Thursday, January 31, 2013

Walking Together


In the book Western Christians in Global Missions, I have found a lot of good teaching.  In these next few posts I will pass some of these thoughts along.  However a better way for you to get this info may be to just get the book yourself.

The author, Paul Borthwick in one chapter asks a Ugandan pastor what the role of the North American is in missions.  The pastor’s answer, for me went far deeper than our role in missions.  The pastor said we should be like to two men on the road to Emmaus. We should travel together.  “What need to seek out are those whom the Lord may want to travel with.”  Borthwick ask the question. “Are we walking together?” (page 159)

Great question for missions.  Great question for being a witness. Great question for your church.  Great question for fund raising.

In Transformational Giving our giving and our receiving ought to be a journey.  And it should not be done alone.  You see transactional giving is very independent.  I gain what I need and then I go on my way to do my thing and you can go your way and do your thing.  However if giving is transforming, going my own way alone is not an option.  We take the journey together.

With this thinking in mind the request to be funded is far more than money. It is a request to take the journey together.  (This means for those who give a onetime gift we are done.  It is just the first step in what should become a journey.) The destination of the journey is not to get my ministry funded or to feed the poor, or even to save the lost.  The destination is Christ.  We are to walk together in following Christ.  If we follow Christ together we will see the lost brought to Christ, we will see the hungry fed, the sick will meet the Healer, and we will see ministry budgets met.

As you raise funds, perhaps it will change your thinking and the thinking of the listener, to approach the need as a journey.  Help them see who you are following.  Communicate that he journey is not designed for you or them to walk alone.  Seek for those whom the Lord calls to walk with you.