17 Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him (Othniel) in marriage. 18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” 19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs (Joshua 15:17-19).

Aksah was Caleb’s only daughter whom he gave in marriage to Othniel as a reward for conquering the city of Kiriath Sepher. Her dowry was a tract of land in the Negev, but she wanted more. So, she urged her husband to ask her dad for water to irrigate her land. Scripture doesn’t record Othniel’s response. Perhaps he felt it would seem ungracious or presumptuous ask for another gift, but that didn’t stop Aksah. She went to Caleb and boldly asked for more! Aksah teaches us four lessons about asking!

Overcome Reluctance.

Othniel was a brave warrior, but when it came to asking, Aksah felt he needed a little push. Sometimes we struggle asking major donors for additional gifts. We question if we should ask again or whether the donor would even consider a second gift. Here’s an important fundraising rule: Don’t decide for your donors, let them make up their own minds about giving to your project.   

Ask Personally.

This request was so important to Aksah that she was determined to ask for herself. She didn’t wait for Othniel or task a servant to deliver the message. She saddled up her donkey and made a donor visit. Modern technology is wonderful, but don’t rely on mail, email, texts, or even Zoom. Make every effort to visit your donor face to face when asking for a big gift.

Be Proactive.

When Caleb asked, “What can I do for you?”, Aksah was prepared with an answer. She thanked him for giving her land and then asked for a special favor, “Give me also springs of water.” You must have clear outcomes in mind for your major donor calls. What do you hope to accomplish in your meeting? Not every meeting is an ask, but when it’s time to ask, be clear about what you want your donor to do.

Understand Relationships.

Aksah certainly had an advantage in this solicitation. She was Caleb’s only daughter, her husband was a respected leader who would become Israel’s first judge, Caleb had already given a generous first gift, and then there’s the granddad factor. She was the right person to make the ask. In your major donor relationships, you must earn the right to ask. Big requests shouldn’t be a surprise. How have you strengthened your key donor relationships, so they are ready to give?

Response: Father, forgive me for my reluctance to ask for a second gift. Help me cultivate strong donor relationships. Give me boldness to ask. Prompt my donors to be generous!

Think About This: When you make solicitation assignments for your team, always choose the person who has the strongest relationship with the donor. Make it easy for your donor to say “Yes,” and difficult for them to say, “No.”

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (2 Kings 4:3).

Many ministries face great financial needs, but have few donor leads. Whom can you turn to find the resources you need? A widow approached Elisha with a great need. Her husband, who was enrolled in the school of prophets, passed away leaving her with a sizable debt. It was so insurmountable that her creditors threatened to take her two sons as slaves. Grief-stricken, she cried out to Elisha for help. His answer can help you solve your desperate need.

1. Assess Your Situation.

Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil” (vs. 2). Many times, we view ourselves as having absolutely nothing to work with. Look closely at your database. Namestorm with your board members. Can you identify anyone who could give $100,000 to your ministry? How about $50,000… $25,000… $10,000… $5,000? Work down your list until you find a lead. Everyone knows someone who could give $1,000.

2. Ask Your Friends.

Elisha helped her realize that she had more resources beyond what she had in her house—she had a network of neighbors and friends. You have relationships with those you serve and those who love those your serve. Our minds always jump to millionaires and billionaires we’ve never met and will probably never meet. Instead, focus your efforts on those in your immediate circle.

3. Ask for a Gift they can Give.

Elisha gave her curious instructions. “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few” (vs. 3). Can you imagine the scene? “Mary, could I borrow as many empty jars as you can spare?” She gathered jars of all sizes. Sometimes, we look for one mega donor who can give a mega gift to solve all our problems. It’s easy for a donor to say no to a large request. Ask them for a gift they can say yes to!

4. Exercise faith.

The woman filled her house with empty jars, went inside, and shut the door. Then she and her sons witnessed God’s miracle of provision. One by one she filled each jar from her little jar of oil. When the last jar was filled, the oil stopped. She must have wished she had asked a few more neighbors for a few more jars. Don’t stop reaching out. Don’t stop telling your ministry story. Don’t stop asking for gifts no matter how small. The minute you stop asking, the gifts stop coming.

Response: Father, I feel like this desperate widow. Open my eyes to relationships I have and give me the courage to ask for help. Give me faith to trust you for your provision.

