“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:6-10).

NASA uses the Go/No-Go decision making process to determine everything is cleared for launch. Critical details are checked and double-checked before mission control declares, “All systems are go!” Discerning God’s will can be confusing at times. We map out our strategic plans but sometimes things don’t progress as we hope. Paul’s experience at Troas is a perfect example of handling uncertainty in ministry.

No
In Paul’s first attempted to preach the gospel in Asia, the Holy Spirit prevented him. What happened? Could they not get passports? Did someone physically stand in their way? Ultimately, the Lord holds the key to the door, “What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Rev. 3:7). When your first idea doesn’t work, keep trying.

No Again
Paul pivoted toward Bithynia, “but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.” Can you imagine the conversations among his traveling companions? Perhaps they questioned God’s leading; perhaps they questioned Paul’s leadership. Solomon counseled, “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (Prov. 24:16). Every “no” gets you closer to a “yes.”

Go
That evening, the Holy Spirit gave Paul the vision of a man of Macedonia calling for help. A church hired an architect to design new facilities. The congregation gave positive feedback but wondered if the sanctuary plans were too large for the available parking spaces. To discern the Lord’s will, the elders proposed two Go/No-Go data points: (1) conduct a traffic study, and (2) move forward only if the elders had one hundred percent unity. God answered their prayers, but not like they thought. The study revealed the site did not have adequate parking spaces, and the elders voted unanimously to ask the architect to significantly rework the plans. God brought clarity. Yet, it took courageous leadership to pull back and start over.

Go Now
Once Paul had clarity, they “got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10). Clare DeGraaf wrote in his book, The 10 Second Rule, “Just do the next thing you’re reasonably certain Jesus wants you to do and do it quickly before you change your mind.”

Think About This: How will you know which path to take? “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isa. 30:21).

Response: Father, please guide us on your path. Help us listen for the Spirit’s voice to know the right next step.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you” (Leviticus 26:8).

You know the adage, “It takes money to make money.” The Pierce Family Foundation in Chicago surveyed ninety nonprofit organizations to learn the number of fundraisers they employ per dollar raised. They discovered it takes one full-time staff person to raise $500,000. How many fundraising staff do you need to be successful? God promised if Israel followed his commands, he would help them accomplish much more than they could in their own strength. When they were obedient, the math was 5 to 100 and 100 to 10,000.

Five
“Five will chase a hundred.” Which five will you hire? As executive director, you are the number one fundraiser. Your first hire should be an administrative assistant to help you manage your donor portfolio. Secondly, hire a development director who spends most of his or her time outside the office visiting donors. For every subsequent hire you should ask, “Are they adding overhead or gift income?” One rule of thumb is a gift officer should raise their salary in the first year, double it in the second, and triple it in the third.

One Hundred
If “one hundred of you will chase ten thousand,” should you hire one hundred fundraisers? Universities have an army of major gift officers, grant writers, researchers, a marketing team, event planners, plus all the latest software to track every gift and every gift officer’s next move. Whether your organization has dozens of fundraisers or just you—fundraising is still identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors.

Two
Moses’ math was, “How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them?” (Deut. 32:10). Moses warned if Israel disobeyed, only two enemies could defeat them. The opposite is also true. Two will put ten thousand enemies on the run. The same principle works for you. Two can accomplish much. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19).

One
Joshua encouraged Israel with this promise. “One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God.” (Josh. 23:10-11). Don’t be discouraged if you’re all alone. God can multiply your efforts. Helen Keller said, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

Think About This: God promised an abundant harvest for obedience, “You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new” (Lev. 26:10). God can bless you with so much abundance you will have to make room for all the new money!

Response: Father, we don’t have one hundred fundraisers. Please guide us with the Spirit’s power and direction to multiply our efforts.

“Fundraising Staffing Survey.” n.d. Pierce Family Foundation. https://www.piercefamilyfoundation.org/resource/fundraising-staffing-survey/

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

As a Christian ministry, should you fundraise like the world fundraises? Jerry Panas (1928-2018) was the premier fundraiser of modern times. He wrote 20 books including such classics as ASKING, Mega Gifts, and Born to Raise. Soak in three of his quotes, “Little of consequence would ever have been accomplished in this world without someone having had the courage to ask,” “The true art of asking lies in listening,” and “Only three ingredients are needed to be a successful fundraiser: Hard work, hard work, and hard work.” Read everything can from Panas because all truth is God’s truth.

