The Timothy Group

Fundraising is for the Birds!

By Ron Haas

Fundraising gets a bad rap with some Christian leaders who are uncomfortable with the idea of asking for money. They cite George Muller and Hudson Taylor as examples of great men of God who told their needs to no one but God. Some modify that approach and are willing to share “full information” with donors, “but no solicitation.” Others go so far as to suggest that personal solicitation is an unbiblical method that Christian organizations have adopted from the world.

This is a serious discussion for leaders who are seeking to grow a ministry. What are the biblical methods for raising funds, and what strategies cross the line? Paul writes, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share “(1 Timothy 6:17-18 NIV). What does this “command” look like in real life? Is it only a proclamation from the pulpit, or can it take a personal approach?

God’s provision for Elijah in 1 Kings 17 offers a compelling example.  The chapter opens with Israel facing a severe drought and subsequent famine. But God generously provided for Elijah in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. He drank from the brook, and twice a day ravens brought him bread and meat. Elijah’s situation seems similar to the fundraising strategy of many Christian organizations. Gifts appear out of the blue, but no one really knows who sent them. Every day development staff open letters filled with pieces of bread and meat. Once in a while the ravens drop a big chunk of bread in the form of an estate check. Unfortunately, just like in Elijah’s situation, some ministries are seeing their money brooks dry up.

Thankfully, God’s provision is not restricted by the severity of the famine, nor is He limited by only one method for meeting our needs. He instructed Elijah to go to a widow in Zarephath whom He had commanded to supply Elijah with food. God’s ways are not our ways. If we were in the same position, we might think that a better plan would have been to send us to someone who had resources. But Elijah didn’t question God, he just obeyed.

When he arrived at the village gate, Elijah met a woman who was gathering sticks. In a customary greeting he asked for a drink of water, reminiscent of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. As she was going to get it, Elijah called out, “And please bring me a piece of bread.” Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big request, but to this woman who was gathering sticks to bake a last meal for herself and her son; it seemed outrageous.

She protested. She barely had enough for her family, much less a stranger. Elijah responded to her excuses with a bold request. He told her to go bake the last cake of bread as she was planning to do, but instead of eating it, give it to him first. Then he added a promise. If she would put God first, her flour and oil would never run out. It’s counterintuitive – it’s faith.

God had commanded this widow to supply food for Elijah, but why does it seem that she didn’t get the message? For those who take the position that all one needs to do is pray and God will supply, it seems that in this account the widow should have offered a meal to Elijah without being prompted. Instead, the widow expressed fear and the stark reality that she simply didn’t have enough to share. Isn’t that the tension that we all face when considering a gift? If I give to the Lord, will I have enough for myself?

Elijah’s request made the widow think about other options. She was hopeless, and maybe even faithless. In her reaction to Elijah she said, “As surely as the LORD your God lives,” not my God (v. 12). The act of asking set everything in motion. The widow had to trust that Elijah’s God would meet her needs, if she put Elijah first. She stepped out in faith and the Lord miraculously supplied her needs. This account teaches at least four positive benefits of proactively asking for a gift.

1. Asking Tests A Donor’s Priorities. The widow had a simple plan for her resources. Gather a few sticks. Make a fire. Bake a little bread. Eat a last meal. Die. Elijah’s request shook her up. She had to reprioritize what she thought about her life especially how she would manage her resources as meager as they were. Elijah’s “ask” radically tested her faith. She had to give first to receive God’s blessing. Would she believe and let go of what she had, or would she hoard it for herself and die?

Today’s donors face the same challenge. Do I lay up treasures in heaven, or do I keep them for my security here on earth? How can I be sure that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings? We want to give by sight and check our bank balance first. God wants us to give by faith. When a development director asks for a gift, he gives the donor something new to consider. Perhaps making a generous gift wasn’t even on the donor’s radar screen. But a request for support gives a potential donor an opportunity to respond in faith with a generous gift.

2. Asking Triggers God’s Blessing. Who really benefited by Elijah’s request? Elijah did because he received a piece of bread. But the big winners in this transaction were the widow and her son. Before this encounter, they were doomed to starvation, but afterwards they had abundant flour and oil for as many cakes as they desired. She literally went from famine to feast in one act of faith.

Who benefits when a donor gives to a ministry? The ministry, because it has the resources to fulfill its mission -- but the major beneficiary of the gift is the giver. Paul encouraged the Philippians with this principle, “Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account” (4:17). As a ministry leader, when you get to heaven, donors will come up to you and thank you for having asked them to be generous to your ministry. They might even question why you didn’t ask them for more!

3. Asking Teaches the Asker to Trust God. In today’s fundraising environment, a development officer would have run an asset screening on the widow of Zarephath and relegated her to the direct mail only file. Fundraisers fall into the trap of rating donors only on external indicators. What do they do for a living? Where do they live? What make and model of car do they drive? Generosity is not necessarily connected to a person’s net worth. In fact, some wealthy Christians are paupers when it comes to giving.

Perhaps fundraisers should learn from this passage and base major donor qualifications on internal characteristics and move to their top donor list those who are “rich in faith” (James 2:5).  People in dire straits are forced to rely on God. Ministries need these prayer warriors more than they need money. Instead of approaching small and midrange donors through impersonal methods such as direct mail, and fundraising events, maybe we should treat these donors with greater honor and ask them for a gift in a personal visit.

Jesus said that the widow gave more with her two mites than all the gold of the Pharisees combined (Luke 21:1-3). We typically interpret this passage to mean that she gave more as a percentage because she gave all that she had – one hundred percent. While that is true, could it also mean that God in a miraculous way multiplied her gift exponentially greater than all the other gifts? Maybe instead of seeking only donors with great capacity, fundraisers should solicit donors with great faith.

4. Asking Establishes Long-Term Relationships. One serious downside to direct mail and other impersonal forms of fundraising is that these methods put distance between the asker and giver. Personal solicitation bridges that gap. It’s a conversation between friends.  For Christians, it’s a family discussion. Some Christian leaders are afraid to ask for money for fear that it will strain relationships. But instead of driving a wedge between the asker and the donor, asking for a gift actually begins relationships that will last for eternity.

Because of Elijah’s ask and the widow’s act of faith, Elijah, the widow, and her family enjoyed food every day until the famine subsided. Imagine their times of fellowship around the table as they rejoiced in God’s amazing provision. Think of the spiritual impact Elijah made on the widow’s son as he listened to God’s word every day for months. Christian leaders who avoid personal solicitation and neglect to cultivate deep relationships miss incredible ministry opportunities with donors and their families.

Great things may happen when you ask boldly for a gift. God uses the request to stretch both the asker’s and donor’s faiths. When the donor responds generously, no matter how meager the gift may seem in comparison to others, God honors that step of faith and miraculously provides for the giver and the asker. If engaging donors by asking is such a large part of God’s economy, why are Christian leaders so hesitant to step out in faith? Elijah comforted the widow not to be afraid to give her gift. Perhaps his words need to challenge us not to be afraid to ask for a gift.

Elijah’s experiences demonstrate that God meets our needs in many different ways. Praise the Lord for the ravens who deliver God’s blessing, and praise the Lord for those who have the faith to ask boldly and for those who give generously when asked.