Communicating with Donors Whose Ministry is Giving Through Your Ministry

Some Biblical Principles
Tom McCabe 
This article provided by the Engstrom Institute

One of the blessings in the body of Christ is using the gifts God has given us to further his Kingdom. He calls each of us to give in different ways, and your donors are specifically led to give toward the work of your organization. Through their contributions, they have an opportunity to minister through your ministry.

But in this day and age, it can certainly be daunting to know how to communicate effectively with your donors. Will they be offended if you ask too directly for their gifts? How often do they want to hear from you? Are personal stories meaningful or should you just relate the facts? Do donors even want to know how their support is being used?

Thankfully, there are some guidelines for how best to connect with those who give to and through your ministry. Through examples found in God's Word, we can learn how to communicate needs, ask for help and acknowledge financial support. …

1 CHRONICLES 29:1-20: When ministry leaders take the lead in personal giving and asking, God's work is accomplished.

What We Learn …

• David gave from the King's Treasury (v. 2).
  "With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities."
  
  
• David gave personally (v. 3).
  "Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple … "
  
  
• David asks other leaders to give (v. 5).
  " … for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?"
  
  
• Other leaders gave very generously (v. 6).
  Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly.
  
  
• The people responded, too; and rejoiced in what God had done (v. 9).
  The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
  
  
• David prayed/praised before all the people for their generous giving (public thanksgiving) (v. 10).
  David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting."
  
  
• David affirms God's ownership of everything (v. 14-16).
  "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you."
  
  
• David communicates stewardship of the resources God has placed in his hand (v. 17).
  "I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you."

How This Applies …

David didn't just talk the talk; he walked the walk. His personal example and his teaching can teach us—as ministry leaders and Christ followers—that we are to give to the Lord who is the Giver of all things. Because He has given to us, we are able to give back to Him. David set the tone and encouraged other leaders to do the same, and the people followed suit.

It is also important to note that David publicly gave the credit to the Lord for He was the one who moved in the hearts of all who gave, and He met the need for the building of the temple. You have the opportunity to lead your ministry and your constituency in this same manner.

1 KINGS 17: You may be God's voice to His people regarding His will for them in giving.

What We Learn …

• God tells Elijah that He will provide for Elijah's needs (supernaturally) (v. 2-4).
  then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
  
  
• God is faithful to His word (v. 5-6).
  So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
  
  
• God communicates a new plan for meeting Elijah's needs, telling him that He has "commanded" a widow to meet his needs. (v.7-9).
  Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
  
  
• Elijah follows God's new instructions, finds the widow, and asks for bread and water (v. 10-11).
  So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
  
  
• But (!), the widow is clearly unaware of God's "command" (see v.9)—now what is Elijah to do? (v. 12).
  "As surely as the Lord your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
  
  
• Elijah then asks for the widow's supply again and communicates God's promise to her, related to her faithfulness in meeting Elijah's need (v. 13-14).
  Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.'"
  
  
• Through Elijah's persuasive encouragement, the widow comes to understand God's "command" (see v. 9), and she then does as Elijah has asked. God's promise is fulfilled as she meets Elijah's need (v. 15-16).
  She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
  
  
• God continues to work in the widow's life as He raises her son from the dead through the prayer of Elijah. Elijah's continuing ministry in her life, confirms to her his ministry as a man of God (v. 17ff).
  Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. …

How This Applies …

"Don't shoot the messenger!" Perhaps Elijah had a similar thought when he delivered an unfavorable weather forecast to King Ahab (v. 1) or told the poor, starving widow that she was to provide a meal for him. Would these people even hear what he had to say? Would they believe the word of the Lord that He had imparted to Elijah?

In the 21st century, it is just as common for us to put our faith elsewhere. There are hearts that are hardened to anything related to spiritual matters. Others are so focused on their circumstances that they don't trust that a Heavenly Father can—and will—provide. The Lord wants to work through the lives of His people, and God wants us to be the messengers of His word and promises of blessing in their lives.

2 CORINTHIANS 8 (and 9): When people are blessed, they respond with thankful giving.

[The context is that Paul is admonishing the rich Corinthian Church for not following through on their promised gift to Paul's ministry, vs. 10-11.]