As Christian fundraisers, our methods go beyond what the world has to offer because they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Overcoming the love of money and the deceitfulness of riches are fundraising strongholds. We have an advantage over the world because when a donor gives to our ministries, they reap eternal rewards. Consider these four perspectives.

Faith
Ultimately, generosity is not a financial decision, it’s a faith decision. Both the asker and the giver must have faith God will provide for their needs. Secular fundraising professionals can only appeal to their donors based on how a potential gift might alleviate human problems. We can appeal to our donors with the truth that their gifts will make a physical and eternal difference in the lives of those we serve.

Hope
Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 6:17, “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.” We have the privilege of challenging our donors to place their hope in God by laying up “treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age” (1 Tim. 6:19).

Love
Consider this scene from Mark 10:21 about the rich young ruler, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” This young man’s riches prevented him from laying up treasure in heaven. Jesus loved him by challenging him to generosity which can only come from a heart changed by love.

Prayer
It goes without saying that fundraisers should be prayer warriors. “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray” (James 5:13). Seriously, when it comes to your fundraising efforts you should “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18). The strongholds of greed and selfishness will not be demolished without prayer.

Think About This: Jerry had a sign on his desk, “If you can read this… you are not out calling on prospects.” That’s great advice for everyone who raises money!

Response: Father, help me learn as much as I can from successful fundraisers then remind me you are the final authority. “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes” (Psa. 119:99).

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, ‘Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now.’ But the Levites did not act at once” (2 Chronicles 24:5).

Joash became king at age seven and ruled for forty years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. During his reign, the Temple developed some serious deferred maintenance issues, so he ordered the priests and Levites to collect gifts and make the repairs. His instructions were crystal clear, “Do it now!” Unfortunately, the Levites procrastinated and never started the work. Do you have a project you’ve never finished? How do you recover from a stalled capital campaign? King Joash offers four answers.

Transparency
After sixteen years, King Joash called Jehoiada the chief priest to give an account of the project. His investigation uncovered negligence, misappropriation of funds, and even theft. “Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals” (2 Chron. 24:7). Sadly, many Christian organizations have been rocked by poor financial management or even fraud and embezzlement. Make sure you have internal controls and accurate accounting. Donor trust is built on reliable financial information.

Accountability
The best way to regain donor confidence is to acknowledge what went wrong and explain why it happened. Ben Franklin said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” King Joash wasn’t happy about the delays and excuses, so he appointed his royal secretary to collect the gifts, purchase supplies, and hire masons and carpenters to start the work. To rebuild trust, your ministry may need to replace some irresponsible employees with responsible ones.

Integrity
If a project is delayed because of poor planning, leadership changes, plan revisions, or any other reason, donors begin to question the ministry’s credibility. When you raise money for a project, you raise donor expectations their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given. Fundraising demands integrity. Did you use the funds how you said you would, or did you divert them to another project? “The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it” (2 Chron. 24:13).

Participation
King Joash addressed the internal problems then called the people to bring their gifts to the temple and deposit them in a chest he had made. “All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full” (vs. 10). They collected “a great amount of money” and hired workmen to restore the temple. Generosity grows when donor confidence grows. The people were so generous the priests made more articles for the temple with the additional funds.

Think About This: People will rally to your cause when you take responsibility for your mistakes, communicate a clear vision, and outline a clear path to accomplish your vision.

Response: Father, help us always “be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone” (Romans 12:17).

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action” (2 Corinthians 9:2).

When Paul raised relief funds for the Jerusalem church, the Corinthian believers were the first to respond and promised to give more. Paul shared their eagerness with all the other churches in Achaia and their generosity encouraged most of them to get involved. There is no stronger endorsement of your project than committed donors sharing your story with their friends. Hebrews 10:24 teaches, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How can you encourage your board members to encourage their friends to give?

Eagerness
Many times, major donors seem reluctant, not eager, to ask their friends to support your ministry. Perhaps they don’t want their friends to return the favor. Perhaps they think encouraging generosity will harm their friendship. Perhaps deep down they are people-pleasers. Paul warns, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).

Ready to Give
Strike while the iron is hot. The time to ask the networking question is when your donor gives. If your ministry is worthy of your donor’s support, it’s worthy of their friends’ support. The problem with the Corinthians was their initial fire for the project cooled off a little. Paul rekindled their passion by explaining how others got involved because of their generosity. It’s kind of a reverse matching gift challenge. The Corinthians gave first prompting others to give. The generosity of others prompted the Corinthians to follow through with their pledges.

Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm begets more enthusiasm. Tell your ministry impact stories with zeal. Then when God blesses you with a major gift, celebrate your donor’s generosity testimony. Encourage your donors to spur on their friends to join them in supporting your compelling case. Many people need a gentle nudge to part with their resources; a sacrificial gift inspires others toward generosity. The most effective fundraisers on your team might not be those with professional skills, they might simply be those with passion.

Stirred to Action
Peter served as a board member of a youth ministry launching a capital campaign. The ministry leaders asked him to chair the major gifts committee. Peter responded, “I’m not good at fundraising.” Instead, he committed to match every gift dollar for dollar. Then Peter contacted his friends and asked them to join him. His first friend gave $200,000; the second gave $300,000. Soon they reached their $3 million goal. Peter’s ministry friends teased him, “You’re a pretty good fundraiser after all. In fact, you’re better than all of us combined.”

Think About This: Mark Twain observed, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” Generous giving from your board members makes a powerful statement.

Response: Lord, please ignite our board members with contagious enthusiasm for our ministry. Give them courage to be our champions!

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword” (Exodus 17:10-13).

The lesson from Joshua’s battle against the Amalekites is crystal clear: when you pray, you win; if you stop praying, you lose. Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of the ridge for a strategic view of the battlefield. Moses stood with his arms raised holding the staff of God to intercede for Joshua and the Children of Israel. When Moses prayed, Joshua won; when Moses’ arms fell, so did Israel’s army. This story has direct fundraising applications.

Pray

Fundraising is spiritual warfare. At what point do you think they realized the position of Moses’ arms impacted the outcome of the battle? Recruit a team to fervently pray for open doors, great donor conversations, and God’s favor. Paul asked the Colossian believers, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message” (Col. 4:3).

Help

Just like the disciples, Moses’ spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak. As much as he wanted to hold his arms high in prayer, it was too difficult for him to continue. So, they pulled up a stone for Moses to sit on while Aaron and Hur stood on each side holding up his arms. Ask for help from some trusted confidants. Send out regular prayer emails. You don’t need to share details about your donor visits, just ask for prayer.

Fight

Your organization needs soldiers on the field telling your story. You recruit an executive director, development director, or fundraising staff with the expectation they can raise money. But even the most talented team members will fail if they attempt to fundraise in their own human efforts. Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with his sword, but the Lord was his banner (Exo. 17:15).

Tell

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it’” (Exo 17:14). Joshua would face many battles and needed this reminder of God’s faithfulness. We are quick to ask for prayer, but sometimes we forget God’s amazing answers. Paul invited his prayer partners to join him in the battle so they could enjoy the victory, “many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Cor. 1:11).

Think About This: Who was the MVP of this battle? Would you vote for Joshua wielding a sword, Moses lifting his staff in prayer, or Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ arms? The correct answer is everyone. Fundraising is a team sport. The people on the front lines won’t succeed without a prayer chain supporting them.

Response: Lord, give us perseverance to pray fervently for our fundraising needs.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42).

Some organizations schedule time in each board meeting encouraging members to identify prospective donors. Andrew would have been a great board member! He believed John’s message and made a life-changing decision to follow Jesus. Andrew was an evangelist whose first response was to find his brother Peter and tell him about Christ. Your board members must become your greatest evangelists telling everyone they meet about the incredible things Christ is accomplishing through your ministry. Encourage your board members to take these four action steps.

Believe
Do you have enthusiastic board members? Enthusiasm comes from two Greek words “theos” meaning god and “en” meaning in. It means “God within.” Andrew was convinced the Messiah had come and he enthusiastically told Peter the good news. Your board members must be fully convinced your ministry is meeting critical needs, so they will enthusiastically share your mission. The social proof theory suggests people tend to adopt the opinions or actions of people they trust. One of the most effective forms of advertising is word of mouth recommendations from friends and family.

Find
“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him” (John 1:41). Networking is the best way to expand your major donor prospect list. An executive director had a “Who do you know?” conversation with her board member using an ABC filter to prioritize prospects. They identified people who had the Ability to give, Believed in their mission, and had a Connection with their organization. After two hours, they had complied a list of seventy-four prospects including a plan for next steps.

