Ever wonder why God bothers with us being givers when “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills”? I mean really, if God had the desire to dump a billion dollars in your ministry’s bank account He could. But He doesn’t. Instead, pastors teach on giving, we take up offerings, relief agencies send direct mail and missionaries travel the countryside raising funds. Why all the bother?
Because it is not about the money. Giving is about relationships. But not just about the relationship you’re thinking. It is taught in ‘fund raising 101’ giving is about relationships “Giving comes through relationships with people.” Some even call it “Friend Raising” not fund raising. Honestly, if the only reason you want to be my friend is to support your ministry no thanks. My friendship is not for sale.
Giving is about relationships: mainly our relationship to God. Do I trust His character as the Provider? Do I believe His Word enough to know that He has all the resources I need? I can give away what He has given me because it is about my walk with Him not my bank account or your ministry budget.
If fund raising is approached with people’s relationship with God in mind then we should build our plan around the first principle of TG.
Principle 1: Every act of giving is first and foremost a statement about the faithfulness of God.
Giving is our statement about what we think of God and our relationship with Him. And, if our fund raising plan helps the giver see this is true for them as well, then we all have opportunity for our testimony to be reflected in our donations. Helping people give is part of disciple making and even (dare I say) an evangelistic move. Think for a moment, helping a person give has potential to lead him/her to faith in God.
Giving is indeed a testimony about what we think about God. So passing the offering plate can play as big a role in disciple making as the sermon just preached. However TG must become more than money but that is for another post.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Foundation
As you build you have to have a foundation. In thinking, principles equal building blocks. My home is built on a foundation made with blocks. My thinking is built on a foundation made with principles. So what are the building blocks for Transformational Giving? Well they are the 10 principles authored by my trainer, Eric. Here they are…
Principle 1: Every act of giving is first and foremost a statement about the faithfulness of God.
Principle 2: Transformational giving is based on the abundance and trustworthiness of God, not a theology of scarcity.
Principle 3: It is better to give than to receive.
Principle 4: A champion connects with an organization for the purpose of enhancing their mutual impact on the cause, not only to support the organization’s impact on the cause.
Principle 5: A Transformational Giving relationship between a champion and an organization is primarily a peer-level accountability relationship, not merely a friendship or a mutual admiration society.
Principle 6: The champion, not the organization, is called to be the primary means of advancing the cause within the champion’s sphere of influence.
Principle 7: The relationship between champion and champion is as important as the relationship between champion and organization.
Principle 8: Giving is not the process but rather one vital result of the process of a champion being comprehensively coached to share the cause effectively within his or her sphere of influence.
Principle 9: Giving is learned, not latent.
Principle 10: Champions categorize themselves not according to the amount of their giving but by the degree of comprehensive personal ownership they are exhibiting in the cause.
Principle 1: Every act of giving is first and foremost a statement about the faithfulness of God.
Principle 2: Transformational giving is based on the abundance and trustworthiness of God, not a theology of scarcity.
Principle 3: It is better to give than to receive.
Principle 4: A champion connects with an organization for the purpose of enhancing their mutual impact on the cause, not only to support the organization’s impact on the cause.
Principle 5: A Transformational Giving relationship between a champion and an organization is primarily a peer-level accountability relationship, not merely a friendship or a mutual admiration society.
Principle 6: The champion, not the organization, is called to be the primary means of advancing the cause within the champion’s sphere of influence.
Principle 7: The relationship between champion and champion is as important as the relationship between champion and organization.
Principle 8: Giving is not the process but rather one vital result of the process of a champion being comprehensively coached to share the cause effectively within his or her sphere of influence.
Principle 9: Giving is learned, not latent.
Principle 10: Champions categorize themselves not according to the amount of their giving but by the degree of comprehensive personal ownership they are exhibiting in the cause.
Listen Up
Transformational Giving is about the champion and the cause and not just us. Check out the 10 Principles of TG. So this means that personal interaction with champions involves more listening than talking.
In most of our fund-raising we think about what we should say. We even train one another in ‘how to talk the talk’ of fund-raising. TG has us talking less and listening more.
A great way to listen is to ask questions. This gives the donor/champion something to talk about. Let me get the ball rolling by giving you a few questions you can ask.
“What moved you to getting involved?” Or as my good friend Eric Foley puts it, “Why in the world are you giving to my ministry?” This gets the champion talking. Now you can listen and see what God is doing in their life.
Doug Cater of Equip and WGM Board member uses this question. “Tell me more about what you feel God calling you to do?” See, it is about what God is calling the champion to do.
