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.