Think About This: A master bonsai gardener took an overgrown, partially dead juniper tree and transformed it into a work of art. He commented about his finished product, “You have to use what you’ve got to get what you want.” Use what you have and let God transform it into something beautiful for his glory.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels (Genesis 24:17-20).

Abraham gave his servant detailed instructions about finding bride for Isaac. He was not to look among the daughters of the Canaanites but travel back to his homeland and search among his relatives (see Genesis 24:1-4). Abraham’s servant prayed that God would reveal the right young woman by prompting her to give him a drink and water his camels. God answered immediately in an incredible way.

Rebecca’s over and above response teaches us four important truths about donor endurance. Sometimes we are reluctant to ask a major donor repeatedly for support for fear they will tire of us and stop giving altogether. Donor fatigue seems real, but is it?

Start Small

Abraham’s servant prayed specifically that the woman would give him a drink and offer to water his camels (Genesis 24:14). He didn’t overwhelm her with a big ask, but wisely started small, “Please give me a little drink from your jar.” Most million-dollar gifts start with a small entry gift. Don’t shock your key prospects with a huge first gift. Ask for a gift that makes it easy for them to say “yes.”

Notice Enthusiasm

Watering camels is a huge job. A thirsty camel can drink more than 30 gallons of water in 15 minutes. If Abraham’s servant had an entourage with ten camels, we can understand why Rebecca ran so quickly back and forth from the well. Rebecca’s eager response wasn’t just because she had a good work ethic. Her generosity was a sign of God’s answer. God can bring special donors to you who have the gift of giving enthusiastically.

Deepen Your Relationship

When Rebecca finished her task, Abraham’s servant gave her a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets. It wasn’t just a generous tip for doing a great job, it was a proposal for marriage to Isaac. Develop a lifelong relationship with your key ministry partners. As your friendship deepens over the years, so will their financial commitment to your success. God rewards those who are generous by giving them more opportunities. “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11).

Response: Father, lead me to donors you have selected to partner with our ministry. Grant them the energy and resources to give generously until the job is finished.

Think About This: Jesus promised “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38). That doesn’t sound like donor fatigue. Don’t view generous donors as a well that could run dry. See them as rivers of living water that God abundantly supplies to refresh others.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver” (Ezekiel 21:21).

19th century philosopher William James penned this witty word play, “Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.” A healthy liver is key to living a healthy life. Your liver performs approximately 500 functions including synthesizing amino acids and cholesterol; metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; and producing bile which assists digestion in the small intestine. The ancient Babylonians believed that the liver could inform their decisions. Should we turn right or left?

What guides your ministry direction? How do you decide what programs to pursue or eliminate? What factors do you examine to determine if you need new facilities to accomplish your mission? Your non-profit is too sophisticated to look at a liver—instead, you’ve developed a strategic plan! Consider these four perspectives.

Top Down

Autocratic leaders desire to control every aspect of their organization, especially direction. This type of leader makes all the decisions with little to no input from followers. Many non-profits started from the vision of one individual who saw a need, took the risk to create a solution, and it worked. Top-down decisions are made quickly, but they can also demoralize followers who don’t feel their voice is heard.  

Bottom Up

This approach to strategic planning believes that the best innovative ideas come from the frontline staff who serve every day. Bottom-up planning is more democratic and can lead to small, incremental changes. While it is imperative to achieve buy-in from key staff, a bottom-up approach sometimes lacks support from leadership or trustees.

Inside Out

An inside-out strategic plan suggests that everyone in the organization knows more about how to help than everyone outside the organization. One challenge with this perspective is that organizations can become insulated and focus more on internal issues. Always remember Peter Drucker’s wise admonition, “Organizations exist to serve people outside the organization.”

Outside In

It’s healthy to make decisions with information from your community and constituency. What do your customers want and expect from your organization? Carefully listening those you serve helps you respond more effectively to their needs. However, if you chase the demands of people who don’t align with your mission you could possibly drift off course.

Ahead Behind

Effective strategic planning takes elements of all four approaches, but the best strategic planning refuses to rely on human understanding and seeks God’s direction. Moses experienced a wonderful promise, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared” Exodus 23:20. God has a perfect future for your ministry and will guide you along the right path, if you ask.

Response: Father, please forgive us for leaning on our own understanding when developing our strategic plans.

