Jeavons, Thomas H., and Basinger, Rebekah Burch. Growing Giver’s Hearts: Treating Fundraising as a Ministry. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, 2000.

MacArthur, John. Whose Money is it Anyway? A Biblical Guide to Using God’s Wealth. Nashville: Word. 2000.

Alcorn, Randy. Money, Possessions, and Eternity. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.

I think fundraising in itself is a calling. It takes a person with a belief in the cause to do it well. That being said, I have largely pursued jobs based on alignment with the org’s mission. I simply know that regardless of perceived “opportunity” there is no way I could be happy working for certain orgs because my passions simply don’t align with the mission or I can’t support the org’s operational values. Unless I’m just desperately looking for a “job”, I would rather sacrifice a little in the “opportunity” arena than in the mission/values alignment arena. That’s just where I know my personal happiness quota lies. I don’t mean that choosing opportunity is universally a bad thing, or that choosing passion is universally a good thing. The overarching call to humanity is to be salt and light wherever we find ourselves.

Thanks for the post, nice to know I’m not the only crazy who believes that ministry can be anywhere in the world! : )

I think if you are listening hard enough, “you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘this is the way, walk ye in it when you turn to the right and when you turn to the left’.

That doesn’t always make for the smoothest ride career/life wise, but then we were told to expect “trials”.

Here is another question I’d love you thoughts on, if you’d be willing to continue the conversation. Are we “called” to specific organizations or can we work somewhere just because it’s a good opportunity? I find myself enjoying the people side, the relationship side, of fundraising often times more than the “world changing” side. I think that the causes I have worked for are good causes but they have not been the things I am the most passionate about.

I’ll take a different spin on this. Faith is strongly tied to fundraising. If you are genuinely passionate and believe in the mission of your organization, that will come through in your conversations with donors. Your job should be that of a conduit. You need to link the needs of your organization, through your strong faith in the organization, to the needs and desires of the donor.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject. The fact that you are fundraising and working for a cause should overshadow any guilt you may have for your method of reaching your goals. The fact that you are putting forth effort to make the World a Better Place should make all efforts “worth it”. We hope you’ll keep doing what you do because it’s what you believe in; and we hope you’ll try to feel comfort in your actions instead of guilt.

Have a Nice Day!
http://www.ImaNicePerson.com

I believe one of the biggest challenges in ministry or the non-profit sector is balance the mission with the business. In fact, many smaller organizations tend to have fear when in comes to fundraising as if people will look at them oddly if they ask for money.

When you are led by deep convictions and passion, I believe that is when it is easy to overcome these fears and give your 100% to fundraising knowing that those that share your vision will partner their finances with you.

To address your last point about not seeing a connection with your beliefs and passions, I do believe that meeting someones material needs is a practical way to open the door to sharing the faith behind your passion. I hope that makes sense.

Best, Anthony

First, you and I share the same faith.

Second, you and I share a similar job.

Third, we live in a time where the lines between “vocation” and “calling” are becoming increasingly blurred. Your question about faith and fundraising is one I think needs to be discussed in depth.

You said that one of your fundraising dilemmas was “the conflict between building programs and changing people.”

My response is that there doesn’t need to be a conflict if you can turn your view around just a bit. I could tell you story after story where I felt frustrated that nothing of “spiritual value” was being accomplished in my work life because I was too busy taking care of “business”.

What changed things for me was when I realized that “ministry” or “faith” isn’t something I do to a certain people group or only on Sunday but rather that letting my “light” shine, effecting change in His name, was something I could do even as I found myself stuck in meeting after boring meeting.

Because my faith is so closely tied to how I define myself, I found that I could “minister” to my co-workers. (You wouldn’t believe what they thought Christians were like-sarcasm, btw) I could pray while working on a project with people who had different values than I did.

I could let God refine me and the need to “steer” my course in the workplace by accepting that even if i thought what I was doing didn’t really matter, He did and as long as I was called to work somewhere, I was to do it as unto Him.

I know this may sound like I’m “preaching” but, Jason, I believe strongly that no matter what we do (as long as it’s not against our beliefs or against the law) there is a way to “change people”. Usually, the person who gets changed the most is me.

In regards to your awareness of how easy it is to “court” a donor rather than serve them, especially when dealing with high wealth individuals, let me say that I applaud your recognizing the danger in this, not just from a faith perspective but from a professional one as well.

I have worked for a few very wealthy people. I know how easy it is to lose perspective because, truthfully, their reality, their world, is unlike 99% of the rest of us, right? What isn’t different about them, or working with/for them is their humanity. They have the same need for sincerity, transparency, honesty and respect both in business dealings and in relationships.

They are no different than the rest of us and the way you can make sure you are being true to yourself is by making sure you are being true to them. Believe me, wealthy people are so used to being seen with dollar signs in front of them or accustomed to getting away with bad behavior because people want/need their money, that straight talk and fair treatment from you will go a long way to keeping things on the up and up.

I guess I’d say to look at them with the same sense of compassion you have for any other person.

Finally, ( I realize I have written a lot!) in regards to your passion and your faith and the sense that you don’t feel like securing scholarships for students or heating for low-income people does much in terms of “heart change”, let me remind you that “Even if we do not reap the harvest, it is still ours to plant the seeds.”

Go back and look at the title of your blog, Jason. “Small change” is “good” change.