Is Fundraising a Necessary Evil? A Letter from a Missionary.

In our e-book, How to Get a Generous Response (almost) Every Time You Ask, we discuss how raising money is all about understanding how to invite other people to solve a problem with you by taking ownership of the cause (because getting a generous response is all about helping donors understand how their giving is making a difference).

It’s important to come to the reality that asking for a generous response from others for your ministry or cause is not a selfish endeavor. Asking for a generous response is about inviting someone else to experience the blessings of investing in God’s Kingdom with you.

We received a letter this week from two of our clients who are fundraising and preparing for their move to France. As I read over the words, my eyes welled with tears, and I was reminded of why we do what we do.

This is one of the most impactful letters I’ve ever received and the very heartbeat of our organization. Enjoy—and be encouraged in your fundraising endeavors today.

Two years ago, my wife, Beth, and I discovered that God was calling us to be missionaries to France. As we have been walking down this road of preparing ourselves to serve overseas, God has revealed Himself in numerous ways and shown me a much bigger picture of His plan than I had previously understood.

At first, I knew God had called us to go and to serve (and I still believe that) but recently, He has been opening my eyes, more and more, to the importance of our ministry in the moments before we go. He is stretching Beth and me, dissolving our comfort zone, and breaking down our walls and objections by asking us to be open to His plan and His pace.

As introverts who have been serving others for the majority of our lives, this season of fundraising and asking others to serve alongside us has shifted our perspective and shaken our complacency.

It is so easy to fall into a routine and give in ways that are familiar, but sacrificing our control of how we build the Kingdom is even more challenging than increasing the amount we give to God through familiar methods. However, I have learned that my weakness is truly where God shines brightest.

While I want to serve and sacrifice through my own efforts, I am now being asked to invite others to serve and sacrifice for the calling God has given us to reach France.And in that calling, God has charged me with challenging and encouraging others to be a part of His work. After all, everything we have, including our time, our talents, and our treasures come from Him; and we each have the privilege of thanking Him for His gifts by investing them for His glory.

I have had people tell me, “It's too bad you need to take all of this time to fundraise when your team already needs you in Paris,"but I know that our partners in the US need me now too. They might not yet know that they are going to be our partners, and we don't know who will be our partners, but God has called several people to be part of our sending team to advance His Kingdom in France.Ignoring this part of the journey would be detrimental to Beth and me, as well as to our partners.

In this season, we have an obligation to the people in our network. They need to be challenged more than we need to be funded.We want to give all of them—more than 600 people—the opportunity to give, to serve God, and to share in the joy of generosity.We need to get through our list for our sake and for theirs.

This process has grown our heart for fundraising, and we have learned how to enjoy it and how to have fun, even though it can be emotionally and physically exhausting. It's like a treasure hunt, discovering who God has called to go on this adventure with us, and we are constantly surprised by who He is leading to partner with us.Viewing it in these ways has helped us take the rejections well because we know that roughly 500 people we are called to reach out to aren't supposed to be on our team.

God is using this time and this need to grow all of us, and it's important that we each respond to God's leading in whatever way He is calling each of us.This is not my story, it is God's story, and this is not my calling, it is our calling.

Even if I could begin my ministry in France without this process, I wouldn't, because I wouldn't want to deprive our team of the opportunity to respond to God's invitation and the blessings that come from obeying and being in the middle of God's will.He is doing a great work to restore humanity to Himself, and we are His vessels to reach His lost children and show them His love.

Whether you go, give, or pray, know that you are an integral part of weaving God's tapestry of salvation.

- Written by Tailored Clients, Jay and Beth =

Tailored Fundraising Solutions was founded to assist individuals in pursuing and funding their God-given callings and desires. This couple beautifully articulated why it is so important to involve others in the work we feel called to do. If you would like to work with a member of our Tailored Fundraising team, click here to connect with us today.