Maybe try this, “What do you see God intending to do through your giving?” Many donors may not be able to answer this right away. But to move the donor into becoming a champion this is certainly a question they need to answer in their own journey.
If you have other questions to help the giver see the power of God in their gift share them with us…
In most of our fund-raising we think about what we should say. We even train one another in ‘how to talk the talk’ of fund-raising. TG has us talking less and listening more.
A great way to listen is to ask questions. This gives the donor/champion something to talk about. Let me get the ball rolling by giving you a few questions you can ask.
“What moved you to getting involved?” Or as my good friend Eric Foley puts it, “Why in the world are you giving to my ministry?” This gets the champion talking. Now you can listen and see what God is doing in their life.
Doug Cater of Equip and WGM Board member uses this question. “Tell me more about what you feel God calling you to do?” See, it is about what God is calling the champion to do.
Maybe try this, “What do you see God intending to do through your giving?” Many donors may not be able to answer this right away. But to move the donor into becoming a champion this is certainly a question they need to answer in their own journey.
If you have other questions to help the giver see the power of God in their gift share them with us…
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Role of Discipleship in TG
Transformational Giving involves discipleship. This may mean different things to different readers.
For example…missionaries work with donors or champions, this does not mean you disciple the champion’s entire spiritual journey. Rather your role is missions, therefore you may have a powerful role in helping the believer become stronger in her walk as she pursues God’s role for her in the Great Commission.
For the relief worker, this may mean assisting the believer in his journey in humanitarian outreach. You may be the one to help the giver see there is much more in the spiritual journey with the needy than just dollars.
For the pastor and the believers in the local church, discipleship will be much more comprehensive and not so ‘segmented’. In fact at the level of the local church, for the pastor and the believer discipling another person needs to be comprehensive. However for the believer helping his fellow believer in the journey, you may want to bring on board a missionary, or rescue worker, etc to assist in the comprehensive plan of discipleship. Imagine if you are working in a discipleship relationship with a fellow church member, if when you being to dive into the role you have in the Great Commission, you call your missionary friend to connect in this teaching. The potential for impact multiplies!
(Let me pause right here to say that have comprehensive discipleship is becoming lost in the local church. There is a new book, The Whole Life Offering: Christianity as Philanthropy, which can be a great resource in recapturing the need for discipleship to be comprehensive. Click here for a review.)
We also may have some we disciple at different levels. For example, the missionary may disciple a national believer in the believer’s wholeness in Christ; at this point the missionary serves the pastoral role to the follower. While at the same time the missionary can be discipling a donor to become a champion of the Great Commission, and stay focused on the mission outreach of the giver.
The point is: for giving to become transformational it must intentional in seeing it as a discipleship move. We must be intentional in helping the giver see his gift is not a matter of money but a matter of his spiritual journey. And anytime we intersect in another’s spiritual journey we potentially have an opportunity to be a part of discipleship. For some this is a small touch that propels them to deeper levels with Christ, for others it is more intense as we come alongside them for significant growth in Christ.
For example…missionaries work with donors or champions, this does not mean you disciple the champion’s entire spiritual journey. Rather your role is missions, therefore you may have a powerful role in helping the believer become stronger in her walk as she pursues God’s role for her in the Great Commission.
For the relief worker, this may mean assisting the believer in his journey in humanitarian outreach. You may be the one to help the giver see there is much more in the spiritual journey with the needy than just dollars.
For the pastor and the believers in the local church, discipleship will be much more comprehensive and not so ‘segmented’. In fact at the level of the local church, for the pastor and the believer discipling another person needs to be comprehensive. However for the believer helping his fellow believer in the journey, you may want to bring on board a missionary, or rescue worker, etc to assist in the comprehensive plan of discipleship. Imagine if you are working in a discipleship relationship with a fellow church member, if when you being to dive into the role you have in the Great Commission, you call your missionary friend to connect in this teaching. The potential for impact multiplies!
(Let me pause right here to say that have comprehensive discipleship is becoming lost in the local church. There is a new book, The Whole Life Offering: Christianity as Philanthropy, which can be a great resource in recapturing the need for discipleship to be comprehensive. Click here for a review.)
We also may have some we disciple at different levels. For example, the missionary may disciple a national believer in the believer’s wholeness in Christ; at this point the missionary serves the pastoral role to the follower. While at the same time the missionary can be discipling a donor to become a champion of the Great Commission, and stay focused on the mission outreach of the giver.
The point is: for giving to become transformational it must intentional in seeing it as a discipleship move. We must be intentional in helping the giver see his gift is not a matter of money but a matter of his spiritual journey. And anytime we intersect in another’s spiritual journey we potentially have an opportunity to be a part of discipleship. For some this is a small touch that propels them to deeper levels with Christ, for others it is more intense as we come alongside them for significant growth in Christ.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Major Donor?
