Four lies about "disposable income"

"That guy won't be able to give because he doesn't have any disposable income."

That's what I heard a fundraiser say recently about someone he was planning to meet with to ask for support. While I understand what he meant by the statement, I think it reflects a wrong view of fundraising - a wrong view that I also share all too often.

Hidden behind those words is the assumption that fundraisers are asking for the scraps of people's budgets. It's as though we're asking people for the money that they'd otherwise throw away or spend on meaningless things.

There are at least four lies behind that belief:

Lie #1: Christians have disposable income

If I knew any Christian who treated money as though it were disposable, I'd sit down with them quickly and talk to them about stewardship. Jesus has a lot to say about money, including, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Mt 6:21). What does it say about our hearts if we're throwing away money?

Lie #2: Our ministry is only worth the scraps

What a low view we must have of our ministry (and I dare say, our God) to believe that our ministry is only worth the scraps! If a famous world leader asked you to accomplish a mission for him, would you go about it as though it were unimportant? Would you ask for the scraps of the military or the rejects of the intelligence agency? Certainly not - you would ask the leader for SEAL Team Six and a six or nine figure budget and a story in every major newspaper. If he called you to this mission, he'd better well equip you. And everyone had better know what they can do to help. No one would dare offer you their scraps! 

How much greater is our God than even the mightiest of world leaders?

Lie #3: Our ministry only requires the scraps

Jesus is not offering us scraps to accomplish our mission. He's entrusting us with the hearts and souls of His people, calling us to shepherd the 99 and chase after the 1, forgiving seventy-times-seven times and giving up all our rights in the process. This will require huge, heaping portions of grace every day: spiritual, mental, emotional, relational and certainly financial. Woe to us if we expect to get by on scraps!

Lie #4: Jesus only asks for the scraps

Fundraising is a training ground for what you'll be doing once you've raised your support. At that point, what will you be asking of those you're ministering to? Will you ask people to give Jesus their scraps? Should they spend time with Him as they find opportunity? Should pursuing holiness be prioritized somewhere between trimming your toenails and repainting the den?

Shortly before accepting Christ as my Savior, I said to a Christian, "I've been told that God only asks for an hour of our time each week [at church]." He wisely responded, "God doesn't want an hour. He wants everything." I was offended by that, but for the first time, I understood that God was bigger than me. He wanted more than my scraps.

Here's how Jesus said it Himself: 

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. . . .So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27, 33)

I've written strongly on this matter because these lies about "disposable income" can be so devastating to our effectiveness - and it has been to mine from time to time. Don't believe them!

Remember your position as beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God. When you ask others to be part of your Father's work, don't ask for scraps; Ask BIG, and do so with equal measures of grace and boldness. 

Jesus is worthy of nothing less.

Refresh: The Wise Big-City Pastor

"Good news refreshes the bones." - Proverbs 15:30b

This is part of an ongoing series called "Refresh", named for the verse above. "Gospel" means "good news", and so it seems appropriate to highlight tales of God providing, especially in amazing, fun and unexpected ways. Names and other details are modified just enough so as not to incriminate the innocent... or guilty! May this tale help refresh your bones!

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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 ESV)

Early in my fundraising experience, I traveled to a large city and met with a pastor there. I felt intimidated and was having a hard time believing he'd be interested in supporting my ministry. Because of that I did a very "soft" ask for financial support. I was apologetic and felt embarrassed. I felt like I didn't know what I was doing and only saw myself as a beggar. 

At that point this wise pastor stopped me and said, "You are an ambassador for the King. And this is God's work. It is a noble work. You don't ever have to apologize for asking for support for God's work!" 

This made a big impression on me and changed the way I asked for support on future appointments.

Submitted by "Brad"

Is fundraising the same as begging?

When I suggest that someone join a mission that requires fundraising, a common response is, "Oh, I couldn't never beg people for money!"

Is fundraising the same as begging?

Well, there is certainly overlap between the two! In both cases...

• they happen because a person needs what they are unable to provide for themselves, especially money. 
• the receiver is grateful to the giver regardless of the amount of the gift. 
• one-time gifts are great, but regular gifts are even better!
• those who do so can easily feel incompetent and alone, especially over time.

However, the Bible never refer to fundraising as begging. Rather, the Scriptures turn that whole idea on its head:

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints - and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5 ESV, emphasis mine)

Did you see that? Here the begging takes place on the part of the giver, not the ones needing "relief"! The Macedonians have given even out of their "extreme poverty" because "the grace of God has been given among the churches."

Note also that Paul says that the Macedonians gave themselves "first to the Lord and then . . . to us." What does that mean? Likely this was a recommitment of their lives to Jesus, which then turned into an outpouring of faith-inspired generosity. My guess is that they began meditating on their own state as spiritual beggars - needy, helpless, alone. They remembered that it was into their broken, hopeless state that Jesus Christ came. He was the Way, the Life and the Truth that they had dreamed of all their lives. Because of His death and resurrection, they would have immeasurably more than all they could ask or imagine. What, then, is wealth in this age? At that point they emptied their pockets, knowing that God would provide just what they needed when they needed it. He already had.

Learn therefore from the Macedonians how you ought to think about fundraising: rather than fearing that you might be seen as a beggar, recognize the truth that you already are. Moreover, your need was infinitely greater than any number of appointments, phone calls or Facebook messages could ever provide. No amount of time in fundraising could pay your debt. No gift was large enough - except for the gift of the Giver Himself. Only when you accept this are you free to give yourself.

Is fundraising the same as begging? No. But that doesn't mean you aren't a beggar. The more you embrace that, the more you'll be able to give yourself first to the Lord and then, by the will of God, to your fundraising.

And to whatever else He calls you to.