Lampstand Leadership

Why vision starts in the heart (and why giving follows.)

Because I’ve watched it happen: a ministry with big goals, a sharp team and smart fundraising… stuck. Giving had plateaued. They were doing all the “right” things, but something was off. The energy was flat. The response wasn’t there.

I’ve also seen the opposite: a small, scrappy team with limited resources pull in surprising support, not because of their tactics, but because of their vision. There was a spark in what they did. A clarity. A conviction.

The difference? One had a plan. The other had a flame. And that’s more than just a leadership cliché.

Recently, someone said something that stopped me in my tracks: “There must be a lampstand in your heart. Otherwise, your mission is at risk.”

If there’s no light, if there’s no lampstand in your heart, your mission eventually drifts.

That one line nailed what I’ve felt for years but hadn’t put into words. You can lead with strategy. You can lead with skill. And, you can track metrics and optimize campaigns. But if there’s no light, if there’s no lampstand in your heart, your mission eventually drifts. Or dies.

No flame, no mission.

Generosity Follows the Flame

That lampstand image hasn’t left me. Because when your heart is lit, when your vision is Spirit-breathed and lived out with conviction, people feel it.

Givers don’t respond to pressure. They respond to purpose. They’re not drawn to hype; they’re drawn to honesty. They’re not just supporting a cause; they want to invest in a calling.

I believe that’s not just a psychological reality, but a spiritual one. When the fire of God is alive in a leader’s life, it creates a kind of gravity. People are drawn in. They want to be part of what’s happening because they can tell God is in it.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s practical.

Heart-driven vision builds trust.

Heart-driven vision builds trust. It forges connection. It turns one-time donors into lifelong champions.

Because people give to what they believe in, and they believe what you genuinely live.

If Giving Is Stuck, Start Here

If your ministry’s generosity is slow or stagnant, your next move isn’t a new giving platform or a clever email subject line.

Your first step is a better question: “Is the lampstand in my heart still burning?”

“Is the lampstand in my heart still burning?”

That’s been my prayer lately: “God, keep the flame alive. Reignite what’s gone dim.”

I’ve had to learn this the hard way. I’ve gone through seasons where I was still “doing” ministry, but my fire was low. I was managing programs, not leading from passion. The results showed it.

Givers aren’t just looking for a great organization. They’re looking for a faithful flame to follow.

Three Practices That Reignite Generosity

If you’re leading a ministry and want to cultivate deeper, Spirit-led generosity, here are three places to start:

1. Lead with clarity, not crisis.

Desperation repels. Conviction draws. If your messaging is shaped by fear or scarcity, it shows. Lead from what you believe God is calling you to do, not just what you’re afraid won’t get funded.

2. Be transparent about the journey.

Givers don’t need perfection. They need truth. Share the struggles as well as the wins. Show what faith looks like in the in-between. Authenticity builds trust and trust fuels generosity.

3. Preach your “why.” Every time.

Don’t just report outcomes, cast vision. Remind people why it all matters. When your heart for the mission is clear and contagious, the right people will join you.

When the Fire Rekindles, So Does the Giving

In my book, I share how Fervor got its start with a simple but bold question.

An organization called C3 was doing powerful work, but their name didn’t connect. Their communications didn’t reflect the impact. One of the founders admitted: “Our marketing wasn’t living up to our impact.”

So, I asked Mike, the CEO, “Why aren’t you putting the same level of marketing effort into your ministry that you invest in your business?”

He paused and said, “You’re right. Fix it.”

That moment sparked something. We formed a team, proposed a new name – The Global Orphan Project – and everything began to shift.

Twenty years later, their work looks radically different. What started as a network of overseas orphanages is now a technology-powered, church-to-child care system across the U.S.

Mike would later reflect: “Don’t hold too tightly to your original plan. Surrender the ministry to God – past, present, and future. Because when we grip too tightly to what we think we’re supposed to do, we can miss what God is actually doing.”

They let the lampstand be seen. When the fire is lit, when the calling is alive and visible, you can’t afford to keep it hidden. The message must match the mission. When it does, people don’t just notice. They’re drawn in. That’s when giving, growth and impact begin to overflow.

Keep the Lampstand Lit

Ministry is sacred work. But sacred doesn’t mean safe.

If the fire has gone out, no amount of polish or planning can fake it.

So, before you write another appeal, schedule another campaign or make another ask, go back to your knees. Go back to your heart.

Ask God to relight what’s grown cold.

Because people don’t follow perfection. They follow fire. And when your lampstand is lit, generosity follows.

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Mike Farag is the CEO of Fervor Marketing and author of Marketing with Fervor (F9 Consulting, LLC, March 2025). Through coaching, strategy and storytelling, Mike helps Christian leaders align their voice and vision to grow faithful generosity. Learn more at createfervor.com.