Five Things They Never Told Me About Christian Fundraising

What’s so Christian about the way we do our fundraising?  Is Christian fundraising nothing more than secular fundraising with some Bible verses strewn throughout our appeal letters?  I have been wrestling with these questions over my career wanting to understand what our Christian theology has to do with our fundraising strategies and techniques.  As a result, I discovered five things that I believe mark us as distinctly Christian fundraisers, and change dramatically the way we carry out our work.  Things I wish I had learned a lot earlier… Download the document to read the rest of the article

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Defining Kingdom Outcomes

We propose that kingdom outcomes have three characteristics. First, they are the by-product of obedience to the Holy Spirit. Kingdom outcomes are filled, led, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Second, the process employed in achieving kingdom outcomes embodies the teachings of Jesus on kingdom values. In this sense, kingdom outcomes are the result of doing His work, His way. And third, kingdom outcomes bring glory to God the Father. The ultimate purpose of kingdom outcomes is to glorify the Father in heaven… Download the document to read the rest of the article

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Becoming a Leader of No Reputation

…Now, reflecting back on my five years in office, and on the leadership I have witnessed in my years of consulting work, I would point to a different verse.  In speaking of Jesus’ incarnation, Paul tells us, “he made himself a man of no reputation, taking on the very nature of a servant.” (Phil 2:7)  The verse does not say that Jesus became a man of bad reputation, or questionable reputation, but simply of ‘no’ reputation.  That is, reputation, image, prestige, prominence, power, and other trappings of leadership were not only devalued, they were purposefully dismissed.  Jesus became such a man.  Not […]

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Leadership from the Inside Out

Imagine the following scene.  You take your car into a repair shop because it is not running well.  After a thorough check your mechanic tells you that your engine is damaged and will need a complete overhaul, which will be expensive and take a great deal of time.  You respond by suggesting that perhaps if you clean the windows, put more air in the tires and hang an air freshener on the rearview mirror, the problem will go away.  Your mechanic insists the problem is much deeper and more substantial, but you respond with confidence that if you just get […]

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