The Paradox of Fundraising

I spoke recently to a senior church leader about asking some of the people I know in his congregation for support, and he was quite discouraging in his response. Discouraging to a point. In other words, he did not give the requested permission. He acknowledged that there are more and more people in my position, needing to raise their own funding, and approaching individual congregants at the, "ground level" for money. I think he was trying to protect his people from this kind of thing. What he did do was to volunteer to take my application for support to his church board and put forward a proposal for his church to support me.

I have been agonizing, of late, about fundraising. I'm not very good at it, and I think my conversation with this pastor showed me why. I think he helped me put my thoughts into perspective.

I don't like asking my friends for money. I don't like asking people I know for money. I have done it, because that has been the model I was shown for raising support. But why? Am I too proud? Or is it the same reason people don't feel comfortable asking others to Alpha - fear of one thing or another. Fear of rejection. Fear of imposition on someone.

I believe I don't like asking friends for support because I'm afraid they will feel obligated to provide it because of our friendship. I would much rather have people buy in to my, or any, ministry because they feel truly called to do so, not because a friend or fellow church member asks them and they feel uncomfortable saying, "No." The danger is that they may just give a few bucks as a one-time gift just to satisfy that sense of obligation, but that's not the reason to support and that's not the reason I want people to support my ministry with Alpha.

So I don't like asking, but at the same time, support really is necessary. So what I would like to do is to make the need known as widely as possible, then allow God to touch the hearts of those He will touch, to participate with me in my Alpha ministry. That is why we are organizing this fundraiser. We are inviting as many people as possible, explaining our ministries, then allowing each guest to make a decision to support or not to support the ministry of their choice. I don't mind letting friends know there is a need, but what I don't like to do is then to ask them face-to-face for their money. As I said, too often, a person approached in such a way might give a one-time donation out of a sense of personal obligation, or to get the asker off their back, so to speak, but not give any ongoing support to a ministry they haven't really been convicted by God to help. If any feel called by God to sit down with me and discuss my ministry, I am more than happy to share, because I think Alpha is truly a great ministry, and one well worth supporting.

I don't want my support to be given grudgingly. Support should be given freely or not at all.

Blessings,
John

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