0
0
Stacked stones arranged in balanced formations on a neutral background, symbolizing stability, restoration, and rebuilding donor trust, with the title Rebuilding Donor Trust displayed above the image
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Rebuilding Donor Trust

by Ron Haas
January 7, 2026

“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).

Are donors throwing rocks at you? Donors often direct their frustration toward leadership when their favorite programs are cut, or trusted staff members are dismissed. David fled from King Saul and settled in Ziklag. One day while he was out raiding, Amalekites burned Ziklag to the ground and captured all the wives and children. When David and his men returned to find their homes and families gone, his men’s grief turned to rage against David. In their despair, they even talked about stoning him. David’s remarkable recovery reveals five essential strategies for regaining donor confidence.

Find Strength in the Lord
David responded by turning to the Lord for strength and wisdom. Trials are important moments of personal and organizational growth. Paul prayed for the Colossian believers to be, “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (Col. 1:11). Do you need great endurance and patience today?

Drain the Pain
David’s men had legitimate reasons for their anger, but David wasn’t a detached leader—he grieved alongside them. Donors who are passionate about your ministry hold strong opinions about ministry direction and may question your strategic decisions, especially when staff cuts affect people they know personally. Allow them to express their feelings fully. Acknowledge their pain before moving toward solutions.

Seek Clear Direction
David inquired of the Lord (1 Sam. 30:8) and asked specific questions: “Should I pursue them? Will I overtake them?” Pray specific prayers and look for specific answers. Don’t simply present your strategic plan to God and ask him to bless it. Begin your planning process with prayer, seeking divine wisdom before charting your course.

Solve Problems
Winston Churchill observed, “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” David’s pain drove him to pursue God and address his crisis. God answered David’s prayer spectacularly: “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken” (1 Sam. 30:18). Pain often precedes a breakthrough.

Share Your Blessings
David glorified the Lord for his protection and victory. When he returned to Ziklag, he shared plunder with the elders of Judah who were his friends. When God provides solutions to your fundraising challenges, be generous with your time and experience. Share your learnings with other ministry leaders so they can succeed as well. Maintain a kingdom mindset and celebrate others’ victories.

Think About This: The winter at Valley Forge was a period of immense suffering for the Continental Army. Soldiers faced starvation, disease, and inadequate clothing. Washington, under criticism and doubts about his leadership, turned to prayer for guidance and strength. The path through crisis requires divine dependence and obedience. David’s experience demonstrates that even when facing overwhelming opposition, leaders who anchor themselves in God’s strength can navigate through seemingly impossible circumstances and emerge stronger.

Response: Lord, please help me find my strength in you. Help me inquire of you to know the next steps for our ministry.

A man in a white t-shirt covers his ears with his hands, expressing frustration, against a bright yellow background. The text reads "Ignoring Fundraising Critics" and "Ecclesiastes 7:21-22," emphasizing the theme of overcoming criticism in the context of fundraising.
Fundraising Verse of the Week

Ignoring Fundraising Critics

by Ron Haas
December 11, 2024

“Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.” Ecclesiastes 7:21-22

Charles Spurgeon lectured this text to his preaching students with the catchy title, “A Blind Eye and a Deaf Ear.” His application was to not let undue criticism discourage them from doing their work. You can spend a lot of emotional energy trying to please critics when you would be much better off focusing on things that really matter. Critics come in all shapes and sizes and have different motives. Here are four:

Hostile Critics
Nehemiah had his share of critics to deal with. Sanballat mocked him like a middle schooler, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day?” (Neh. 4:2). Tobiah added his zinger, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” (Neh. 4:3). Ouch! Nehemiah ignored them and just kept working. Perhaps you have opponents who don’t want you to succeed and criticize everything you do. Use your deaf ear and keep working.

Naïve Critics
When it comes to fundraising, everyone has an idea. A board member shared his sage advice, “What you need to do is find 10,000 people to give us $100.” It might seem like a good strategy and good math because, theoretically, his plan would raise $1 million. However, his plan had two flaws: (1) the campaign goal was $3 million and, (2) the entire town’s population was only 12,000. Campaigns aren’t built from the ground up but from the top-down. All successful campaigns start with leadership gifts to build momentum.

Foolish Critics
Not every critic is an enemy; some are just foolish. Mark Twain remarked, “Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” Solomon wrote two interesting back-to-back proverbs, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him” (Prov. 26:4) and “Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes” (Prov. 26:5). So, which is it? Answer a critic or ignore them? The Spirit can give you wisdom for the right response in the right situation.

Friendly Critics
Spurgeon’s message was about turning a deaf ear, not both ears. A wise person listens to a friend offering constructive criticism. “Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (Prov. 27:6). We often react negatively when someone shares something we don’t want to hear. Our natural self wants to save face, but we must learn to receive criticism graciously. Listen carefully. Ask clarifying questions. Thank your friend for their honesty and take time to reflect on what they shared.

Think About This: Solomon’s main argument for ignoring your critics is to remember, “for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others” (Eccl. 7:22). We all need forgiveness for judging others.

Response: Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve criticized others. Help me always speak “only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29).

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

No comments to show.
[email protected]
123-456-7890
Cart Overview