Are we fundraising wrong? My lessons from Paul.

The fundraising game is certainly a challenging one, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier.

As a financial counselor (and a director for a local foundation), I spend a lot of time meeting with nonprofit and church leaders. Here’s the thing- they all have amazing ministries, they all are working hard to advance God’s kingdom, but most of them have a difficult time communicating to givers in a compelling way that leads to action.

In a recent meeting someone asked, “How does our communication sound any different than a secular nonprofit? We’re all boasting impact and ROI, but is this the way of Christ?”

That got me thinking. And my thinking led to reading. And my reading led me to Paul in 2 Corinthians.

If you’re in the Christian fundraising space, you’ve read 2 Corinthians. This is like the hall-of-fame for generosity campaigns.

I’ve studied these passages countless times, and yet, this time was different. I began to see what Paul was saying, but even more importantly, I realized what he wasn’t saying.

First, what was Paul saying?

In all his messages, Paul focuses on the heart of the giver.

What does Paul say about the heart of the giver? Let’s unpack this a bit…

1) Giving expresses our contentment in Christ. In 8:1 we read about the Macedonia church who gave during a severe test of affliction. Even while in extreme poverty, their abundance of joy overflowed in a wealth of generosity. Affliction, poverty, joy, generosity. These words don’t normally go together. When we give out of lack, or give sacrificially, we’re telling the world that Jesus offers us something better.

2) Giving unites us with God; we are his instruments of grace so that others may find salvation. In 9:11 Paul says the church will be enriched so they can be generous, which will produce a thanksgiving to God. When we accept the role of a giver, we get to participate with God in the building of his kingdom. We recognize that our money has a greater purpose and serves a greater Person.

3) Giving is an act of submission and proves our genuine love for God. In 8:9 we read that Jesus himself became poor so that through his poverty we may become rich. Now of course, this is not necessarily referring to a material wealth but a spiritual one. But in this same light, Christ followers are called to sacrifice themselves and give of their possessions so that others may be blessed. Giving is our opportunity to extend the same love and grace given to us though Jesus Christ.

Here’s what we don’t see in Paul’s message:

He does not make the giver the hero. He doesn’t make the mission work the hero, either. He doesn’t boast about the “number of people served.” He doesn’t single out the wealthy (quite the opposite, he uses the poor church in Macedonia to set the giving standard).

He doesn’t list a dozen reasons why they are collecting funds. He doesn’t give an arbitrary financial goal.

He doesn’t seek to entertain the giver. There are no gimmicks. No flashy shows, emotional stories, or pump-up music.

He is not desperate. He is not needy.

Now, let’s lean into Paul’s teaching.

1) The only ROI or “impact” he focuses on is increasing the righteousness of the giver (9:10). He doesn’t provide a list of numbers that show how many people will be served with the money. He doesn’t give a report on the current number of baptisms to date…. I don’t think that mattered to Paul. He understood that our need to give exceeds God’s need to receive. God didn’t need the Corinthian church to give, but he wanted to draw their hearts closer to His and increase their righteousness.

2) He does not ask for money where a relationship does not exist. In verse 9:1 Paul expresses the “superfluousness” of his talking about the ministry of the saints, because Paul already knew their readiness. He is encouraging people to give who have already expressed a desire to fuel his ministry. We can conclude that Paul is bringing his funding request to people he already had a relationship with and he knew were ready.

3) Paul gives thanks to God, not the giver. The grace of giving comes only from the Lord; therefore, Paul puts emphasis on God as the ultimate provider for the gift (8:1, 8:16, 9:8, 9:10-15).

When Paul encourages the Corinthian church to give, he is setting the tone for how we as Christian leaders can speak to giving in a God-honoring way.

Whether you serve a nonprofit or a church, consider how your messaging can draw people’s hearts closer to Christ.

And if I had to summarize the lesson Paul taught me, it would be this: Focus on Christ, not “impact”. Submission, not generosity. Glorify God, not man. Emphasize heart, not money.