Does a big gift make you a major donor? Maybe. If all we want are donors and their money, then I guess a major gift would make you a major donor. But if we want more than money and giving is about transformation and people, then big dollars are not the standard of measurement. In Transformational Giving donors become more than ATM’s, donors become champions of the cause. If this is the case then big gifts and big champions are not necessarily equal.
While in Zarephath, we see the widow did not have much to give. In fact her gift was small and it only appeared to be one meal worth in the midst of a drought. Not major gift by traditional standards.
However, it was major for her.
The small gift may not seem major to the mission or church, but it may be to the giver and to God.
Let’s try this: do not categorize the champion of the cause according to the size of the gift. What if instead we looked at the champion based on his/her involvement and ownership of the cause?
Let me ask this question for us to discuss… A while back my office received a LARGE gift for a project. One donor helped us hit the half way mark of the goal with one gift. We followed up the gift by offering this donor work team opportunities, chances to meet and greet the missionary, prayer opportunities, etc. The giver graciously declined any further involvement. They just wanted to help this project and that was all. Major gift yes. Major champion??? You tell me….
If you said, “No” to this donor being a major champion, how should this answer change your efforts to fund your ministry?
While in Zarephath, we see the widow did not have much to give. In fact her gift was small and it only appeared to be one meal worth in the midst of a drought. Not major gift by traditional standards.
However, it was major for her.
The small gift may not seem major to the mission or church, but it may be to the giver and to God.
Let’s try this: do not categorize the champion of the cause according to the size of the gift. What if instead we looked at the champion based on his/her involvement and ownership of the cause?
Let me ask this question for us to discuss… A while back my office received a LARGE gift for a project. One donor helped us hit the half way mark of the goal with one gift. We followed up the gift by offering this donor work team opportunities, chances to meet and greet the missionary, prayer opportunities, etc. The giver graciously declined any further involvement. They just wanted to help this project and that was all. Major gift yes. Major champion??? You tell me….
If you said, “No” to this donor being a major champion, how should this answer change your efforts to fund your ministry?
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.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Parallel Pitfalls
During college I had a New Testament prof that was famous for repeating the same teaching all the time. It must have worked because I still remember it and want to share it with you now.
He said that throughout the Bible and in our lives we always get into trouble with God when He reaches out His hand and we look to see what is in the hand rather than reach for the hand itself.
In the end we really do not need what is in God’s Hand, we just need His hand.
This teaching has guided my prayer life for years. Not to say I always get it right, but I work to strive for God more than the blessings.
As I get into Transformational Giving and teach in various settings throughout the world, I have learned that praying and giving have potential to have the same pitfalls if we stray from a God-centered focus.
If as ministries in need of money, we only look at giving as a resource for just getting funded, then we miss the point of giving. Giving is a spiritual discipline for every believer. So if we miss the chance to see giving as disciple making and just a means to our end, we have reduced the believer to an ATM.
Just as in prayer, if we reduce prayer to just getting what we want, then we miss the needed relationship that makes us disciples. Doing this runs the risk of trying to make God a Genie in a bottle. We must not treat God or His followers as means to an end by always looking to see what is in the Hand instead of just grabbing the hand.
Prayer and fund raising both involve asking. But if this is the root and the only purpose for either, then neither we nor His church will grow. Prayer is about more than what we want or need, so too is giving and receiving.
He said that throughout the Bible and in our lives we always get into trouble with God when He reaches out His hand and we look to see what is in the hand rather than reach for the hand itself.
In the end we really do not need what is in God’s Hand, we just need His hand.
This teaching has guided my prayer life for years. Not to say I always get it right, but I work to strive for God more than the blessings.
As I get into Transformational Giving and teach in various settings throughout the world, I have learned that praying and giving have potential to have the same pitfalls if we stray from a God-centered focus.
If as ministries in need of money, we only look at giving as a resource for just getting funded, then we miss the point of giving. Giving is a spiritual discipline for every believer. So if we miss the chance to see giving as disciple making and just a means to our end, we have reduced the believer to an ATM.
Just as in prayer, if we reduce prayer to just getting what we want, then we miss the needed relationship that makes us disciples. Doing this runs the risk of trying to make God a Genie in a bottle. We must not treat God or His followers as means to an end by always looking to see what is in the Hand instead of just grabbing the hand.
Prayer and fund raising both involve asking. But if this is the root and the only purpose for either, then neither we nor His church will grow. Prayer is about more than what we want or need, so too is giving and receiving.
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