Think About This: Make Isaiah 30:21 a key strategy when mapping your direction. “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.’”

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly” (Acts 24:4). Ananias, the high priest, and some elders appeared before Felix, the Roman governor, to condemn Paul for being a troublemaker. They brought along their lawyer, Tertullus, who spent some time flattering Felix. When he realized he might be losing his audience, he quickly jumped to his closing argument. Perhaps, William Shakespeare was inspired by Tertullus when he wrote “brevity is the soul of wit.” Intelligent writing and speech should use as few words as possible. This principle is especially true in fundraising. Here are five applications:

1. Writing. News flash—donors aren’t scanning their inbox eager to open your newsletters, fundraising appeals, and emails. You must grab and keep their attention within the first sentence. Share encouraging stories of how your ministry is making an eternal difference and ask. Be ruthless with your red editing pen and cut all needless words. Get to the point.

2. Speaking. TEDtalks are 18 minutes. It doesn’t matter how famous, wealthy, or influential you are; you have 18 minutes to make your point. Set a time limit for your featured gala/banquet speaker. The longer they run into overtime the less generous your donors will be. Coach them to get to the point.

3. Watching. Six second funny cat videos can get millions of views. Most YouTube videos are 7-15 minutes. Marketing videos should be two minutes or less. The quality of your content is more important than length. Your video should be as long as it takes you to tell your compelling story—not a second more or a second less. Get to the point.

4. Visiting. Don’t overstay your welcome during a donor visit. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour. You can stay longer if your host keeps the conversation going, but don’t dawdle. Before your meeting, determine what outcomes you hope to accomplish and guide the conversation toward that end. Implement the 3 Bs: Be Good, Be Brief, and Be Gone. Get to the point.

5. Asking. The most critical moment of your donor visit is the “ask.” Instead of asking, some ministry leaders hint and talk around the ask. Some nervously ask for a gift but keep on talking after they ask. If you keep talking, you risk talking your donor out of the gift. Stop talking; listen for their answer. Get to the point.

Tertullus was wrong about Paul, but right about Felix’s attention span. He wisely said, “I don’t want to keep you too long. Please listen to us. We will be brief” (Acts 24:4, GW). Know your audience and share your compelling story with as few words as possible. Response: Father, please increase my awareness to know when to listen, when to talk, and when to ask. May your Spirit give me the words I need to say and nothing more. Think About This: Tertullus had just one audience before Governor Felix and did his best to make a strong case. Consider carefully what to share with your key donor prospect—you may only get one chance! Pray that you will say just enough to be invited back for a second meeting! Have a Spirit-led fundraising week, Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac” (2 Kings 9:20).

“He (Jehu) came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, ‘Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?’ “I am,” Jehonadab answered. “If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot. (2 Kings 10:15-16)

If Jehu lived today, he would drive a Tesla so he could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. Jehu’s crazy driving habits illustrate how driven he was to accomplish God’s mission – to kill Jezebel, Ahab’s descendants, and the prophets of Baal. Perhaps you have experienced a hard-driving donor who lives to get things done and challenges you to move at his or her pace. Look for zeal as you recruit donors to serve on your board or capital campaign committee.

Driven Donors…

1. Attract Followers. People love to follow strong leaders. King Joram sent messengers to offer Jehu peace, but Jehu answered, “What do you know about peace? Fall in behind me” (2 Kings 9:18-19). The soldiers recognized Jehu’s leadership and immediately switched sides. Your ministry needs strong volunteer leaders who will help you build a strong team.

2. Shoot Straight. Driven donors are often very direct. King Joram met Jehu who bluntly said, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” (2 Kings 9:22). As King Joram turned his chariot around to flee, Jehu shot him between the shoulders (v. 24). Jehu was a straight shooter in more ways than one. Value donors who speak truth.

3. See Reality. Jehu’s mission was to assassinate Jezebel. When she knew he had arrived in Jezreel “she painted her eyelids, and fixed her hair, and sat at a window” (2 Kings 10:30). It didn’t help. Jehu saw through her facade and ordered that she be defenestrated (thrown out the window). Driven donors can look at your budget and see the bottom line. They know if your numbers work or if you are trying to sugar coat something.

4. Think Strategically. Jehu was a cunning military leader. He killed everyone in Ahab’s family and devised a plan to invite all the prophets of Baal to a worship service. He gave them robes so they would stand out in the crowd, then had his soldiers kill them. Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel and God rewarded him.

