One Size Does NOT Fit All

The last three post we did a flyby of the three levels we can disciple donors/champions in the cause. We have champions who are at the Participation level, Engagement level and Owner level. Now as we think of the champions in these levels of their journey, we begin to see that our communication cannot afford to be a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Think about the champion who is an owner of the work. They assist in funding, they rally people for prayer and even get others to go on a team or volunteer. Now think of the newest members of your support team. They are just learning the ropes of what is means to be mission active. The idea of being involved on a regular basis is still churning in their mind. Should these two types of champions receive the same communication? Not if the communication is speaking into their need not your need.

TG is about the need of the team member and equipping them for the journey. Most champions are in one of these three levels of activity. The time has come to write communication in at least two, if not three different ways. One letter needs to target the “P” level champion with challenges for them. The second letter could be a letter combined to target the “E” and “O” level champions. This letter is more involved and shares deeper aspects of the ministry and how the champion can continue to be an impact.

Each communication needs to incorporate a challenge. Certainly the challenge to the “E’s” and “O’s” would be different from the challenge to the “P’s”. A good starting point to move your fund-raising into a transformational giving focus is to divide your champions according to their level of activity and then target your communication accordingly. This then reflects the champions need and where they may be in their journey. Now you become a part of their growth in the team and thus we see the discipleship of giving impacted.

The days of one mass newsletter to all level champions, ie. one size fits all, needs to be a strategy of the past.

Moving Forward - Part 3 of 3

This is the final stage in moving champions forward. We have identified two levels already: Participate, and Engaged. This step is the Ownership level or the “O”.
To disciple a champion to this level it is the process of helping the champion become the owner of mobilizing others for the cause within their sphere of influence.

A champion is an owner when the following happen:
• Transfer cause to others
• Provide tools for others in working in the cause
• Reproducing yourself in others ie. Getting non active Christians to participate.
• This is a transfer of cause, not legal transfer

The moving forward is not linear movement. Rather it is circular in that the Owner brings in others to the Participant level of the cause and as they move deeper the cycle reproduces itself and the cause grows.

The Owner no longer waits on the agency or institution to move them forward. They move themselves and take the responsibility to move others in their sphere of influence. Reproducing becomes key at this level. Thus making empowerment one of your major tools in the journey you have with the “O’s”.

Moving Forward - Part 2

The blog post from August 31 spoke about moving champions forward in their spiritual journey. Giving is part of this journey and we are looking at three parts of moving forward in the discipleship journey.
Today we move from the PARTICIPANT level to the ENGAGED or “E” level.

Here is an overview of the “E” level
• Effort goes beyond short-term project
• Work grows from short-term to long-term commitment
• Awareness gets beyond event focus and becomes cause focused

Here are some examples of moving from “P” to “E”.
• One time giver sees the need to be a recurring giver.
• Children’s Sunday school teacher sees the role she plays in the youth ministry and parents’ lives, in fact the teacher sees the role in the life of the Church not just the kids.
• A work team member who may support and assist in completing one project then gets the ‘aha’ moment and asks, “What’s next?”

Moving from “P” to “E” is really that ‘aha moment’ when we see the big cause and the regular activity required to move the cause forward. An institution without champions involved at the “E” level may potentially always be in ‘crisis’ mode. Meaning you could always be giving desperate appeals to the onetime donors to do it again, or always pleading for volunteers to help one more time.

The “E’s” get it. They realize the need for long-term giving and service. They see that it is their spiritual role not to be part-time players but to join the cause to see His Kingdom move forward.

But let’s keep in mind principle # 9 in Transformational Giving. Principle #9 is “Giving is learned not latent”. This is also true for champions moving forward. The one time giver or short-term volunteer may not see the need to do more without being discipled. For example many folks go on one mission trip and think they have met their ‘quota’ for the Great Commission. So a role your institution needs to take is developing a strategy to help the “P” see the need to grow in their journey. This needs to be intentional on your part. What are things can you do to help the “P” get the big picture and become an “E”? Most won’t make this move without help.