A Spirituality of Fundraising (#4 The Gift of Receiving our Living From the Gospel)

Senior Consultant - Design Group Intl. * Co-Founder - The (POP) Fundraising Lab * My Digital Contact Card (Office EST) * My LinkTree  * 14 April 2023 Free Virtual Workshop Registration

Faithful Friends,

In 1 Corinthians 9:14, Paul inserts a command from God in the middle of what I call “The Missionary’s Bill of Rights.” Using the temple service of priests as a precedent, Paul declares that the Lord “has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” Paul is not saying, “When it makes sense or people are feeling generous, it might be a good idea for the missionary to receive their living from the gospel.” No. The Lord commands it. This has been empowering for me as a fundraiser: not only is God going to take care of my material needs, he is providing for my spiritual needs as well. 

As a missionary who has lived on support for over twenty years, I have received my material living through the generosity of numerous friends and families: three friends have given cars to me, I have lived (free of charge) with three families, and have been gifted airline flights to funerals and weddings that I could not afford to attend.

My wife, Sarah, and I have been given vacations from supporters, including our honeymoon in 2006. Friends and family have given over $4.2 million dollars in support toward our work over the years for staff salaries, benefits, camp scholarships, office supplies, and everything in between. There are people who have given $10,000 and people who have given $10 in support. 

I have grown spiritually as I have learned to live on God’s generosity via the support of others and have trusted God as a fundraiser. I learned to trust God in new ways when we moved from Sacramento to Grand Rapids, Michigan in December of 2013. We left behind nearly $150,000/year of support in Sacramento when we moved, hoping that ministry would continue to be financially viable in Sacramento. When the plane landed in Grand Rapids, I checked the “Giving Report” on my phone to see if any of the committed gifts for my new role had posted. To my dismay, there was $9.85 in my missionary account. The $10 gift (minus the credit card processing fee) that I had given to verify that the new online giving link worked had posted. Nothing else.

Moving into my parents’ basement with a pregnant wife and a young son.

It was tough. On my ego, on my family, on my heart.

AND - I learned to trust God fully in this situation, more than in any other season of my life. 

Nearly $30,000 came into the account in the final eighteen days that December as God provided through the commitments of our friends and family. Though my fundraising needs have grown due to an increase in my responsibilities over the years, we have only been in a financial deficit once. 

AND - we have sniffed that deficit most months in our efforts. It was lonely, exhausting, and I felt like a hamster on the fundraising wheel. 

AND - Sarah and I have watched the Lord provide sufficiently for the needs of our mission and family. The generosity of God has been evident month after month as support comes in from generous friends and family, and I have learned to trust the love they have for us and for the mission. What a transformational process. 

I have also learned to love without strings attached as a fundraiser and to believe that asking someone to give financial support will be a gift to their spiritual formation. This shift in how I think about and practice fundraising has been transformational in the way I approach relationships. 

I am confident that my supporters know that I love them and that our friendships are not based primarily on the role that they play as financial supporters. 

I am thankful for that. And proud. In a good way.

Fundraising is difficult, and it is life-giving. It is lonely, and full of joy. And it can change our very being if we seek deep transformation as we listen, help, and learn

What a gift you are.

Lead with Love,

Kevin A. Eastway