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A lone figure standing on a mountain summit overlooking a sweeping valley at sunrise, with the text God's Role in Your Fundraising Challenge and the scripture reference 2 Chronicles 20:17 in white lettering.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

God’s Role in Your Fundraising Challenge

by Ron Haas
April 27, 2026

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

A vast army was knocking on Jerusalem’s door. Instead of panicking, King Jehoshaphat gathered the people to fast and seek the Lord. He confessed: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Jahaziel prophesied, “The battle is not yours but God’s… You will not have to fight.” They needed only to take their positions, stand firm, and watch God’s deliverance unfold. From Jehoshaphat’s crisis response, we discover four fundraising principles.

Pray Up
When Martin Luther had much to do, he would spend the first three hours in prayer. How important is prayer in your fundraising efforts? Do you spend more time planning or praying? Do you pray for your major donors by name? Do you pray that God will bless their families, their health, their businesses? Jehoshaphat invited all Israel to pray for their deliverance. You should invite your board, staff, and volunteers to pray for God’s blessing on your fundraising efforts.

Suit Up
Israel was commanded to “take up your positions; stand firm.” Fundraising is spiritual warfare. Satan doesn’t want your ministry partners to give generously because he doesn’t want your ministry to succeed. He will oppose you in every way possible. You’ll schedule the meeting, and your donor will get called away on emergency business. Paul instructs us to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). Your shield of faith reminds you this isn’t about your effort but God’s provision.

Show Up
“Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). Fundraising isn’t passive,  it’s active. You’ve got to pick up the phone and call your donors. You might need to call fifteen times before you finally connect. You’ve got to go see your donors face-to-face and share your vision. You’ve got to listen to their hearts and learn what matters to them. Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” You cannot merely “phone it in” you have to show up.

Look Up
God places you in situations that seem overwhelming so you will learn to rely on him. In this battle, Israel didn’t fight at all. They worshiped their way to victory. When you’ve prayed up, suited up, and shown up, your job is to trust God for the outcome. Judah spent three days collecting abundant plunder. You can’t manufacture generosity. Only the Holy Spirit can move someone’s heart to give sacrificially.

Think About This: Spirit-led fundraising is knowing when to listen and when to speak. Sometimes it’s asking for the gift. Sometimes it’s simply showing up to collect the check God has already prepared.

Response: Lord, help me faithfully pray for my donors. Give me courage to suit up spiritually before every meeting. Help me show up consistently, even when it’s hard. Remind me to look up, trusting you to fight my battles.

A gleaming ornate sword against a black background with the text Be This Kind of Fundraiser and the scripture reference 2 Samuel 23:9-10 in white lettering.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Be This Kind of Fundraisers

by Ron Haas
April 27, 2026

“Next to him was Eleazar… As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.” (2 Samuel 23:9-10).

What makes a great fundraiser? It’s someone who finishes what they start. The person who stays until the last guest leaves the gala. The gift officer who keeps making calls even when no one picks up. The one who keeps building relationships when donors seem uninterested, and keeps asking for gifts long after everyone else has given up. This kind of fundraiser is rare. Eleazar shows us what a tenacious fundraiser looks like, the person who keeps going when everyone else quits. Here are four things we can learn from him.

Don’t Run Away
There’s something almost funny about this story. The Israelites trash-talked the Philistines (think of that famous scene in Braveheart), got them all riled up, and then ran away. Sound familiar? It’s like when your board gets excited about a big campaign but disappears when the work gets hard. As one board member joked, “We’re behind you…way, way behind you.” But Eleazar didn’t care. He stayed focused and refused to run.

Keep Going When You’re Exhausted
Picture Eleazar fighting wave after wave of enemies until he’s completely worn out. That’s fundraising, right? You’ve got events to plan, mailings to send, reports to write, and then there’s the actual work of finding donors, building relationships, and asking for money. There’s never enough hours in the week. When you feel like this, remember: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail” (Proverbs 30:1).

Hold Tight to God’s Promises
Here’s the amazing part—Eleazar fought so long and so hard that his hand literally froze to his sword. He couldn’t let go even if he wanted to. That’s how you need to grip God’s Word in your fundraising work. You’ll face conversations and situations you can’t handle in your own understanding. You need God’s wisdom and strength daily. “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:7).

