A giving-driven organization exists to see specific things accomplished in the lives of the people it serves.
The only way to see real change accomplished in the lives of people is through a movement of God among people who will work and give.
Look in scripture. A fundamental change in people’s lives occurs, first and foremost, through a movement of God. God is present through people working and giving, where ‘working’ refers to employment or volunteering, and ‘giving’ refers to charitable contributions.
That’s it. That’s how change happens.
A dichotomy often exists, particularly in America, between doing ministry and raising money by growing giving, as two separate endeavors.
In our culture, it often feels more ministry-related to work with someone in the ministry field, which is exceptionally challenging for development leaders.
The Lord works through His people to bring resources, whether individuals are aware of His use of them or not. He outlines this in His Word. However, for many donors, the face-to-face aspects of ministry feel more like ministry than growing the giving.
Meet needs. Serve others. Feed people. Rescue those in danger. Walk alongside the hurting. Educate children. Lead souls to the Gospel.
This preference for up close ministry actually works against us who oversee fundraising.
Ultimately, gifts come from the Lord. Givers are going to give; that’s what givers do.
Cracks
There will always be some cracks in the foundation; put a light in the dark places, and you will start seeing your organization with fresh eyes.
Transactional giving, playing percentages with mailings and social media for exposure, an event-minded mentality, and being driven by guilt or dogma, as well as desperation giving, are all ways your ministry can harm itself.
None of these is necessarily wrong; they all work. That’s why people do them, but they grow a very, very weak foundation. Every organization does them to an extent, but they are cracks.
Illuminate these practices in your organization.
Stewardship
The choice between leading as a passive victim of external forces or as a wise steward is a given in development leadership.
External forces are always at work, some to your advantage and some to your disadvantage, but they are beyond your control. Always.
You are not called or equipped in your organization to make a significant impact on certain things.
In Psalm 131, David points out that some matters are too big, too great, too external for us: “I’ve quieted my soul like a weaned child, and I do not consider matters too great for me.”
Second, even though we have many things beyond our control, we have a profound level of control over our attention, time, money, energy, health, spiritual disciplines, and personal growth.
Highlight areas where you are in control.
A creative God creates us, so we can apply our creativity to improve in ways that mitigate or even overcome external forces as a sign of God’s grace to us.
We don’t have to live victimized. Say, “God, give me the creativity to see what You’re teaching me during this time, how You’re trying to change me and grow me.” When we can improve, we can actually mitigate work.
Gaps
Lastly, the gaps in our spiritual, emotional, and physical strength threaten to overwhelm us. God uses difficult times to His glory. He helps us see where we can still grow, and so those gaps begin to be felt.
God has always been and always will be about the business of shaping you and me into the image of Jesus Christ.
God can use difficult times to break away our own self-deceptions.
Gaps reveal opportunities for the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, to grow within us and then outward.
There will always be a gap, always room for growth, as we are still here and still persevering.
It’s okay to be struggling with all these gaps because seeing them clearly, shedding light into the darkness, is how we actually move forward beyond self-deception.
2 Peter 1:3-8 reads, “His defined power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence. For by these He granted to us His precious and magnificent promises so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world. Now for this very reason, also applying all diligence in your faith, apply moral excellence, in your moral excellence, knowledge, in your knowledge, self-control, in your self-control, perseverance, in your perseverance, godliness, in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Activation
If you do not shine a light on the dark places in your life as a leader and expose the cracks in your organization, then you will not be able to do this. You’re simply not.
You’re not going to pick up the phone. You won’t be as intense. You won’t be clear, and you won’t follow through or follow up.
Keep the main thing, the main thing.
Stay strong or get stronger.
Have an action plan with longer-term strategic priorities that you want to continue advancing.
Are you stuck on your action plan? Get unstuck by using these questions.
- What priorities are we using to navigate all this?
- What have we already done–adjusted, changed, shifted, scaled back, reset, adapted, stopped, reduced, strengthened, sharpened, or innovated?
- What are the year’s accomplishments?
- What successes and support have we already seen?
- What are we working on next?
We don’t know the future.
We know that to prepare, plan, hope, and position ourselves for what’s next in God’s plan, we must focus on winning back donors this year.
Retain and regain.
Once you have a clear, two-page action plan, you’re ready to approach previous donors and ask if they would consider making an immediate gift to support it or give to a specific project.
The giving community that moves your ministry forward is a growing number of individuals with whom you have built trust and moved to action.
Retain.
Regain.
Keep moving forward.
I would love to encourage you along the way as you start to implement some of these best practices. Let’s connect via text!