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Development, Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week

Small Team. Big Results.

by Ron Haas
June 21, 2020

“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).

Do you bemoan the fact that your development team is understaffed? It’s easy to become jealous of larger organizations that have the resources and personnel to raise millions of dollars. Huge public universities have an army of major gift officers identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors. In fact, each of the colleges beneath the university umbrella also have a strong team focused on their specific subset of donors e.g. athletics, business, law, nursing, etc. They also have researchers, grant writers, event planners, plus all the latest computers and software to track every gift and every gift officer’s next move.

How can you compete with fundraising juggernauts like this? You can’t. The good news is you don’t have to. God promised the children of Israel that he would fight for them; that makes all the difference. He tipped the balance of power in favor of Moses and Joshua. “Five will chase a hundred.” That’s pretty great odds. But it gets better, “one hundred of you will chase ten thousand!” You may not have the budget or staff of other organizations, but you have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and direct your path.

So how do you handle your disadvantages? Paul instructed, “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” (Galatians 6:4). Focus on what you can do with the resources God has given you. Test your own actions. Make sure you are doing everything you can to Research, Romance, Request, Recognize, Recruit and Report to your donors. Don’t worry about what you could do if only you had something you don’t. Grab your sword and start chasing.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week!

Ron Haas, Vice President of The Timothy Group, has also 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.

Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week

Secular Vs. Sacred

by Ron Haas
June 14, 2020

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 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).

The world raises millions of dollars for temporal causes. Sometimes as Christians, we believe we are at a fundraising disadvantage compared to secular organizations. But our methods are better than the world’s because they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Overcoming the love of money and the deceitfulness of riches are fundraising strongholds. We have the advantage over the world because giving to our compelling stories produces eternal rewards.

Faith

Ultimately, generosity is not a financial decision, it’s a faith decision. Both the asker and the giver must have faith that 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” (v.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 were preventing 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.

Faith, hope, and love should guide your donor relations strategies, but the greatest of these is love.

Ron Haas, Vice President of The Timothy Group, has also 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.

Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week

To Delay is To Deny

by Ron Haas
June 7, 2020

“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).

King Joash reigned for forty years and did right in the eyes of the Lord. During his time in power, the Temple developed some serious deferred maintenance issues, so he called the priests and Levites and instructed them to collect gifts from the people and repair the Temple. His instructions were crystal clear, “Do it now!”

Unfortunately, the Levites procrastinated and never started the work. Finally, after sixteen years, King Joash called for an account and found negligence, misappropriation of funds, and even theft. So, he issued a proclamation that the people should bring their gifts to the temple and deposit them in a chest he had made. He appointed his royal secretary to collect the gifts, purchase supplies, and hire masons and carpenters to start the work. This time, the men he placed in charge were diligent and completed the repairs.

When you raise money for a project, you raise donor expectations that their gifts will be used for that project. If the project is delayed because of poor planning, leadership changes, plan revisions, or any other reason, donors begin to question the ministry’s credibility. Will you do what you say you will do? Projects usually stall due to lack of funding. King Joash addressed the internal problems then called Israel to generosity. “All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full” (vs. 10).

When you have a clear vision and a clear path to accomplish that vision, people will rally to your cause.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas, Vice President for The Timothy Group, has also 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.

Capital Campaigns, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Stewardship

“Help, I’m Not Good At Fundraising!”

by Ron Haas
May 30, 2020

“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).

“Help, I’m Not Good At Fundraising!”

Peter served as a board member of a youth ministry that was 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 emailed 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.”

Spur One Another On

When Paul raised relief funds for the Jerusalem church, the believers in Corinth 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. Hebrews 10:24 teaches, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

Show Enthusiasm & Passion

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.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

Ron Haas, Vice President for The Timothy Group, has also 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.

Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Major Donor Prayer Team

by Ron Haas
May 23, 2020

“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 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. 13 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 hill for a strategic view of the battlefield. Moses stood with his arms raised holding the staff of God to intercede on behalf of Israel. When do you think they realized that the position of Moses’ arms impacted the outcome of the battle? Yet, it was too difficult for Moses to continue. So, they improvised and pulled up a stone for Moses to sit on while Aaron and Hur stood on each side holding up his hands.

And The Winner Is…

Who is the MVP of this battle? Would you vote for Joshua and the army on the battlefield, Moses lifting his staff in prayer, or Aaron and Hur? The correct answer is everyone. This has a direct fundraising application. Your organization needs soldiers on the field telling your story – your leadership team, major gift officers, and board. You also need a major donor prayer team fervently praying for open doors, great conversations, and God’s favor. But this all falls apart without staff to support your efforts.

Rally Your Troops

Rally your troops to pray for your fundraising efforts. Send out regular prayer emails to your most dedicated prayer warriors. You don’t need to share details about your donor visits, just your call to action. Then when God answers, “many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11).

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

 Ron Haas, current Vice President for The Timothy Group has also 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.

Donor Relations, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Recruiting Donor Evangelists

by Ron Haas
May 17, 2020

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42).

A board member profoundly said, “Every one of our board members should constantly be in conversations with people to find out where God is hiding money!” Some organizations schedule time in each board meeting encouraging members to identify, cultivate and solicit their friends and family. Andrew would have been a great board member! He believed John’s message and made a life changing decision to follow Jesus. Andrew became an evangelist. His first response was to find his brother Peter and tell him about Christ.