Tell
Your ministry meets many human needs, but donors want to know how your ministry leads people to Jesus. If your mission is feeding the hungry, share how you provide both physical and spiritual food. If your mission is teaching the next generation, share how you are preparing your students to find success in this life and the next. Providing people with clean water is a wonderful mission, providing the Living Water quenches their eternal thirst. Ignite your board’s passion by equipping them with stories of changed lives.

Bring
Andrew did more than share the good news with Peter, he physically brought him to Jesus. Encourage your board members to bring their prospective donors for a tour, a special event, or lunch with your executive director. Andrew didn’t know it at the time, but he brought the person whom God would use to bring many into the Kingdom. Perhaps God will use the friend your board member brings to bring many to your ministry and many more into the Kingdom.

Think About This: In 1854, Edward Kimball visited a 17-year-old boy from his Sunday School class and led him to Christ. His name was D.L. Moody who became one of the greatest preachers and evangelists of all time.

Response: Lord, please help me encourage our board members to share our story with everyone they know.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“‘For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you…’ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel… a Levite and descendant of Asaph… He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…’ Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army” (2 Chronicles 20:12-21).

King Jehoshaphat was in serious trouble. A vast army from the south was only fifty miles from Jerusalem. He immediately called all Judah and Jerusalem to fast and inquire of the Lord saying, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” What an incredible prayer for your ministry, your advancement department, and your personal life. Learn these four lessons from Jehoshaphat.

We do not know what to do
No doubt you’ve faced moments in your fundraising career when you don’t have a clue what to do next. It’s a familiar scenario. Building costs rise but your fundraising plan falls short. Humble leaders realize they don’t know everything, so they surround themselves with people who know how to find the right answers.

Our eyes are on you
Life and death situations give you clarity. “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord” (2 Chron 20:3-4). King Jehoshaphat instinctively turned to the Lord for guidance. What’s your first response when you face a budget crisis?

The battle is not yours, but God’s
The Holy Spirit revealed his plan through Jahaziel, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. He was a worship leader. His message was, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army…Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you” (2 Chron. 20:15-17). In an unconventional plan, the choir led the army into battle singing, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21). God blessed Judah and Jerusalem with a great victory!

Listen
Good ideas don’t just come from the top-down, many of the best ideas come from the grassroots. A Christian high school asked the faculty if they knew any potential donors. The science teacher thought his uncle might be interested. The uncle was and eventually gave $250,000. Listen intently for God’s voice for your next good idea. The answer may come from the choir director or science teacher!

Think About This: In 1976, Richard Montañez was a janitor working for $4 dollars an hour at a Frito-Lay plant. One day, a machine on the assembly line broke and made some plain Cheetos. Richard took some home, dusted them with chili powder, and crunched into snack history. His eureka moment became Flamin’ Hot Cheetos which has since made billions of dollars.

Response: Father, help us keep our eyes on you and listen for your plan no matter who shares it.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” (Acts 4:32-35).

When the early believers faced financial hardships, the church responded with great power and great grace to care for one another. “There were no needy persons among them” because those who had resources sold their possessions and brought the money to the apostles for distribution. What would motivate one of your donors to sell property and give you the proceeds? We can learn four important giving truths from this passage.

One Heart and Mind
Donors must align with your mission and vision. “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” (Amos 3:3). Finding agreement with your donors is not about pleasing them. Paul said, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). Don’t please people just to gain donors. When you please the Lord, donors with the same heart will find you.

Great Power
People were attracted to the apostles because of their powerful message. They preached the resurrection and would not compromise. Many voices want you to water down your message, but when you stand strong for what you believe, others who believe the same way will stand with you. Paul encouraged believers in Philippi to, “stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). Communicate to your donors how much you need them to stand with you.

Great Grace
Some of your donors are struggling financially but God has blessed others with abundance. Your needs are great, possibly greater than ever before. Grace abounded in the early church. “And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all” (vs. 33). Paul taught the Corinthians to “excel in the grace of giving” (see 2 Cor. 8:7). Share your ministry opportunities with God’s people and ask them to respond generously.

God’s Provision
This is the first time we meet Barnabas who “sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). Is it any wonder his name means “son of encouragement?” Share your financial situation with your donors and you will discover who is one with you in heart and mind (vs. 32). Perhaps God will lead a first-time ministry partner named Barnabas to encourage you.

Think About This: Build donor loyalty by keeping them in the loop. The more connected donors feel to your ministry, the more likely they are to give—and keep giving.

Response: Lord, please help me clearly communicate to our donors how much we value their partnership. 

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.