5. Need Accountability. “But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart” (2 Kings 10:31). God used Jehu, but he was a flawed human being. God can use your driven donor, but they need your spiritual guidance to be truly successful.

Response: Lord, please help me recognize and recruit key donors gifted with leadership.

Think About This: God brought you driven donors not just for their wealth, but also for their work and wisdom. Climb into their chariot and hang on!

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day (Matthew 28:11-15).

The soldiers who guarded the tomb had one job: “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” (Matt. 27:65). But on Resurrection morning, an angel rolled the stone away and Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead. Everything about our faith hinges on the truth of the resurrection. “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Cor. 15:14).

The religious leaders knew if word got out, they would lose their power. So, they devised a plan and became the first major donors to oppose the good news. Money talks, in this case money attempted to change the narrative. The soldiers used the money to launch the first anti-Christian marketing campaign. We can learn three fundraising principles from this passage.

1. The World Has Good Fundraisers

Just like our passage, the forces of evil today can raise large sums of money to fund their falsehoods. Your ministry will never have enough money to stand against evil dollar for dollar. Thankfully, “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4). Be encouraged, with them “is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles” (2 Chron. 32:8).

2. Your Ministry is a Target

Christian ministries are under attack. Sometimes the enemy persecutes directly. Other times, the enemy offers a counter message and spreads lies about those who dare speak truth. Anytime you stand for biblical truth, you will face opposition. We must remember that our true enemies are not people, but “the powers of this dark world and… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).

3. The World Appears to Win – For Now

The soldier’s disinformation campaign was successful to a point; many people today still choose to believe their lie. But take heart, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Jesus promised to build his church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). Have confidence that God has all the resources you need to accomplish your mission. In the end, God wins!

Response: Father, forgive me for jealousy when I see the world raising lots of money for causes that oppose the Gospel. Help me share our ministry story with passion and trust your provision.

Think About This: No amount of money can suppress the true message, “He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!”

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away” (Matthew 21:2-3).

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday starts with a curious story. He asked two disciples to go find a donkey and her colt so he could fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. This unusual passage teaches some important fundraising principles. Fundraising isn’t taking something from your donors they don’t want to give, rather it’s helping your ministry partners catch the vision for how they can help fulfill God’s mission.

1. Know

This passage reminds us that Jesus knows whom among your constituency has the resources to help. More importantly he knows their heart and willingness to give. We often sing the lyrics from Psalm 50:10-12, “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the wealth in every mine.” God can lead you to that cattle rancher or mine owner who can sell some cattle or gold to meet your needs. He can also soften their hearts and make them ready to give (see Exodus 3:21).

2. Go

Jesus didn’t retrieve the donkey himself. He sent two disciples on this important mission. Did they understand the prophesy of Zechariah 9:9? John 12:16 says they didn’t. Jesus just gave them an assignment and they obeyed. In the same way you are called to go share your ministry story with potential donors and ask for their help. Do you fully understand how God works in hearts and prompts people to give? Probably not. You are just called to go and ask.

3. Say

Jesus did equip his disciples with what to say and how to say it. The big difference in your situation is that you ask first, and then receive. The disciples received first, then responded to a donor question with a great answer, “The Lord needs them.” Isn’t that the underlying reason why you solicit donors? Notice the wonderful phrase, “and he (the owner) will send them right away” (vs. 3). When people understand the spiritual impact of their gift, they are eager to be generous.

4. Return

Mark 11:3 adds an important detail, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” The Lord returns to us every gift we give to him. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). As someone who asks others for gifts, this truth should give you great confidence. God will repay your donors abundantly for every generous gift they give your ministry.

Response: Father, forgive me for the times I am reluctant to ask people for the resources you’ve entrusted to them.

Think About This: We are all looking for the highest return on our investments, but the greatest return comes on the eternal investments we loan to the Lord. As a fundraiser, you are an eternal loan officer helping your donors secure treasures in heaven!

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.

Abigail faced a crisis. David was ticked, rallied his bill collectors, and was fixin’ to make a house call. When Abigail discovered Nabal’s faux pas she jumped into action, gathered many gifts, and rushed to cut off David at the pass before he could cut off Nabal’s head.