Let God Do His Part
The passage says, “The Lord brought about a great victory that day.” Yes, Eleazar did something incredible, but God made it possible. You might be the most talented fundraiser around, but your success ultimately comes from God’s strength and blessing. You can do your part, make the calls, write the emails, build the relationships, make the ask. But only God can move people’s hearts to give.

Think About This: When the battle ended, everyone came back, but only to collect the valuables from the dead enemies. All the hard work was already done. Here’s the question: Are you the one doing the heavy lifting, or are you just showing up after someone else has done the work?

Response: Lord, give me the strength to keep asking when everyone else runs away. Help me be a mighty fundraiser for your glory!

Person balancing on a highline stretched across a rocky mountain peak at sunrise, symbolizing courage and risk, with the text Bold Fundraising and a scripture reference displayed on the image.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Bold Fundraising

by Ron Haas
February 23, 2026

“With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said” (2 Chronicles 32:8).

Hezekiah’s words transformed lambs into lions. Something similar happened at a recent campaign planning meeting with a pretty significant goal. Everyone walked in wondering if we’d completely lost our minds. Could we actually raise this kind of money?

Then Bill showed up and everything changed. When people introduced themselves, most gave a quick “Hi, I’m so-and-so.” Bill took five minutes telling us about his business wins and dropping names of all the big shots he knew personally. At first, it felt a little much. But the longer he talked, the more we realized this guy wasn’t just talk. He actually did know several major donors on a first-name basis. His “we’ve got this” energy was infectious. Suddenly everyone’s “Can we?” turned into “How will we!”

Start with Confidence in the Lord
Bill radiated confidence, but you could also hear his faith underneath it all. He genuinely believed God had prepared him for exactly this moment. Here’s the question: Do you have a positive mindset about fundraising? If you’re just running on your own steam, you’ll burn out fast. But when you draw strength from God, you can accomplish amazing things you never thought possible. “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19).

Then Confidence in Your Mission
Your boldness in asking for money grows directly from how much you believe in what you’re doing. Do you really believe in your cause? Do you understand how important this work is? A good salesperson can sell anything to anyone, but a truly great fundraiser must believe deep down what they’re offering genuinely meets people’s needs. You’ve got to be all in on the fact your campaign will make an eternal difference.

Next: Believe in Your Leadership
Bill joined our campaign because he knew the executive director personally and completely trusted his leadership. The Israelites faced a vast army and were scared out of their minds about their situation. How vast is your campaign? The Israelites trusted King Hezekiah because he trusted God. Does your leadership inspire confidence or raise doubts about whether or not God’s got this?

Finally: Don’t Underestimate your Network
Bill dropped names, but he also showed everyone a text he received that morning from the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Most people won’t volunteer for a campaign team because they think, “I don’t know anybody.” Maybe that feels true. Most of us aren’t hanging out with billionaires at country clubs. But Bill’s enthusiasm got everyone in that room thinking differently. People started remembering, “Wait, I do know someone who…”

Think About This: Your mindset will make or break your fundraising. Henry Ford said it perfectly: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” What do people pick up from your attitude about fundraising?

Prayer: Father, help me trust you for how this campaign turns out. Lead us to the right team members and the right donors.

A variety of hand tools including a hammer, pliers, paintbrush, and screwdriver are arranged on a wooden surface. The text 'DIY Fundraising' is centered in bold white letters, with a scripture reference below.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

DIY Fundraising

by Ron Haas
June 18, 2025

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet” (2 Kings 6:1-2).

Occasionally, a board member or major donor will suggest that a ministry could attempt a capital campaign without seeking outside counsel. Perhaps this person had negative experiences with consultants and doesn’t see the value. Perhaps he or she plans to make a significant lead gift and wants all the funds to go for the project. Elisha experienced this do-it-yourself mentality. His school of prophets was bursting at the seams. Their solution was to design-build a new seminary building on the banks of the Jordan River. Four truths emerge from this experience.

Successful Fundraising requires…

Involvement
This plan didn’t come from the top-down, the prophets brought the plan to Elisha. Grassroots ideas can be successful because donors feel ownership. It’s a blessing to have enthusiastic participation from core supporters. The prophets took a hands-on approach and became architects and general contractors. Some projects might be manageable, but today’s building codes and permit requirements put most construction projects beyond the average volunteer. The logical question is, “If you use a professional to design and build the building, why wouldn’t you also use a professional to help you raise the money?”

