Brevity, or: Why you don't need to say everything to everyone in every newsletter

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25 ESV)

Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. (2 John 1:12 ESV)

I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. (3 John 1:13-14 ESV)

Sometimes I agonize over how much to write in a newsletter.

John didn't.

Feel free to write some now and share more later.

3 John: Opposition to Fundraising

In the previous post we looked at what the short book of 3 John teaches us about the validity of fundraising from verses 5-8.  But as you've probably noticed during your own fundraising experience, not everyone is excited to send and support missionaries as John had advised Gaius.  John knew this too, so he wrote about a source of opposition to fundraising in verses 9-11.

[9] I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. [10] So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. [11] Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:9-11 ESV)

After John is done encouraging Gaius in how he ought to treat the visiting missionaries, he turns his attention to a troublesome character named Diotrephes.  John gives Gaius his assessment of Diotrephes' character: Diotrephes likes to put himself first (9) and he does not acknowledge apostolic (Biblical) authority (9).  He talks "wicked nonsense" against John and others (10).  Moreover, not only does he refuse to welcome the missionary brothers, but he also stops others from doing so, even excommunicating them (10).  Finally, John observes that even though Diotrephes is a church leader with the power to excommunicate others, he "has not seen God" and is therefore not a Christian at all (10).

This is an important example to us even many years later, for men like Diotrephes still infect many churches.  We would do well to recognize that they exist and not be shaken when we discover them during our fundraising.  Here are some things we can expect based on John's letter to Gaius:

• Some (even leaders) will refuse to welcome us (10)
• They will refuse to do so on unbiblical grounds (9)
• Some will not welcome us based on pressure from leadership, even if they want to (10)
• We should not let these situations harden us against other believers, because those doing these things may not be believers at all (11)!

Now, this is a blog about fundraising, the gospel and Biblical encouragement.  It might seem that we're coming up short on those latter two in this post!  But let us not forget the nature of the gospel and how the Scriptures portray service to Christ - it is often not easy and we are often not welcomed.  Consider these words of Christ from John 15:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.'
'But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:18-27 ESV)

Jesus reminds us that part of being associated with Him, part of doing His work, is being hated by those who hated Him.

And yet - here's the encouragement part - Jesus says He sent us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who has filled us with the power of God Himself.  It is because of Him that we are enabled to do the very work that we are fundraising in order to do.  And - here's the gospel part - remember that we too were once part of that world that so hated Christ.  But by the power of the same Holy Spirit, by the blood of the same Savior, by the faithful work of others who had been brought from death to life, we were rescued.

So, if there's hope for you and me, there is even hope for men like Diotrephes.  But someone's got to reach them.  And that's why you endure this time of fundraising.  That's what God has called you to do.  So go pick up that phone. Go on that trip.  Raise those funds.

The world is waiting for you.

3 John: Validity of Fundraising

3 John is a very short book.  It's the kind of book we love to have on our reading plans because we can finish it in about 62 seconds and still feel like we've accomplished something.  Because it's so short, however, it's easy to miss the really amazing stuff it tells us about the nature of fundraising.

I'd like to take the next two posts to make some observations about 3 John  This one is going to be about the validity of fundraising from verses 5-8.  The next one will look at opposition to fundraising from verses 9-11.

For the context, this is a letter written from "the Elder" (John) to a man named Gaius, his beloved friend.  John has sent with the letter some brothers (whom Gaius doesn't know) who appear to have some needs...

[5] Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, [6] who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. [7] For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. [8] Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 1:5-8 ESV)

So what does John say about the brothers who are visiting Gaius?  First off, Gaius doesn't know them (5), though John apparently does.  Any effort put forth to care for them is "a faithful thing" (5).  Also, these brothers go out because of "the name" of Jesus (7), but they aren't taking anything from those they're ministering to: the Gentiles (7).  This should probably sound familiar, as it's likely how your ministry looks too!

John also advises Gaius to do a couple things as a result.  First, he should send them on their way, giving them what they need to do so (6, 5).  John then uses inclusive word, "we" (referring to John, Gaius, and presumably others) in saying that we ought to support people like these brothers who make their living from the gospel (8).  

John then makes one of my favorite statements about fundraising in all the Scriptures: those who support people (but do not actually "go") are "fellow workers" with those who do (8).  There is a real, genuine partnership that exists between the "goer" and the "sender".  We need to believe this and act accordingly.  We need to treat our donors like partners, and we need to remind them of this regularly.

So, according to John, how will Gaius "do well"?  Gaius and others do well when they send (6) and support (8) missionaries!  When people help send and support your work for the Kingdom, they are doing well!

Have you ever felt insecure about asking people to give toward your ministry?  (Of course you have, else you wouldn't be reading this blog.)  This passage addresses those fears: we should be unashamed to ask others to help us.  Though we begin as strangers to them, they could soon become our fellow workers for the truth!  The Kingdom of God expands through both fundraisers and donors together.

Notice also that John doesn't claim that these missionary brothers have it all together.  He doesn't say that Gaius should support them because of their resumes, their testimonies or their spiritual giftings.  It's easy to think that those things are why people should support us and our ministries.  Rather, they are to be supported because "they have gone out for the sake of the name."  Has Jesus called you to your ministry?  That's enough.  Jesus died because your resume, testimony and spiritual gifting aren't sufficient to save you or others.  In other words, the reason people support you is not because you are going out; people support you because Someone Greater sent you.

Finally, it's worth noting that this passage demonstrates the benefits of a friend personally referring us, as John did for these brothers.  It's always great to have an advocate to remind others of the joys of supporting missionaries.  So be sure to ask your current support team if they will introduce you around to others they know so that their friends can become fellow workers for the truth as well.  Perhaps you may even point them to 3 John in the process!