving if it is not the Lord’s will, but I have a feeling that when people run, dodge and avoid, they have not consulted God and felt the peace of saying ‘no.’ Just say 'No,' but don't run for cover- that is the part that hurts. Especially to this 'feel-er' and social creature. And that is a hard lesson to learn with fundraising for God's Mission in our lives.

While that was about the ‘no,’ we have been blessed beyond belief with those that sought out God in prayer and have said ‘YES.’ I know that God is alive and working in our fundraising time as we are almost funded- (We do need a few more partnerships) -this is a season in my life. Soon we will be on the mission field doing God’s work that He called us to do. As of right now we have been concentrating on raising funds which is the first step to getting to the field. But fundraising will always be an issue- just like in the New Testament- that we have to pray about, be active in, and is the sustaining force of God’s ministry in our lives. So it is not over- But please know there is freedom for both parties when God says, 'No,' or says 'Yes.' Thanks for sticking with me in this very long, transparent post.

I want to leave you with this. It is an article by John Zumwalt who is a missionary. He has been on the field for most of his life. It is a good article so read it. I am praying for you. That all you have- is of the Lord’s and that you pray and ask God what you are to do with it today for HIS Kingdom and Glory and that we obey God in giving sacrificially to HIM where He leads, whatever that may be.

Biting The Hand That Feeds Me

Author: 

John Willis Zumwalt

There are many who don't like to hear preachers or missionaries talk about money. I am one of those. If you're like me, then you may want to skip reading this, because it isn't going to be pretty.
Don't worry, you're not alone, Jesus even turned some people off when He started talking about money. Remember that really rich, young lawyer?
It is always dangerous for people in missions to speak of money. It is far safer to stay with other issues. But frankly I can't, for in our giving, the gap between New Testament Christianity and our American model is exaggerated. Let's look at some examples . . .
Mission agencies do their best to devise schemes and programs that will not challenge our worship of mammon. How many fundraising plans have been launched that convince you that giving can be painless and easy? "A dime a day keeps John in Paraguay," the poster reads. "With our spare change we will win the world to Jesus." If we in the missions relm avoid offense and make it easy for people to give, we will get more nickel and diming the world to Christ than if we challenge people to dig deep and give, even though it hurts.
Biblical giving isn't painless and discretionary. It is sacrificial. It costs us something. Yet most of our giving is from our excess. It costs us nothing. The IRS even rewards us for our charitable giving, allowing us to pay less taxes up to a certain amount. I am always amazed that people are rarely generous beyond what they can deduct. I recently heard of a church that can automatically withdraw your offering from your account, without having to bother you at all. It doesn't get much more painless than that.
Must giving hurt? Yes. It must cost us something; it must be a sacrifice. Hear the words of David in I Samuel 24:24, "I will not burn offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing." And neither should we.
Another disturbing trend is the idea that after I am dead and gone, then I will be really generous and give everything to some great mission agency. God asks us to be generous now with what we have now. It's as though we're saying, "Lord, I have taken the talent you gave me and intend upon my death to will it to the needy." We are really saying, "When I have no more need of it, then sure, I will let it be used for Christ and His Kingdom." That is the ultimate painless gift.
You are not responsible for the lost of prior generations who did not hear of Jesus, nor are you responsible for those who are yet to come. We are each responsible for the billions who today have no way of hearing about Jesus without some radical intervention of Christ's servants. When we refuse to acknowledge the need of the unreached and leave it for after our death, we condemn our generation to hell. Your saving of your treasure for tomorrow's generation sends this living generation to eternity without Jesus.
I made a jump. Is the proclamation of the gospel among the unreached dependent upon your dollars? Not entirely. But to act like there is no connection is wishfully ignorant. "How will they hear unless there is a preacher, and how will they preach unless they are sent?" And how will they be sent without your dollars? Our lack of sacrificial giving is one of the key reasons that untold millions remain untold.
The task to which Jesus calls us is not going to be finished through painless giving. So long as we are not sacrificial in our giving, not willing to become poor that they might become rich, they will never know Jesus. The gap between the primitive church and our "enlightened" age has never been more extreme.
Jesus is clear. He says, "Do not store up treasures for yourself on earth" (Mt. 6:9, Lk 12:20-21).
Somehow I think Jesus is still in His temple watching the offering plate. I wonder if He would categorize our giving as the widow's mite, given in poverty, yet given as a joyful sacrifice or like the rich people's offerings, given painlessly. And if He asked us to sell it all and give the money away, would we, like the rich young ruler, turn and walk away?