I absolutely agree with you — “money follows ministry” is probably an old school paradigm that needs to be shifted. As I was telling some communication colleagues yesterday, people support people and causes.

In my experience, a personal connection is the strongest motivator for people to remain faithful in their financial support, even during tough economic times. It’s that personal sense of responsibility for another human being that is the strongest motivator.

The second strongest motivator today I’d say is causes. As Tom Watson explains in his book “CauseWired,” causes are not just issues that people care about. Causes are now a part of our social identity — it’s an identifiable part of who we are. When I join a new cause on Facebook, I’m not just doing it because I care about that cause (which I do), I’m doing it in part because I want other people to know I care about that cause (it’s part of who I am, my online identity). That’s a pretty huge psycho-social shift that many non-profits and ministries haven’t fully grappled with yet. In a nutshell: “I am what I support.”

I’m not saying that’s necessarily a good thing, but I would say (as Watson argues) it is the reality of the hyper-connected, always-on, 24/7, globalized world that we live in today. That’s the new reality. Get used to it, embrace it, or go the way of the dinosaur.

How’s that for two cents? ;-) Always great discussions here, Phil! I hope others will chime in as well.

Shalom,
Steve K.

However, allow me to augment one point.  You stated: “I have discovered that most of the people that defend the concept have really small ministries where significant funding isn’t really needed.”

You and I both know of a major television network that sent out a letter to all of its paid time programmers last week in which the president of the network said: “Use that time [your program airtime] to minister to your TV viewers.  If you will do this, I can assure you that you and your ministry will be supported!  God’s word promises this again and again.”

The group I referenced is not a really small ministry, it’s a really really big ministry.  They don’t just minister and sit back whilst the support rolls in — they ask for support every day.

Money seems to follow some ministries… but it also seems to follow certain hucksters, snake oil salesmen and master prophets.

Here’s what I’ve found to be true:  Money follows ministries that minister well to their audience and who ask for support in a compelling way, and routinely show that they use the donor’s dollars in an ethical and effective way.

By my nature, I’m a task oriented, get it done guy, so my leaning on this would be that of course God CAN do anything, but if you are a ministry and expect that God will always choose to feed you through the ravens, you aren’t going to make it.  You have to do the good works that God set forward in advance, both in ministering and in communicating about the ministry in a way that raises support.  That’s uncomfortable for many people so they abdicate that responsibility and look up for ravens.  If you aren’t a good steward with the ministry God gives you, and don’t do the hard work of managing that ministry’s income and expenses, it won’t exist forever.  Part of ministry work is giving God the credit, and that is NOT the same as the ministry itself. It is the testimonial of the ministry that inspires it’s growth in volunteers and donors.  That is what fundraising falls under.

Having said that, God just funded our teen issue ministry My Broken Palace with six figures relatively out of the blue.  Our first year grassroots budget is paid for. Big vision from God, then a big raven.  However, I’m not expecting God to miraculously do that everytime we need revenue.  Elijah wasn’t fed by ravens for his whole life… He did have to go out and get his own food most of the time.

I think the answer is that God supplies fish to you in miraculous ways and supplies you with the fishing pole to do your own fishing as well. 

:)

Money will follow vision if given the opportunity like Phil says here.

I met missionaries on the field, for instance, who had bought into what they thought was George Muller’s and Hudson Taylor’s paradigm of only “believing” without ever “asking,” but who had either overlooked or simply did not know that there was much more to both of those icon’s testimonies to the faithfulness of God in the area of finances than prayer and faith alone. Sharing financial “prayer needs” in a letter with friends and past supporters without directly soliciting a donation is in itself a form of fundraising…!

Still airtime is the largest budget item that a broadcast ministry must contend with and the key is to have provoking content/causes/products, etc. that generate direct response and a positive ROI. 

How one raises funds is unique to each ministry…old school ways may work for a little while longer…but I’m seeing trends where certain ministries who have developed unique niches have brokenthrough. I see others with a big vision, but TV doesn’t work for them. TV is certainly not for the fainthearted, nor is it right for every ministry. Maybe that’s why they need to hire you Phil… ;-)