Fundraising: a spiritual ministry?

For many years I’ve read works by Henri Nouwen, an author, speaker and professor of spirituality turned caregiver.

My first encounter was in college literature when we read the short story “Adam’s Peace”. It was about his experiences of leaving the halls of academia to become a caregiver for the developmentally disabled. Later, his article in Leadership Journal entitled “From Solitude to Community to Ministry” became a formative text for spiritual development in my ministry studies– in and out of the classroom. And In the Name of Jesus was a required text for many semesters of my teaching freshmen students.

I was shocked this summer to encounter a quote and footnote referencing a work by Nouwen on fundraising. Fundraising? Nouwen? I made a note of this and waited until I returned to the states to look it up. The link was now dead, but a search found that it was being republished. Yesterday it arrived and I read it. It’s very short and genuinely Nouwen. Which also means he’s right on target, yet pushing me to new understandings.

Nouwen begins:

Fundraising is a subject we seldom think about from a spiritual perspective. We may think of fundraising as a necessary but unpleasant activity to support spiritual things.

True…I hadn’t really thought much about it from a spiritual perspective. And I know plenty of people (many fund raisers included) who put it in the “necessary evil” box — especially faith-based organizational leaders.

What a relief when Nouwen challenges my thinking…

Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry. It is a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission. Vision and mission are so central to the life of God’s people that without vision we perish and without mission we lose our way (Prov 29:18, 2 Kings 21:1-9). Vision brings together needs and resources to meet those needs (Acts 9:1-19)… Vision gives us courage to speak when we might want to remain silent (Acts 18:9).

Fundraising is proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission.

Fundraising is ministry. A call to conversion. Joining God’s work together. Not begging.

Rather [than begging], we are declaring, ‘We have a vision that is amazing and exciting. We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you– your energy, your prayers, and your money– in this work to which God has called us.’ Our invitation is clear and confident because we trust that our vision and mission are like ‘trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.’ (Ps 1:3).

As with all ministry to Nouwen, it’s about relationship with God and others. Our visions grow from joining God’s kingdom work. And our fundraising is from people in relationship with us and God. Nouwen’s book isn’t a strategy guide for fundraising, but a reflection on the spirituality of it. Yet, recognizing fundraising as ministry and relationship also nods to effective fundraising: that of personal relationships and inviting others to invest in important work.

When those tasked with raising funds view it as begging or a ‘necessary and unpleasant activity’, we miss out. We miss an opportunity to partner with another to make a difference. As faith-based fundraisers engaging other people of faith, we miss out on an opportunity for connecting deeply in God’s mission, vision and passion.

This mindset can be difficult to accept. It took several years for me to really make the transition to believing and acting as if I’m offering invitations of investment and not begging. Part of that comes from really believing in what you’re doing. But another part comes from getting over our hang-ups about asking people for money (or, perhaps more specifically, our fear of rejection).

Fundraising is a very rich and beautiful activity. It is a confident, joyful, and hope-filled expression of ministry. In ministering to each other, each from the riches that he or she possesses, we work together for the full coming of God’s kingdom.

Cast vision. Invite. Minister. Raise funds.