What We Learn …

• Paul uses the Macedonian (probably Philippian) church as a comparative example of how a church (people) should respond in giving. The key scripture is verse 5 " … they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (v. 15).
  5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will … 15 as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
  
  
• Our job in fundraising is to help people/donors see God at work, through meaningful results in the lives of needy people, so that donors will be blessed, praise God and then give as He leads.
  
  
• Also, chapter 9 is all about thankfulness and joy in giving.
  
  
• This is a rich section; through your further study you will probably draw out a lot of good principles for application to your fundraising program.

How This Applies …

Gracious giving is truly a heart matter. When hearts are aligned with God's will, people are blessed and the natural outpouring is love for God and for others. Giving is a demonstration of that love. Just as God demonstrated his love toward us by giving us His son, so are we to express our love through our gifts.

Your donors can be pathways of God's blessing to others through your ministry. Stories of lives changed as the result of gracious giving will bless them and stir their hearts, as they see God's power on display. Like Paul, we can challenge our brothers and sisters in Christ to test the sincerity of their love and encourage them to respond with thankful giving.

PHILIPPIANS 4: Present giving opportunities boldly: Donors benefit significantly in the giving transaction.

[CONTEXT: Paul's writing of this book is motivated by a gift to him from the Philippian believers, while he was under house arrest in Rome. This is a Thank You letter for the gift.]

[NOTE: Chapter 4, verses 10-20, are intended as an encouragement to the Philippians in their giving. Remember, these are most likely the people Paul referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.]

What We Learn …

• Paul's strong thank you for their support (see 1:3-4) (v. 10).
  I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
  
  
• Paul begins the idea that he is not the primary beneficiary in receiving their gift (v. 11-13).
  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
  
  
• He continues with a reminder (and encouragement) about how meaningful their gifts have been to him (v. 14-16).
  Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
  
  
• Now he emphasizes an important point: they are the key beneficiaries in the giving transaction. They receive heavenly rewards ("a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God") and they receive earthly/ temporal rewards … (v. 17-18).
  Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I 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.
  
  
• In a verse often (mis)quoted out of context, Paul affirms that their needs will be met. This is a promise to giving Christians, not to all Christians. This is not a promise for "health and wealth," as some preach. It is a promise that "needs" will be met (v. 19).
  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

How This Applies …

By giving his life, Christ met our great need for a Savior. And just as His sacrifice was a fragrant offering to the Father, so are the gifts of His people. When Paul had a need, he simply placed it before the people and trusted God to meet it. He also reminded them of the spiritual rewards they would receive because of their giving.

When you present your ministry needs, your donors have the opportunity to do something that is pleasing to God and will have an impact for eternity. Their gifts touch your ministry as well as the heart of God, and He will meet their needs and bless them in return.

Saying Thank You

In the four chapters of Philippians, we find an excellent outline for a four-paragraph thank you letter to a donor:

• The encouragement of a deep personal relationship (Chapter One).
• The encouragement of the work of the Gospel (Chapter Two).
• The encouragement of a personal testimony (Chapter Three).
• The encouragement to continue to support the work of the Gospel (Chapter Four).

Oftentimes, thank you/receipt mailings are only an afterthought. Don't allow this to happen! It is very important communication with your donors. Think about the Philippians outline:

• Open with personal warmth and appreciation.
• Provide a recent example of what God is doing in and through your ministry.
• Next, offer a "personal" word of encouragement from what God is teaching you, or something else He is doing in your life.
• Close with more appreciation and encouragement to continue their support because of what God is doing to change lives … and a reminder of how their giving will bless them.

The next time you say thank you, consider a separate Thank You letter, not just a "receipt form" package to recognize the giving transaction—perhaps especially to those who have given a larger gift.

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you … " — Philippians 1:3

Communicating Is Connecting

Why is communication with your donors so vital? Because their ministry is giving through your ministry, and your communication is a key connection for them with your ministry. So, present your need, ask for their help, and see how the Lord will lead. Then, thank those who respond for giving to the cause of Christ.

Take these examples from God's Word and consider how you may be able to apply some of these principles in communicating—and connecting—with your donors.

Tom McCabe is the chairman and CEO of KMA Direct Communications in Plano, Texas. For more than 20 years, KMA has been helping many ministries develop powerful donor relationships.