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Blurry motion image of a red tram passing by pedestrians in an urban setting, with trees and a white building in the background; overlaid text reads “Luke 16:3 Ashamed to Beg.”
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Ashamed to Beg

by Ron Haas
July 21, 2025

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg” (Luke 16:3).

The shrewd manager in Jesus’s parable had mismanaged his master’s resources and was about to lose his job. He devised a cunning plan to offer discounts to his master’s creditors so they would owe him a favor when he was unemployed. His excuse for his scheme was simple—he wasn’t strong enough to dig ditches and he was ashamed to beg. Many nonprofit leaders can rattle off their reasons for not fundraising, “I’m too busy with other responsibilities,” “It’s not my job,” or “I’m not gifted with a fundraising personality.” Perhaps the real reason is, “I feel like fundraising is begging and I’m ashamed to beg.” Fundraising isn’t begging; it’s a higher calling. Jesus taught, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).

Worldly Wealth
John Wesley’s simple money lesson was “Make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.” As a fundraiser, you can influence believers to make good stewardship decisions. Your donors are in various stages of their Christian walk. Some understand their responsibility to wisely manage God’s resources. Unfortunately, others struggle with “the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). Having money is not a sin, using it selfishly is.

Gain Friends
What does it mean to “use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourself” (Luke 16:9)? Whom are these friends? Jesus explained in Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” You must introduce the least of these brothers and sisters to your donors.

Eternal Dwellings
What joy to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 25:21). Imagine all the people in heaven who will thank your donors because of their generosity—those who were given something to eat and drink, had shelter and clothes, were cared for when they were sick, and were encouraged when they were in prison. You can help your donors experience this future blessing by asking them to participate in your mission now.

Love Money
“You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). God knows every heart; what he values and what we value can be two different things (Luke 16:15). Asking for a gift prompts your ministry partners to assess their priorities. Are they serving God or money? If they don’t give, it might be because it’s not the right project, the right amount, the right timing, or perhaps the Spirit is directing their gift to another ministry.

Think About This: Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). We should not be ashamed to ask our ministry partners to help advance the Gospel through their generous gifts.

Response: Father, help me challenge our donors to value what you value.

Yellow background with silhouettes of people raising their hands in shadow, featuring bold text 'SHADOW DONORS' and vertical text 'PSALM 39:6
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Shadow Donors

by Ron Haas
November 20, 2024

In truth, each of us journeys through life like a shadow. We busy ourselves accomplishing nothing, piling up assets we can never keep; We can’t even know who will end up with those things. (Psalm 39:6, The Voice)

Scripture describes our lives as a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), grass springing up new in the morning “but by evening it is dry and withered” (Psa. 90:6), a passing breeze which does not return (Psa. 78:39), a swift weaver’s shuttle coming to an end without hope (Job 7:6), and a fleeting shadow (Eccl. 6:12).

David observed in Psalm 39 most people live busy lives but don’t accomplish anything of eternal value. They accumulate assets they can never keep and have no idea who will finally end up with all their things. Who will inherit your possessions? You only have three options: the government, your children, or charity.

The Government
New York Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner, died from a heart attack on July 13, 2010, at age 80. Many people think the Steinbrenner family hit a home run with estate taxes when he passed away. Why? In 2010 there were no estate taxes. In fact, 2010 was the only year with no estate taxes. If he had died in 2009 or 2011, his widow and four children would have paid an estimated $500 million to $600 million in estate taxes.

Your Children
Your ministry partners have no guarantee their children will make wise financial decisions or, like the prodigal son, squander their wealth in wild living (Luke 15:13). Solomon bemoaned leaving his inheritance to those who would follow him, “And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?” (Eccl. 2:19). Today’s donors also question how much to leave their children—some don’t need the money, others would waste it, and sadly, some have wandered from the faith.

Charity
It makes logical sense someone who has been generous to your ministry throughout their life, would be generous in their death. Unfortunately, many people don’t even think about including charity in their estate plans. One easy way is to encourage your donors to tithe their estate. Another creative approach is to encourage your donors to adopt a child named, “Charity.” A donor with three children would typically divide their estate in thirds, by adopting “Charity,” each beneficiary would receive 25%.

We shy away from planned giving conversations because we perceive them as complicated. Your job is to keep it simple. Don’t worry about structuring a gift. Instead, focus your efforts on telling your ministry story and asking your donors to make a gift that will last beyond their lifetime. We often rely on literature to present giving opportunities, but the strongest approach is to ask face to face.

Think About This: McDonald’s heiress, Joan Kroc, left more than $200 million to NPR. Her transformative 2003 bequest wasn’t because of a major gift officer’s strategy, it was because she remembered meeting with NPR’s then-president, Kevin Klose, who had hoped Kroc would give at the $25,000 level. Go meet with your planned giving prospects and ask!

Response: Lord, give me boldness to personally ask my donors to remember our ministry in their estate plans.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Growing Major Gifts

by Ron Haas
November 13, 2024

“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

Jesus shared this parable of the growing seed to illustrate how God causes the Gospel to flourish in peoples’ hearts. When the seed starts growing it doesn’t stop until it produces a harvest. Some people new to major gift fundraising think they can plant the seed and immediately harvest a $1 million gift but asking and receiving requires patience and faith. Consider these steps:

Scattering Seed
The farmer sows the seed but is not responsible for the outcome. His role in the process is very limited. All he can do is plant the seed and wait. The only human act in the Gospel is telling the story. Evangelists can’t make someone place their faith in Christ, they can only present the Gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to change hearts. As a fundraiser, you can’t make someone give to your ministry, you can only share the story, ask for their partnership, and trust God to prompt their generosity.

Sprouts and Grows
The seed has all the power within it to reproduce itself which is why your ministry story is a critical aspect of fundraising. Your story must convey eternal results. The farmer doesn’t understand how the seed grows. Likewise, you can’t read a donor’s heart to know what might take root, so you need to sow many varieties of seed. Your giving opportunities should include people, property, and programs.

Stalk, Head, Full Kernel
Donors rarely give a seven-figure first-time gift, in fact many initial gifts are $100 or less. Stretch your donors by presenting them with greater opportunities. As your donors’ confidence in you grows, their gifts will increase. An eager major gift officer boldly asked for a $5 million dollar gift from someone who had the ability but no relationship to the ministry. The donor responded, “You need to give me more of an onramp. Ask me for a project that can start our relationship.”

The Harvest
Farming and fundraising are hard work. Both require knowledge of what, when, where, and how to plant, and both require reliance on God’s favor. The fundraising harvest comes after you’ve invested the hard work of relationship building and asking. The hardworking farmer does what he does so he can enjoy the harvest. If you faithfully tell your story and ask, God will bring a bountiful harvest. He is ultimately responsible for providing for your ministry.

Think About This: Mark 4:28 says, “All by itself the soil produces grain.” This phrase uses the Greek word automatē, from which we get the English word “automatically.” It’s divinely automatic. Fundraising is a divine-human cooperative, but mostly divine. Tell your ministry story well, ask boldly, and leave your results to God.

Response: Father, please help me faithfully tell our ministry story, ask for support, and trust you for the outcome.

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

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