Thursday, August 26, 2010

Why ask for help?

We Americans are very independent.  "No No please do not help me, I will be just fine."  "What's that?  Ask for directions....Sorry I never ask for help."  I am  a a rough tough American.

Funny thing is that when I was 4 I could not figure out how to tie my shoes so I asked every person I could to help me.  I did not want to get to kindergarten and lose a shoe on the monkey bars.

I think asking for help is one of the great keys to success.  Every great business success ultimately builds a team of people to do the work he or she is not an expert in.  Find out what you are great at and offer to trade your expertise for the input of others who can help your vision climb out of the pit of excuse making and rise to a level of fruitfulness that would bring Glory to GOD!  I send out thousands of funding letters a year but my handwriting is terrible.  So guess what.  I recruit someone with great handwriting to put the addresses on each envelope by hand; in BLUE INK.  I can not spell.  I get others to edit and edit again everything I pop in the mail.  When I get around strangers I tend to scare them a little so we like to get another person to do most of my recruiting.  I have succeeded in most areas of my calling by getting help.  Lots of help.  Be Humble and God will reward you.

Now lets talk about money.  ASK PEOPLE FOR FINANCIAL HELP.  If you have a God sized vision and you are underfunded you do not need a class in fundraising as much as you need to repent of your pride.  Make sure people can contribute to a non-profit and that you have a written understanding of what overhead will be taken from each dollar donated to pay for admin and whatnot. Write your vision down and send it with a clear compelling request for donations.....and get someone who has raised a lot of money to help you construct the letter.  DO IT.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Is fundraising Biblical?

As a Bible believing follower of Christ I need to now if asking other people to donate toward a mission or a church plant in the name of Jesus is ok according to scripture.  Consider this:

Philippians 4:16-18 (New International Version)

16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

Tell me what you think.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Fear and Doubt

Every Follower of Christ knows that He has called us to walk by faith but most of us live out our lives utilizing more budget and strategy than faith.  What if all of us did something that could only be explained by God looking down and deciding to do a work on our behalf.  Healing the sick and casting out demons can go hand in hand with passing out Jesus Film DVDs in the middle east or giving medicine to orphans in Eastern Europe or digging a well in Uganda.  Right now I want to challenge all of my friends to get your passport and your Bible and stack them up on your table or desk.  Knowing most of you have these tools is refreshing and if you are missing either one of them just repent.  You need a passport and a Bible to be a disciple.  Now get them in front of you in a private dedication time before the Lord pray and tell Him that you will go any place on this planet He chooses and tell any person about His SON that He leads you to.  Once our heart is right before the King, He is more likely to open the gates of provision.  Read John 15: 7  Now tell God; what is the deepest desire you contain? Soon I will share with you how to trust the Lord for the cash to go anywhere in the world He tells you or I to go.  He will pay the bill.  We just be ready to GO.  What part of GO is hard to understand?

Rev

Thursday, August 12, 2010

My first blog

I swore I would never be a blogger.  What do I have to share that is so important?  I realized that a few things might just be worth reading.  For starters I love to help people that are fearlessly following Christ raise money.  If you knew a true Christian man or woman was trying to raise money for a mission or a great project that was going to somehow see eternal fruit born, you would possibly let that person in on my blog.  They may get some real help and if I can just help people see their dreams come true I am pretty happy.  So, there it is  a blog. If you have some feedback please comment right here on the blog.
Rev