Leadership
Even though the prophets thought of the idea, they sought Elisha’s blessing before moving forward.
“Then one of them said, ‘Won’t you please come with your servants?’ ‘I will,’ Elisha replied. And he went with them” (2 Kings 6:3-4). Your CEO is your chief fundraiser and must be 100 percent behind your project. His or her leadership will make the difference between your success or failure. Major donors want to believe in your leader—that they will do what they say they will do.

Asking
The seminary volunteers were budding theologians, not professional lumberjacks. One of them had a workplace accident and lost the iron ax head he was swinging. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” (2 Kings 6:4-5). This seminarian had asked someone if he could borrow the ax head to work on this project. Your campaign depends on people asking others to participate in your project. If your key leaders are willing to ask, you can be successful; if they are unwilling, your success is uncertain.

Divine Intervention
The seminarian stopped working and ran to Elisha for help. Elisha asked where it fell into the water and miraculously caused the iron to float. This wonderful scene reinforces that all our labors are futile without the Lord’s help. Fundraising is a divine-human endeavor. You might think you can accomplish your project in your own strength but, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

Think About This: Your board member and/or major donor might insist on a Do-It-Yourself Fundraising campaign. The key to your success is their involvement—they must step up and “Do-It!” with you.

Response: Lord, please give us wisdom to plan and implement a successful campaign. Help us work as hard as we can and trust you for your results.

Major Donors, Donation Approach, Donor Relations

Bottom of the Ninth: How One College Pulled the Ultimate Comeback!

by Pat McLaughlin
November 4, 2024

Baseball fans live for those magical moments – bottom of the 9th, down by a few runs, bases empty, and somehow your team strings together a rally that brings the crowd to their feet! Every pitch matters. Every at-bat could make or break the game. One swing could be the difference between celebration and heartbreak.

We just witnessed one of these clutch performances with one of our Christian College clients. Picture this: I get an email from the president that reads like a manager’s nightmare scenario: “Pat, great gameplan, but here’s the situation – we need $2.4-$2.8 million in 120 days, including scholarship commitments. Season ends June 30th.”

“Hold up, Coach,” I replied. “Are you telling me if we don’t hit this number out of the park, the board might have to shut down the program next semester?”

His response? A simple “YEP!”

At TTG, we’ve got a saying that would make any baseball player proud: “Pray like it’s all up to God… hustle like you’re running out an infield single.” Just like you need both talent AND practice to win games, James teaches us that faith without works is dead. This wasn’t about building a fancy new stadium – this was about keeping the team on the field. And just like fans rally behind a team fighting for playoff survival, donors respond to that kind of urgency.

I laid out our lineup card to the president: “You’re our cleanup hitter here. You need to be in the field with me, making contact with donors!” He didn’t hesitate – “Put me in, coach!” He signed off on every play in our strategy, and we started our ninth-inning rally.

Our Gameplan:

  • Scout our “Top 10/Next 20” heavy hitters, plus a farm system of 50 promising prospects
  • Craft custom pitches for each potential donor with specific ask amounts
  • Get face time with donors – no pitching via mail (That’s like trying to win a game with only bunts – 1-5% success rate vs. 80-85% when you swing for the fences in person)
  • Build an all-star team of board members, faculty, and staff who could help us connect with donors
  • Draft a power-hitting Chief Development Officer who could drive in major gifts

Just like the World Series trophy isn’t won by one player, this became a true team effort. The president even installed countdown clocks around campus for the final 30-day stretch – like having the scoreboard lighting up those final crucial innings.

And guess what? WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM! We didn’t just hit our target of $2.4-2.8 million – we crushed it with $3.2 million! Plus, we added not one but TWO stewardship officers and a development dream team. It was like watching a rookie hit a game-winning homer in Game 7 of the World Series – a miracle I’ve been blessed to witness with clients worldwide since I stepped up to the fundraising plate in 1981.

Want to stage your own comeback? You’ll need a clear gameplan, specific targets, a committed roster from the board to the bullpen, a president who’s ready to step up to the plate, and that World Series-level intensity. If you’re down late in the game here in 2024, let us help you draw up the perfect rally strategy!

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin;

President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 2,100 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

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