Joyful Fundraising

by Ron Haas

May 18, 2026

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Every fundraiser should be humming:
I still got joy in chaos
I’ve got peace that makes no sense
And I won’t be going under
I’m not held by my own strength
‘Cause I’ve built my life on Jesus
He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through every season
So why would He fail now?
He won’t

Do you have joy in your fundraising chaos and peace that makes no sense? Fundraising is a stressful job with sometimes impossible expectations. James encourages us to approach every situation with joy because God is in control.

Testing Produces Perseverance
Remember Murphy’s Law? “If anything can go wrong, it will.” You’ve heard war stories: the banquet where the keynote speaker canceled two hours before start time, the direct mail appeal with a catastrophic typo no one caught until 10,000 pieces went out, or the awkward moment your executive director asked your million-dollar donor a question that was a little too personal. You can give up and walk away, or you can lean in and learn endurance. Each challenge builds your fundraising muscles and deepens your trust in God’s provision.

Perseverance Makes You Mature and Complete
Stick-to-it-iveness brings maturity. You learn that the donor who said “no” three times might say “yes” the fourth. You discover that God’s timing rarely matches your campaign calendar, but His timing is always perfect. Perseverance grows your faith. You stop trusting in your efforts and start depending on the Spirit to prompt your donors to be generous. Billy Graham observed, “It is the regular exercise of patience and long-suffering in the small day-to-day frustrations and irritations which prepares us to endure when the great battles come.”

If You Don’t Know What to Do, Ask for Wisdom
We all have a tendency “to lean on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) but we’re not smart enough to succeed in fundraising by ourselves. That’s why James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God” (James 1:5). Wondering what fundraising events to plan or eliminate? Ask for wisdom. Preparing a proposal for a major donor meeting. Ask for wisdom. Trying to decide how to use AI? Ask for wisdom. Discerning how to engage a lapsed donor? Ask for wisdom. God promises to give generously without finding fault.

Don’t Be Double-Minded
Fundraisers make dozens of decisions every day. Should we approve this email? Change the event venue? Order different swag for the golf tournament? Push back the campaign launch date? Decision fatigue is exhausting. James warns against wavering between two opinions. Ask the Lord for direction even in minor situations, make your decision, and move forward with confidence. Good decision-making brings clarity to your entire team and momentum to your mission.

Think About This: Put your fundraising situation in perspective. You have the best job in the world because you have the privilege of inviting people to invest in something that will last for eternity.

Response: Lord, forgive me for reacting with worry, doubt, or anger when I struggle to reach my fundraising goals. Please help me respond with joy no matter the circumstances. Amen.

Holy Drill. “Joy in Chaos.” Joy in Chaos (Extended), 2023. Spotify.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

P.U.S.H. Fundraising

by Ron Haas

September 4, 2025

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

Elijah prayed and it did not rain for three and a half years. Imagine forty-two months without rain—rivers dwindle to a trickle, lakes evaporate, crops fail, livestock die of thirst, and hope slowly fades. Elijah prayed again and “the heaven gave rain and the earth produced its crops” (James 5:18). It wasn’t a quick “bless the missionaries” prayer. Seven times he prayed and asked his servant to look to the sky for answers. Six times the servant saw nothing, but the seventh time he saw “a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea” (1 Kings 18:44). God opened the windows of heaven because of Elijah’s persistent prayer.

Are you experiencing a budget drought? You need P.U.S.H. Fundraising—Pray Until Something Happens. Often, we stop praying after one or two anemic prayers, but God answers when we persevere. Sure, you pray to meet your budget, but do you pray for the individuals who can help you meet your budget? If you only know your donors by their I.D. numbers, you can only pray in generalities. But if you know your donors intimately, you can pray with understanding. Paul prayed these requests for the Colossian believers (see Col. 1:9-10).

Know God’s will. “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (v. 9).
Knowing and doing God’s will is top of mind for every believer who wants to wholeheartedly serve the Lord. Your ministry partners need knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to make good stewardship decisions.

Live worthy. “Live a life worthy of the Lord” (v.10).
To walk worthy means our actions match our words. Sincere believers don’t say one thing and do another. Wealth comes with many temptations. Unfortunately, many “have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10). Pray for your ministry partners to live their faith, not merely profess it.

