In college I had a friend with a Volvo. Honestly, it was an ugly car, but his parents got it for him because it was the safest. Personally I would rather have a sports car than a safe car. Sports cars are good looking, safe cars, well, are not. Why does safe have to be ugly? I want both safe and good looking.
TG is both. It is good looking and safety approved. Let me explain.
What happens to giving when the economy crashes? We assume giving crashes too. But does it have to?
What if the champion’s giving is because they see the outreach as his or her own and not yours? For example let’s say the champion sees feeding the homeless as her own responsibility not the local rescue mission’s responsibility. The champion needs the local rescue mission to get the meals out, after all not many homes are equipped to feed a few hundred people a day. But the drive of the ministry is as much the champion’s as it is the rescue mission.
Therefore when the economy crashes the champion keeps giving because it is his call, her ministry. The ministry is a part of who they are because of what God does in the champion’s life through obedience. It is seen as the champion as a shared ministry.
When giving is a result of shared ministry it transforms the champion as much, if not more than the agency, mission, church etc. This is the ‘good looking’ part of TG. So when a champion is looking for a giving model to test drive, TG catches his eye like the sports car catches my eye. But TG is also safe in that it depends on God and His provision and is not dependent on the stock market or external economic influence.
TG is safety tested, because it works regardless. Multiple stories are out there of champions who give even in tough times not because the giving is done out of a disposable income, but because it is done in obedience to God. This is why it is important to build your giving on TG and why TG needs taught.
Eric Foley calls this ‘recession proof’ giving. I like that. My bank cannot even offer recession proof guarantees.
Showing posts with label self-denial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-denial. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
All Can Give
Giving is such a huge part of who God is. Nothing reveals this more than Christmas. So isn’t it interesting that so few who call themselves Christians give as Christ asked us to give.
I was in a church that apologized for taking an offering. Another asked guest not to give. I know their intent is in the right place because many outside the church see those inside the church as only after their money. But look at this through discipleship eyes. Since giving is being Christlike, and this is part of discipleship, it is like saying, “We do not want our visitors to reflect Christ this week, wait until you get to know us better before you decide to reflect Christ by giving.”
Everyone can give. In fact in the world of missionary outreach we face real issues when a culture feels they are ‘exempt’ from giving because they do not have enough. Watch this video and then tell me some people just do not have enough to give.
The church in the video from Mizoram, India was described by the pastor in the video as the poorest of the poor. But as a result of the “Handful of Rice” a church emerged and now raised $1,500,000 for outreach. They send missionaries all over the world. Their gift has changed the world for Christ.
Giving is a huge part of who Christ is. You want to be like Christ, then give. Teach this. Live this.
(For a good book on the fact that everyone in Christ has something to give, read When Helping Hurts. A must read for all ministries.)
I was in a church that apologized for taking an offering. Another asked guest not to give. I know their intent is in the right place because many outside the church see those inside the church as only after their money. But look at this through discipleship eyes. Since giving is being Christlike, and this is part of discipleship, it is like saying, “We do not want our visitors to reflect Christ this week, wait until you get to know us better before you decide to reflect Christ by giving.”
Everyone can give. In fact in the world of missionary outreach we face real issues when a culture feels they are ‘exempt’ from giving because they do not have enough. Watch this video and then tell me some people just do not have enough to give.
The church in the video from Mizoram, India was described by the pastor in the video as the poorest of the poor. But as a result of the “Handful of Rice” a church emerged and now raised $1,500,000 for outreach. They send missionaries all over the world. Their gift has changed the world for Christ.
Giving is a huge part of who Christ is. You want to be like Christ, then give. Teach this. Live this.
(For a good book on the fact that everyone in Christ has something to give, read When Helping Hurts. A must read for all ministries.)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Practice what we preach?
As those who work with helping mobilize the Church to give, we must always be willing to practice what we preach. Are we givers? Are we good stewards? These questions need to be answered and not just personally, but as a local church, mission agency, relief agency etc. In other words, are the instiutions we serve good stewards and givers.
Do we give back or are we always receiving? Does your church give to missions, local groups whatever? Does your agency give to help others, or is it all just receiving?
Hear what Ravi Zacharias says in his book, The Grand Weaver. He has a small but power section on giving in the chapter titled Your Worship Matters (pgs 148-149). But this one quote from that section needs to be heard by all who raise funds.
We should not teach Transformational Giving if we are not helping our ministry lead the way in giving. Zacharias is right about more and more spending weakens our message. The Church spends far too much on itself before addressing the needs around us. The good news is, every time I hear a testimony that reflects a body of believers who does not fall into this category, I see a thriving outreach for God.
It would be a blessing for us to hear more testimonies of institutions and churches who lead the way in giving. If you have one, by all means post it here for the readers.
Do we give back or are we always receiving? Does your church give to missions, local groups whatever? Does your agency give to help others, or is it all just receiving?
Hear what Ravi Zacharias says in his book, The Grand Weaver. He has a small but power section on giving in the chapter titled Your Worship Matters (pgs 148-149). But this one quote from that section needs to be heard by all who raise funds.
“Spending more and more on ourselves and giving less and less to the world in need may be the very reason few take our mission seriously.”
We should not teach Transformational Giving if we are not helping our ministry lead the way in giving. Zacharias is right about more and more spending weakens our message. The Church spends far too much on itself before addressing the needs around us. The good news is, every time I hear a testimony that reflects a body of believers who does not fall into this category, I see a thriving outreach for God.
It would be a blessing for us to hear more testimonies of institutions and churches who lead the way in giving. If you have one, by all means post it here for the readers.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
It's Really Not About Me
In Christian teaching we focus on the fact that it is not about us. The core of Christianity is self-denial. But somewhere between learning this truth and our fund-raising presentations we forget the fact that it is not about us. So our fund raising presentations are usually all about us.
This sounds harsh and you may say, “I focus on what God is doing.” This may be true but is this focus about what God is doing through YOU?
If fund raising is to get beyond just getting dollars and to become transformational, we need the focus where it belongs. Check out this entry sent to me by a fellow missionary/fund-raiser who is doing great TG research.
http://www.futurefundraisingnow.com/future-fundraising/2011/05/your-elevator-speech-doesnt-go-to-the-top-floor.html
This blog entry is great about being sure the focus is not just about us. I love the example he uses about how his group makes it possible for generous people to get involved.
As Christians we can take this lesson one step further. We can help the listener see how our ministry is not about ourselves but about the spiritual discipline we all must be a part of and that is generosity. One mark of spiritual maturity is generosity. The reason this is a mark of maturity is because it reflects our faith in God to be the Provider. When faith is big, giving gets big as well.
If our fund-raising is only focused on us, we may never get past us to them, and ultimately to the Provider.
This sounds harsh and you may say, “I focus on what God is doing.” This may be true but is this focus about what God is doing through YOU?
If fund raising is to get beyond just getting dollars and to become transformational, we need the focus where it belongs. Check out this entry sent to me by a fellow missionary/fund-raiser who is doing great TG research.
http://www.futurefundraisingnow.com/future-fundraising/2011/05/your-elevator-speech-doesnt-go-to-the-top-floor.html
This blog entry is great about being sure the focus is not just about us. I love the example he uses about how his group makes it possible for generous people to get involved.
As Christians we can take this lesson one step further. We can help the listener see how our ministry is not about ourselves but about the spiritual discipline we all must be a part of and that is generosity. One mark of spiritual maturity is generosity. The reason this is a mark of maturity is because it reflects our faith in God to be the Provider. When faith is big, giving gets big as well.
If our fund-raising is only focused on us, we may never get past us to them, and ultimately to the Provider.
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