This exhilarating story directly applies to ministries who fumble their major donor relationships. “An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city” (Proverbs 18:19 NLT). More than one ministry has exasperated a key donor. Sometimes the issues are minor; sometimes they are epic. In either case, you don’t want major donors shaking the dust off their feet and walking away. Consider these six recovery strategies.

1.  Go Immediately. Abigail lost no time because every minute she delayed put her family at risk. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court” (Matthew 5:25). Don’t lull yourself to sleep by thinking “time will heal all wounds.” When someone is offended you must quickly schedule a face-to-face meeting. Be open and transparent about what happened and how you intend to solve the problem.

2.  Express Humility. Abigail bowed down before David and said, “Pardon your servant, my lord” (1 Sam. 25:24). Genuine humility and repentance promote reconciliation. Abigail wasn’t the one who offended David, but she was the one who took responsibility. You may not have been the one who offended your donor, but as the ministry representative, you must take responsibility.

3.  Speak Truthfully. Donors value truth. Abigail was brutally honest, “Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him.” Don’t use this as a proof text for calling your boss a fool, but if someone in your ministry said or did something inappropriate, face it head on.

4.  Resolve the Conflict. Abigail didn’t just speak words, she acted. All the gifts she brought paid David’s bill for guarding Nabal’s flocks (1 Sam. 25:27). When you have an opportunity to right a wrong, do it even when it costs something. Your ministry will benefit in the long run.

5.  See Your Donor’s Viewpoint. Abigail was shrewd in her comments and reminded David that he would regret avenging himself. You can also reason with your offended donor. “A soft answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). Help them see how God can use this situation for his glory.

6.  Seek Reconciliation. Abigail accomplished her mission. David said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request” (1 Sam. 25:35). Abigail wisely reconciled with this future major donor. Take every donor relationship seriously.

Response: Father, forgive us for needlessly offending our major donors. Open our eyes to any ways we have hurt others so we can reconcile with them.

Think About This: Don’t give up even if your relationship seems unsalvageable. “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for” (Proverbs 16:6). Keep loving your offended major donors. Perhaps one day God will bring reconciliation.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

“Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor” (Galatians 6:6).

If you have benefited spiritually from someone’s teaching, you need to bless them financially. Paul expresses the same concept in 1 Corinthians 9:11, “If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?” In other words, we need to fairly compensate those in ministry. How does this work for Christian non-profits? Let’s look at this verse with a fundraising lens.

Instruction in the Word

We know this principle applies to pastors, missionaries, educators, and seminary profs, but what about everybody else? Every gospel-centered ministry instructs people in the word. If you share the gospel as you reach the homeless, counsel a pregnant mom, care for the elderly, or teach English as a second language you are instructing people in the word. This characteristic should distinguish your ministry from other secular non-profits. Your ministry and your secular counterpart can both serve the hungry, but your ministry should also offer the bread of life.

The One Who Receives

It makes sense that the people who benefit most from your ministry will have the most appreciation for your ministry. Sometimes, we overlook parents who have students enrolled in our school or university, because they already pay a significant tuition bill. It’s true that many are sacrificing so their children can receive a Christian education, but some have resources over and above tuition. More importantly, if you’ve made a spiritual impact on their son or daughter’s life, they are eternally grateful.

The son of a major donor fell into drug addiction, landed in prison, and was rescued by a recovery ministry. When this major donor talks about the impact that this ministry had in his son’s life, tears well up in his eyes. As the ministry considered a capital campaign to expand their program, this major donor was first in line to give.

Share All Good Things

Paul calls those who have been on the receiving end to be generous and willing to share. All good things certainly mean financial resources, but it can also be the good thing of volunteering their time or hosting a donor event in their home. One major donor gives a financial gift, but also donates his golf course so the ministry can host an exclusive tournament. Other major donors use their businesses to advance the ministry.

With Their Instructor

Paul stressed the personal aspect of this giving relationship. Donors give to people. As the ministry leader you must personally know your key donors. Make it a priority to visit the top fifty donors to your organization and learn how your ministry has impacted them spiritually.

Response: Father, thank you for the reminder that it’s okay to ask the people we serve to support our ministry even if it’s just a widow’s mite.

Think About This: We often look for mystery major donors we have never met to swoop in and rescue us. That does happen occasionally, but you will reap a greater harvest by focusing on those families on whom you have made a spiritual difference.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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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 two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.