Your board members must become your greatest evangelists for your ministry telling everyone they meet about how your ministry is accomplishing incredible things for Christ. Encourage your board members to engage in these four action steps.

Believe.

You can only share your mission with enthusiasm, if you are fully convinced that your ministry is meeting critical needs. Light up your board’s passion by sharing stories of changed lives.

Find.

The first networking question is, “Who do you know?” We jump to a list of famous, wealthy people that we probably don’t know (Bill Gates). Instead, we should look closer to home. Consider prospects in your church, community, and even family who would align with your mission.

Tell.

Finding the Messiah motivated Andrew. Your ministry meets many human needs, but the most compelling message you can share is how your ministry leads people to Jesus.

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. Inspire your prospective donors as they experience your mission.

Andrew didn’t know it, but he brought the person whom God would use to bring many into the Kingdom. Won’t you begin recruiting donor evangelists? Perhaps God will use the person you bring to bring many to your ministry and many more into the Kingdom.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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.

Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week

Raise A Hallelujah!

by Ron Haas
May 10, 2020

“’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…’ 14Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel… a Levite and descendant of Asaph… 15 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. 16Tomorrow, march down against them…’ 21Jehoshaphat 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 marching against Jerusalem; they were only 50 miles away when Jehoshaphat heard the news. He immediately called all Judah and Jerusalem to fast and inquire of the Lord. He prayed, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” What an incredible strategic planning prayer for your ministry, your advancement department, and your personal life.

The Holy Spirit revealed his plan through someone we don’t know well. Jahaziel wasn’t a military or government leader; he was a Levite and descendant of Asaph – a worship leader. God can speak to anyone in your organization or department. Good ideas don’t just come from the top-down, many of the best ideas come from the grassroots.

In 1976, Richard Montañez was hired as a janitor for $4 dollars an hour at a Frito-Lay plant in Rancho Cucamonga, California. One day, a broken machine on the Cheetos assembly line produced 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.

Not only did the Spirit give Jahaziel the plan, Jehoshaphat honored him by placing the choir at the head of the army. God blessed Judah and Jerusalem with a great victory that day. Listen intently for God’s voice for your next good idea. The answer may come from the choir!

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron Haas

Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week

We Are All In This Together

by Ron Haas
May 2, 2020

32 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. 33 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 34 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 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need (Acts 4:32-35).

The early believers faced persecution and hardship as many were disowned by their families and shunned by former friends. No doubt, some lost their jobs and homes placing them in dire circumstances. The church responded with great power and great grace banding together to care for one another. “There were no needy persons among them” because those who had resources sold their possessions and brought them to the apostles for distribution.

You should approach this current crisis in the same way. Recognize those in desperate situations and do whatever you can to meet their needs. Perhaps this has always been your ministry focus, but now your ministry and personal needs have increased beyond what you could ever imagined. All of us are coping with budget shortfalls and wondering how to navigate the next steps.

The comforting truth is, “We are all in this together.” Some parts of the body are struggling; other parts of the body are thriving. God has blessed some of your donors with abundance. Your needs are great – greater than ever before. Now is the time to share your needs with God’s people and ask them to respond generously. “And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all” (vs. 33). This powerful grace includes the grace of giving (see 2 Corinthians 8:7).

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.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron Haas, The Timothy Group

Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Praying For Divine Donor Appointments

by Ron Haas
April 26, 2020

“Then he prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master’” (Genesis 24:12-14).

How do you sort through thousands of donors on your mailing list to find the few who could help you significantly? An asset screening tool like Wealth Engine compares your database with public sources of information to identify hidden donors on your list who have capacity to give. It’s a helpful tool, yet some major donors can effectively conceal their wealth from public view. Encouraging your board members to network with contacts is also an effective way to identify new prospects, but some board members are not well-connected.

Abraham’s servant faced a challenging assignment to find a bride for Isaac. His instructions were clear—don’t look among the Canaanites, but only among Abraham’s relatives. So, he traveled to Abraham’s native land and stopped at the well outside of Nahor. Many daughters of the townspeople were coming to draw water, but how could he identify the right one? He prayed three requests: (1) for success, not for his own glory, but to serve Abraham well, (2) for God to schedule a divine appointment , and that (3) this young woman would go above and beyond to fulfill his request.

The servant did his part by showing up at the right place at the right time but knew he would only be successful with God’s intervention. As you review your donor list, pause and ask God for success, a sign, and a generous response. Then go to the well, ask, and listen for opportunities.

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

The Indescribable Gift

by Ron Haas
April 11, 2020

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15)

We take great care when selecting the perfect gift for that special person, but nothing compares with our Heavenly Father’s gift of his only Son to be “an atoning sacrifice for our sin” (1 John 4:10). Without God’s generosity to us, we would be eternally lost and without hope. Paul responded to God’s generous gift with this doxology of praise!

How should you respond to the generosity of your donors? Consider the previous verses.

Thankfulness. “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (vs. 12). Share with your donors how their gift has made an eternal difference and how your whole team is thanking God because of their generosity.

Praise. “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else” (vs. 13). Share how their faithful gift has encouraged others to praise God. Tell an impact story that would not have happened without their gift. Thank them for sharing with you and the other ministries they support.

Prayer. “And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you” (vs. 14). The greatest way to thank your donors is to pray for them. Ask for their prayer requests, spend time praying for them, and follow up to hear how God has answered.

On this Resurrection Sunday, praise God for his generous, sacrificial gift of salvation. This week, thank your donors for their generous, sacrificial gifts to your ministry.

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