3 Ways to Inspire Givers By David Henke

**Three Ways to Inspire Faithful Givers**

Cultivating consistent givers in a world full of deceptions and schemes manipulating people out of their money is challenging. Many ministry leaders struggle with how to talk about giving in a way that is inspiring and excites donors about what God is doing in ministry.

Here are three key ways to incorporate godly giving principles that will inspire faithful giving.

MOTIVATE GIFTS FROM THE HEART

People will give time and resources to what they value. Emphasize giving as a response to God’s generosity and use the goals of your mission to connect them personally to what you’re doing. People are inspired when they see others sacrificing time and resources to serve the needs of many. Givers want their resources to bring glory to a holy God. They want to see meaningful work being done and souls saved. Sometimes it may be possible to focus too much on the work and not enough on the people of the work. Regularly sharing the transformation happening through your donors’ sacrifices — and making it a part of the culture in your ministry — is the most inspirational way to motivate the importance of faithful giving.

IN A DIGITAL WORLD, BE EXCELLENT

Digital credibility is critical in a modern world. Donors research organizations on the web all the time before they decide to give, the same way a churchgoer who moves to an area decides which church to attend. Your digital footprint develops trust without your ever having a conversation with anyone. This is not a generational communication avenue; studies show that all age groups do cross-comparison research online. Your ministry is not immune to this. Don’t have staffing resources avail- able? Thankfully there are many excellent faith-focused companies that specialize in helping you build a modern and effective digital presence.

SAY THANK YOU — PERIOD

If the only time you are speaking to your donors is in relation to your ministry’s needs, then you can begin to sound solicitous. Make opportunities to simply thank your donors. Share information about organizations that support or minister to the population your donors are passionate about and thank them for caring. God commands our generosity for two reasons:

benefit us as we recognize and trust in his provision and to benefit those around us. Identify the need around you and be passionately outspoken about it.
The second greatest commandment Christ gave us is to love people. To God, people matter most, and material things fade in comparison. Lead by example and encourage your donors to share in Gods’ spirit of compassion for people. Be mindful that giving is a part of spiritual growth. Faithful giving and spiritual maturity are both fruits of nurture.

Inspiring faithful givers isn’t about money. It is about God’s purpose in a donor’s world. Well-intentioned marketing will not replace the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Point your donors to the need around them so they can act upon what God has placed in their heart and encourage them to find the joy in sacrificial giving. People followed the apostles after seeing their willingness to sacrifice their own welfare for those Christ placed in their path. Do likewise.

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David Henke was the is vice president of sales at CashLINQ and now serves as a VP and Branch Manager for Columbia Bank. This article was first published in the 2015 Winter Outcomes Magazine.

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