I just want to quit

I've wanted to quit fundraising a bunch of times. Here's a story about the first time.

When I first started fundraising I somehow got the idea in my head that I'd do well at it. I enjoyed meeting new people. I could tell a good story. I rarely worried about money.

That attitude lasted about two months.

Seemingly without warning, I suddenly found myself against a wall. Despite lots of appointments and church speaking opportunities, the support barely came in. People just weren't giving and my list of new contacts shrank down to nearly no one.

So I tried re-reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. I tried contacting everyone I knew about potential referrals. I even tried improving my presentation book and printing it on nicer paper.

I tried just about everything I could think of so as to not need Jesus.

Finally, as I drove home after a particularly discouraging appointment one night, I called out to God in desperation. Through tears I told Him that I couldn't do it anymore. "I just want to quit," I whispered into the dark.

It was at that moment the Holy Spirit convicted me with this question: "Quit what, exactly?"

I thought the answer would be, "I want to quit fundraising!" Instead, I realized that the answer was really, "I want to quit trying to do this myself."

A wave of Scripture washed over me - and with it, a wave of peace. The verse that gave me the most clarity came from James:

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6 ESV)

For months my pride resulted not only in forfeiture of God's rich, limitless grace but also in the sovereign God of the universe purposefully and personally opposing me. No wonder I wasn't making any headway!

To be clear, my fundraising didn't immediately turn around the next day - but my attitude did. And even more importantly, God's attitude toward me did. In His mercy and wisdom He had been withholding blessing, and then in His mercy and wisdom He gave it freely again.

Your story won't be the same as mine, but your Savior already is. So the next time you feel like quitting, turn to Him.

It may be you want to quit the wrong thing.

Refresh: Funding the Opposition

"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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The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He will. (Proverbs 21:1 ESV)

Back when I was in college, I strongly disliked the boyfriend of one of my roommates. In fact, it would be fair to say that I hated him at first.

Despite that rocky beginning, we grew on each other and became good friends. He's involved in politics and runs several campaigns for people around the state. He spends a lot of time doing fundraising for large organizations and he's really good at it. The problem is that he's not a Christian and is quite outspoken about it.

Despite that, when he discovered that I was also doing fundraising he initiated us getting together for an appointment.

So we met one morning and had a good time catching up for a while. Eventually he got down to business and flat out asked me what my needs were. I responded by explaining that I wanted to share about what I'd be doing in my ministry and then we'd get to the money part.

He told me to save it - he didn't want to know about any ministry. He only wanted to give!

I replied that I generally ask for $100/month. Without blinking he said, "Okay. I'll write a yearly check."

I was amazed at the awesome way God provided support from that appointment, especially given our history and his anti-God mindset.  He even joked afterward that he'd be supporting me and I'd end up training people who would then work against him!

Years later, I still pray that God would use my donor's gifts, our relationship, our newsletters and whatever else He sees fit to bring my friend to Christ. Would you please pray with me?

Submitted by "Jackie"

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.