Please God. “Please him in every way” (v. 10).
In the last days, people will be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4). Pray your donors will not be swayed by “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). Your donors need wisdom to please the Lord in their money management, especially their giving.

Bear fruit. “Bearing fruit in every good work” (v. 10).
Jesus taught, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Pray your ministry partners will remain in Christ and bear fruit that lasts. Hudson Taylor said, “The Lord’s work done in the Lord’s way will never fail to have the Lord’s provision.” In response Francis Shaefer observed, “The Lord’s work done in human energy is not the Lord’s work any longer. It is something, but it is not the Lord’s work.”

Think About This: If God answered all your prayers, would it change the world and your ministry partners, or just your budget?

Response: Father, please help me pray specifically for our donors to seek your will and bear much fruit through their generosity.

Young girl with long blonde hair wearing a striped yellow and black shirt shrugs her shoulders with a confused expression. The text reads, “Joshua 3:3-4” and “That Feeling of Vujà De” on a solid blue background.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

That Feeling of Vujà De

by Ron Haas

December 18, 2024

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.” (Joshua 3:3-4)

Déjà vu is a French term for the intuitive feeling you have when you see or experience something familiar—like you’ve already seen or experienced it before. Organizational guru, Karl Weick describes Vujà De as the opposite feeling, “I’ve never been here before, I have no idea where I am, and I have no idea who can help me.” Feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing is one of the most frustrating feelings in the world. Joshua must have felt this as he prepared to enter the Promised Land. His mentor, Moses, was gone and the Lord chose him to lead Israel into the Promised Land. Perhaps God is calling you to a new ministry or to lead your current ministry into uncharted territory. Learn these three lessons from Joshua.

I’ve Never Been Here Before
You may be a rookie with no prior experience to draw on for your new assignment, or you may be a veteran with years of battle scars. Either way you must view your opportunity with fresh eyes. Some people boast of their fundraising experiences saying, “I have twenty years in development.” While this may be true, consider your new opportunity a chance to walk by faith, not to replay the greatest hits of the past. Determine to learn and grow personally and professionally through each new challenge.

I Have No Idea Where I Am
In the dark ages before GPS, we used to print off donor trip itineraries. These pre-phone maps would show your destination, but not where you were. Now, the little blue dot pinpoints your location. The same is true when it comes to your fundraising strategies. We know what the final goal is, but we are not sure where we are or what next steps to take. Consider conducting a development audit to assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges to get an accurate understanding of where you are currently.

I Have No Idea Who Can Help Me
Joshua didn’t have Karl Weick’s problem of not knowing who could help. The Lord had promised to help him, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). The Lord also promises to be with you as you start your new ministry. Solomon taught, “Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Prov. 20:18). As you begin your new assignment, seek the counsel of a trusted friend, another ministry colleague, or a fundraising professional. You’ll be glad you did.

Think About This: Are you trusting in my fundraising experience to bring you success, or are you trusting in God? Who will receive glory if you succeed?

Response: Father, I’m facing something I’ve never faced before. I praise you for being in complete control. Please help me trust you and not my own understanding.

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

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Opinionated Major Donors

by Ron Haas

November 6, 2024

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:11)

As commander of the army of the King of Aram, Naaman was a proud man and by human standards he had every reason to be. “He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly-regarded” (2 Kings 5:1). He was rich, famous, and accustomed to telling people what to do. Only one thing held him back—he had leprosy. A servant girl he had captured told his wife Elisha would heal him. So, he made a pilgrimage to see the prophet.

When Naaman’s entourage arrived. Elisha didn’t even come to the door but sent his servant to instruct Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times and be healed. Naaman stomped off in a huff and told his servant Elisha should have at least come out to meet him, pray to his God, wave his hands over the leprosy, and cure him. He was convinced he knew more than Elisha about how to heal his leprosy.

Major Opinion
Naaman’s attitude toward Elisha’s instructions is like some major donors who think you are doing ministry all wrong. No doubt you’ve listened patiently to someone who doesn’t understand why you did or did not do something a certain way. You should be eager to listen, learn, and respond, but don’t change something just because a wealthy donor says you should. Stay on mission.

