The missed opportunity

John 4 tells us the story of a life-changing conversation that Jesus has with a Samaritan woman. Perhaps utilizing His divine understanding or perhaps through careful observation (likely both), Jesus asks a few questions, discerns the state of the women's heart and then calls her to Himself through a gentle, seemingly easy conversation. With wonder in her eyes, the woman abandons her simple task of filling her water jar so that she can take on a greater mission: to tell everyone in her hometown that the Christ has come. In that context, Jesus declares every missionary's favorite newsletter quote: "Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." (John 4:35)

Given the familiarity of this story, it's easy to overlook the fact that Jesus wasn't simply trying to give us verses on which to hang our newsletters. Rather, He was giving His disciples an eye-opening rebuke. Let's take another look at this story, this time with the disciples in mind:

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) (John 4:7-8 ESV, emphasis mine)

The disciples rightly identified a problem: they were hungry. Being good servants of their Lord, they went off into the local town to get some food. Perhaps they even thought themselves very brave, since they were buying from the trouble-making Samaritans. Surely Jesus would be pleased by their willing sacrifice!

The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the town and were coming to him.
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." (John 4:25-35 ESV, emphasis mine)

Upon the disciples' return, however, they found Jesus chatting it up with a local woman. This was shocking for several cultural reasons, but they chose not to ask about it. Instead, they began placing rations in front of Jesus, persistently encouraging Him to eat. It's then that Jesus tells them that they've missed the point.

The disciples were focused on a particular need: getting food. It's not a bad thing to need food - but it's not the point of their journey. Had they rightly understood their mission, they'd have looked up from the goods at the Samaritan marketplace and discovered a whole town full of people who were absolutely primed to hear the good news. It wouldn't have been a hard sell; all it took was a local woman (who was likely of ill repute) to rather inaccurately declare, "Come see a man who told me all that I ever did" and to ask, "Can this be the Christ?" The fields were white - no further work was required but to reap. Yet the disciples missed the opportunity for a spiritual harvest in favor of some morsels that would only leave them hungry again. (cf. John 4:13)

As fundraisers, you and I will be tempted to miss the very same opportunities.

Fundraising is about raising funds. But fundraising for the sake of the gospel is about the gospel first and fundraising second. We would do well to seek the former without neglecting the latter.

If you're meeting with a donor and he's bearing his heart to you, don't worry about going "off the script." Close your notebook, put aside your financial needs and love him. (Phil 2:4)

If you're calling someone to get a support appointment and she begins to weep for lost family members, leave behind your small goal of reaching quotas. Pray with her. Read Scripture to her. Weep with her. (Rom 12:15)

If you focus your efforts on fundraising, you'll surely get funds. If you focus your efforts on the Lord, you'll get Him - and everything else you need.

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matt 6:31-33)

No condemnation

I vividly remember a particular evening years ago where I learned a powerful truth about grace.

I was standing in my room, buttoning up a dress shirt and readying myself to attend a church event to do some networking. I knew only one person at this church (and they weren't a very strong contact), but my network was small and I needed to do something. However, as the minutes ticked away and I needed to be going, I was simply overcome with fear. I couldn't even have verbalized what I was fearing at the time (except that it was probably irrational), but I was certain that I did not want to go!

So I didn't.

I know, I know. The guy who writes the fundraising blog just said he skipped out on a perfectly good networking opportunity. Because he was scared. Because he didn't trust God.

But don't cast the stones yet! I'm not done. My whole reason for sharing this story is to make this point: I am convinced that skipping out on that prayer meeting was a completely acceptable thing to do.

Less I risk being misunderstood, I'm not saying it was the best thing I could have done. (Perhaps I'd have met a whole slew of contacts who would have given hundreds of dollars!) I am saying that it was totally fine that I didn't go. TOTALLY fine. Here's why:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

How much condemnation was there for me skipping out on that meeting?

None.

How much condemnation would there be if I skipped such a meeting again?

None.

What if I skipped out on an entire support trip because I was fearful or lazy or just felt like playing video games instead?

None.

If that doesn't seem right to you, it may be because your view of grace is too small. Mine was. I felt terrible later that night: the initial relief of not going was replaced with wrestling with guilt over giving in to fear. But then I read the verse above and couldn't stop staring at the word, "no". Because I was in Christ Jesus, there was NO condemnation. I was 100%, completely uncondemned. More than that - I was deeply loved as a son of God. That standing was not at all based on what I'd done (or not done) but rather on what Christ has done. As I meditated on that, the fear and guilt was completely replaced with joy.

It ended up being a marvelous night of fundraising despite not gaining a single dollar.

