Fundraising is no fun. Most pastors I know say it’s the one aspect of supporting a church’s ministry they find most difficult. Having launched into church planting, I tend to agree. The least pleasant task I have is asking for money. So let’s just stop it. We don’t have time to raise funds. But we do have time to raise faith.
Instead of asking for money, help people grow. You can ask for money, and if you do it well, you’ll probably receive it. But if you raise the faith of others, you’ll help create kingdom-minded givers who understand that stewardship is what the Christian life is all about. We each have time, talent, and treasure. And as our faith increases, so does our willingness to offer ourselves and all we have on the altar to be at God’s disposal.
Raising funds is about collecting donations while raising faith involves offering kingdom opportunities. Raising funds puts us at the mercy of givers while raising faith connects giving to the mercy of God. Raising funds grows organizations while raising faith grows people.
When we began planning to plant a church, asking for financial partnerships was the most difficult task to undertake, but I finally decided that in spite of the awkwardness of talking about money, and in spite of possibly being seen as begging, there were two much bigger realities at stake.
- The bigger the vision, the more resources required to fulfill it. So the vision compelled me to ask.
- Never asking means never offering the opportunity for kingdom collaboration – hence robbing people of the blessing of investing.
Ministry, when it is what God intends it to be, isn’t supported by people with funds. It’s supported by people with faith enough to give to see the vision fulfilled. And here’s the most beautiful part, pastor – if you carry out a ministry of faithfully proclaiming the whole counsel of God, generous faith will be a natural byproduct produced in people by their continual exposure to the example of our very giving God.
Give up on raising funds. Raise faith.
