Live Out Generosity By Cindy Finley

The Seven “Cs: to Help You Live Out Generosity

The season of generosity is upon us! And many of you know the statistics:

• Nearly one-third of all giving occurs in December.
• 28% of nonprofits raise between 26 and 50% of their annual funds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
• 12% of all giving happens in the last three days of the year.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, people are motivated to be generous. Whether it’s because of the season or the promise of tax deductions, their checkbooks are open.  As ministry leaders, we are grateful, and, let’s be honest, focused on how our organization can benefit from their generosity.

But what if we flipped the script? What if we viewed this season as a time to live out generosity rather than to merely benefit from the generosity of others?

Here are seven “Cs” to help your ministry live out generosity during the season of generosity:

Commit to integrity

It seems like a no-brainer, but when you consider that $123 billion will be donated in the month of December, it’s tempting to use every trick in the book to get as much of that money as possible. Commit to honesty in your reporting and transparency in your budget. Integrity honors your donors, builds trust, and expresses generosity.

Calm the Urgency

We know that people respond to urgency, but it’s easy to cross the line of crying “Wolf” in the name of effectiveness. When you report the match, share the deadline, and clearly state why it is important that your donors give before December 31^st, be sure that you are not adding hype for the sake of generating donations. Manipulation is never generous.

Cherish Every Contribution

While we are often focused on financial contributions at this time of year, look for opportunities to cherish contributions of prayer and service. Highlight the stories of partners who give time and talent as well as those who contribute treasure.

Connect to the Cause

Point your donors beyond your organization to the cause that you are advancing. Be generous by giving them a broader vision showing how the work you do fits into a bigger picture.

Confide Your Learnings

Most likely this year has not been an unending litany of success for your ministry. You have not hit every goal. You’ve experienced loss. You’ve learned through failure. Share what you’ve learned. Perhaps your donors need to apply what you have learned in their lives. By confiding your learnings, you live out generosity.

Credit their Contribution

Your ministry is not about you. Rather, God has invited you to steward your ministry so that others may partner with you in advancing God’s work with you. Give specific examples of the contribution your donors have made in the past year.

Celebrate their Engagement

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31^st, be ready to celebrate what God has done through your donors and what their contribution will enable in the coming year.

As you live out generosity during the year-end season, your donors will see that you treasure their partnership and trust Christ. And you just might be surprised at the outcome. Live out generosity.

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Cindy Finley is the global ministry director of RiverCross and a CCNL graduate. Cindy believes that cultivating the heart of RiverCross champions is a vital aspect of her work to build bridges of hope for vulnerable children.

Do you want to learn how to unlock generosity in others?

Then come to The Outcomes Conference – April 16-18, 2019 and meet some of the wisest and professional ambassadors of generosity. You will have the option to attend full day sessions or 90-minutes workshops. You can select your favorite format and learn from the best in Christian nonprofit resource development. Sign up today while there are still early registration savings!