Major Change
A courageous servant spoke truth and changed Naaman’s mind. He went to the Jordon, washed seven times, and was healed physically and spiritually. It may not happen often but occasionally a major donor who has opposed you, may come to their senses, see things differently, and apologize. (see 2 Tim. 2:24-26).

Major Gift
Naaman rushed back to Elisha and offered him extravagant gifts of gold, silver, and clothing. But Elisha did something most ministry leaders would never consider—he refused his gifts. In contrast to false teachers who use religion for financial gain, Elisha wanted Naaman to understand the free gift of salvation. Are you more concerned about a gift or your prospective donor’s spiritual health?

Major Lesson
Naaman asked permission to take some dirt home so he could sacrifice burnt offerings to the Lord. Then he asked if God would forgive him for accompanying his king to the pagan temple as part of his job. Elisha granted both requests told him to go in peace. Elisha showed grace and kindness to this new believer because he knew spiritual growth takes time.

Think About This: Some donors may be tempted to influence your decisions by wielding their checkbooks. It’s easier to refuse a gift when it comes with strings that might pull you off mission. Don’t sacrifice your core values for a short-term gain. Stand for biblical truth. God will bring you like-minded partners who will appreciate your courage.

Response: Father, please help me care more about my donor’s relationship to you than anything else. Please give me discernment to know when I should refuse a gift.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Is This the Time to Take Money?

by Ron Haas

October 28, 2024

But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? (2 Kings 5:26)

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, had a big leprosy problem. A servant girl shared good news with his wife that Elisha would heal him. So, Naaman searched for the prophet and took along 750 pounds of silver (worth approximately $230,000), 150 pounds of gold (worth approximately $4.2 million), and ten new outfits. Elisha didn’t even come to the door but sent him to wash seven times in the Jordan. Naaman was offended but his servant finally convinced him to obey the prophet and he was miraculously healed. Naaman was so grateful, he rushed back to thank Elisha with silver and gold, but Elisha refused his gifts and sent him home.

Gehazi believed Elisha had let Naaman off too easy, so he chased after this major donor to ask for a gift for himself. Gehazi shared a cover story about needing seventy-five pounds of silver and some new clothes for two young prophets. Naaman joyfully gave him twice as much as he asked. Gehazi hurried back, stashed the loot in his tent, then went to work like nothing had happened. Elisha caught him red-handed. Unfortunately, all too often, someone in Christian ministry gets caught embezzling funds. How can you protect your heart against greed? Consider these three safeguards:

Contentment
“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Like many in ministry, Gehazi felt underpaid and undervalued, so he took matters into his own hands. You’ll never get paid what you’re worth—or so you think. The defense against covetousness is contentment. Paul “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Phil. 4:12). Have you learned the secret of contentment?

Others-Focused
It’s not wrong to be compensated fairly for your work. “The worker deserves his wages” (1 Tim. 5:18). Paul instructed, “the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor” (Gal. 6:6). Elisha could have taken a gift, but he was more concerned about Naaman’s spiritual growth than his own financial needs. He didn’t want Naaman to be confused by thinking he could pay for God’s grace.

Accountability
Financial audits usually catch embezzlers, but Gehazi’s sin was asking for his own benefit and taking advantage of the donor’s generosity. This greed is much harder to detect. As a fundraiser, you have the privilege of befriending many wealthy people. One can easily become envious of their lifestyle. Always put the interests of your ministry above your own. Don’t ask for yourself.

Think About This: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). The results of greed are not worth the price. Gehazi was struck down with Naaman’s leprosy. Guard your heart!

Response: Father, please forgive me for being discontent with my wages (Luke 3:14).

Joyful Fundraising

P.U.S.H. Fundraising

That Feeling of Vujà De

Growing Major Gifts

Opinionated Major Donors

Is This the Time to Take Money?

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Recent Comments

2450 44th St SE
Ste 106
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060
Email [email protected]

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Joyful Fundraising

P.U.S.H. Fundraising

That Feeling of Vujà De

Growing Major Gifts

Opinionated Major Donors

Is This the Time to Take Money?

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

2450 44th St SESte 106Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060Email [email protected]

Quick Link

Social Media

2450 44th St SE
Ste 106
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060
Email [email protected]