A closing thought: the gospel frees us to be scared and to miss opportunities - but it also frees us to be brave and take opportunities. The grace of God is a transforming grace. It welcomes us as we are but bids us to become more. I didn't finish fundraising by giving into that same fear over and over again. Rather, I finished because I no longer had to feel fear, guilt or condemnation for my weaknesses. Because of Jesus, God would love me no matter what.

Is there any greater motivation than that?

Making the best use of the time

The world seems to slow down quite a bit between Christmas and New Year's. I get about 7% of the email I usually do. The blogosphere is full of recycled "top ten" posts. Fundraising appointments seem non-existent. You probably relax a bit more, eat a bit more and sleep a bit more.

There's a season for everything under the sun so that's all fine. The problem arises, however, when the season is over but you keep living as though it's December 26.

Perhaps that isn't a struggle for you, but it sure was for me during my full-time fundraising! My first fundraising stint took 15 months which spanned two Christmases. In both cases, I hadn't made calls in a while, momentum had slowed down and I'd fully bought into the popular myth that "no one wants to meet around the holidays." So when the time came to hang up my new wall calendar, I kept up the seasonal pattern by finding a dozen other things to do other than fundraising... and not all of those things were particularly wholesome. Where much distraction is, sin is not absent.

Looking back, a lot of that trouble was entirely avoidable. Much of it stemmed from the fact that I'd forgotten my mission. The rest of it was because I'd forgotten the gospel.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV)

My time, much like my own heart, is not naturally good. Rather, both need to be redeemed by grace. If you, like me, tend to squander time that you should be redeeming, repent and believe the gospel! The Lord Jesus came to this earth as our Redeemer, voluntarily substituting His righteousness for our unrighteousness, His glory for our brokenness and His perfect use of time for our imperfect use.

After you've repented and are ready to get back at it, here are a few practical ideas to get you started:

1. Write some thank-you notes: One of the best ways to remind yourself of your mission is to remind others. Thank your donors for helping you on the mission!
2. Plan out the week: Do you know what you'll be doing the rest of the week? If you don't have specific goals, plans and names written down, you're not looking carefully how you walk. Choose wisdom instead!
3. Take the first step: Know what's even better than planning? Doing! The first step often seems daunting, but it can easily serve as a catalyst for future productivity. You'll be making the best use of the time before you know it. The Lord has already gone before you in whatever task you pick. He knows what you need and He's eager to see you finish!

By God's grace, this is the year you'll finish your fundraising. What are you waiting for?

The Perfect Plan

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9 ESV) 

A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way? (Proverbs 20:24 ESV) 

A few months ago I was telling a friend about my plan to start a blog on fundraising. At one point I said something like, "I'm not really sure if this blog idea is from the Lord or if it's just a passing fancy. So, my plan is to write two dozen entries before I start posting them. That way if it's not from the Lord, there's nothing lost."

Several days later I was still thinking about what I'd said to that friend.

The next morning I made the first post.

What changed my mind?

I realized that I'd be a hypocrite if I wrote a blog about doing fundraising despite weakness, fear, uncertainty, inability and a whole slew of good reasons not to do fundraising... and yet gave into those same fears when it came to writing those blog entries.

See, the reason I didn't want to start the blog was that I wanted to have the Perfect Plan first. In my mind, having two dozen entries beforehand would somehow guarantee success. I'd be able to see the "end" before I even had to begin. By waiting for 24 blog entries, I could rely on what I'd already done rather than relying on God.

I was choosing a Perfect Plan over a Perfect Savior.

That plan doesn't work any better in the realm of fundraising than it does in blogging. Sometimes I find myself wanting to have at least one appointment per day lined up before I even schedule a trip (tricky, I know!) I delay writing a newsletter until I know it'll be my best one yet. I hesitate to ask someone for support because I just don't think they'd be "on board".  In each case, I'm putting the cart before the horse and virtually guaranteeing failure. My fears become self-fulfilling prophecies and I can easily go on to become bitter about fundraising or even God Himself.

None of that is God's fault, though. It's just my Perfect Plan turning out to be not-so-perfect after all.

In my experience, I've become a better fundraiser as I've done more fundraising. I'll become a better blogger as I do more blogging. I'm becoming a better husband as I've been married longer. I'm better at following Jesus now than I was back in 1999 when I took my first steps. On that day, it wasn't important that I knew where I'd be on November 1st, 2012. It was important that I was no longer waiting to know.

This is my 24th Gospel Fundraising blog entry. There have been over 1200 visits to date. Dozens of people read every entry. Many of you have contacted me to say how much these small gospel reminders have helped you in fundraising. Some have even asked me to write on particular topics (and please do!)

My point isn't to say that this blog is something great. Rather, it's to say that my original comment to my friend was wrong.

If I'd waited on my Perfect Plan, much would have been lost.

Let's not wait on any more Perfect Plans.

Let's trust God.

Let's start fundraising.