Fundraising is a common practice for many churches and Christian organizations. But is it appropriate for a church to engage in fundraising activities? What does the Bible say about how churches should handle money and steward resources? This 9000-word article will examine biblical principles and practical considerations regarding church fundraising.
Biblical Principles About Money and Giving
The Bible provides guidance for how believers should view money and material possessions. Giving should be voluntary, generous, cheerful and based on one’s ability to give (2 Corinthians 9:7). Jesus taught that we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). The early church shared resources freely to meet needs, relying on the generosity of wealthier members (Acts 2:44-45). However, tithing was not mandated for Christians like it was for Old Testament Israelites. Overall, Scripture emphasizes stewardship – wisely managing resources God provides for His glory and to benefit others.
Regarding specifically collecting money, Jesus got angry with merchants who turned the temple into a place of business (Matthew 21:12-13). The Bible condemns religious leaders who exploit people for financial gain (Ezekiel 34:2-10, 2 Peter 2:1-3). The church should be cautious about fundraising that feels manipulative, obligatory or centered on personal gain versus advancing God’s work.
Additionally, Scripture urges caution regarding debt. Romans 13:8 says to “owe nothing to anyone,” which could apply to avoiding debt in ministry projects. Debt risks becoming a burden, so churches should exercise wisdom in projects requiring major fundraising for facilities or programs (Proverbs 22:7).
In summary, biblical standards for finances include giving voluntarily, generously funding ministries, avoiding greed, exercising wisdom in stewarding resources, and not incurring heavy debt. Church fundraising should align with these principles.
Potential Benefits of Church Fundraising
Fundraising done rightly can benefit a church in many ways. It provides an opportunity for members to contribute financially to ministries they care about. Giving is an act of worship, so fundraising allows participation in God’s work (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). When members pool resources, more can be accomplished for God’s kingdom than by individuals alone.
Fundraising for specific projects gets the congregation excited and engaged. People feel ownership in ministries they sacrificially give towards. This builds community and commitment to church goals. Fundraising can also connect the church with the local community if events are open to the public.
Additionally, fundraising provides needed funds to facilitate ministries the church feels called to. From feeding the homeless to sending mission teams overseas, fundraising makes it possible for churches to carry out programs that require significant resources. Without community support, many worthwhile ministries would never get off the ground.
Overall, done ethically, fundraising allows church members to generously give in ways that advance gospel work locally and globally. It brings people together around a common purpose. The funds raised open doors to minister more effectively.
Potential Problems With Church Fundraising
However, there are also potential pitfalls with church fundraising that should be considered.
First, there is a risk of resentment or donor fatigue if the church fundraises too frequently or aggressively. People may feel pressured and tune out. Overemphasizing fundraising can become a distraction from the church’s core spiritual mission.
There is also the potential for misuse of funds if proper financial accountability is not in place. Without transparency around how funds are used, abuses of money can occur and breed distrust.
If projects incur too much debt through fundraising, the church can become overburdened trying to pay loans. More energy may go toward debt relief than ministry programs. Taking out loans requires serious prayer and discernment to avoid long-term financial hardship.
Some methods of fundraising can seem manipulative, like excessive emotional appeals for money or naming ministries after big donors. This risks treating people as means to an end. It can detract from biblical motivations for giving like generosity and spiritual growth.
Fundraising that only benefits insider groups versus meeting community needs can also breed cynicism. Outreach that doubles as fundraising can appear self-serving rather than sincere service.
Overall, pitfalls like donor fatigue, lack of accountability, burdensome debt, manipulative tactics, and self-serving motives should be avoided in church fundraising.
Best Practices for Ethical Church Fundraising
How then can churches engage in fundraising in an ethical, biblical manner? Here are some best practices:
- Make fundraising occasional, not constant. Limit major appeals to a couple times a year. This prevents donor fatigue.
- Communicate financial needs clearly and honestly. Transparency around use of funds builds trust and motivates giving.
- Avoid excessive emotional appeals. Focus on biblical stewardship principles instead of guilt or excessively pressing needs.
- Offer confidential giving options. Publically announcing donor names feels manipulative to some. Give anonymously if preferred.
- Assess if fundraising aligns with church mission and brings value to ministries. Avoid efforts that simply pursue money for its own sake.
- Submit fundraising approaches to church leadership for prayerful consideration. Carefully evaluate the witness to the community.
- Establish financial accountability upfront. Have multiple leaders oversee use of funds to prevent misuse.
- Avoid excessive debt that creates long-term burdens. Only take loans after much prayer and counsel.
- Focus fundraising outreach on church members first before going to outside donors. This reinforces the church body’s role and investment.
- Make giving voluntary. Never mandate specific amounts. Give cheerfully without compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Overall, ethical church fundraising centers on good stewardship, honesty, accountability, community-building, and avoiding undue debt or manipulative tactics. With wisdom and prayer, fundraising can powerfully resource ministry for God’s kingdom.
Different Models of Church Fundraising
There are several common models churches use for fundraising. Each has pros and cons to weigh.
Annual Pledge Campaign
Many churches conduct an annual pledge campaign, usually in the fall, to fund the next year’s budget. Families fill out pledge cards indicating their planned financial contribution for the coming year. This allows leadership to forecast the budget.
Pros: Regular rhythm of predictable income. Allows members to make intentional giving commitments. Facilitates church planning and stewardship of member contributions.
Cons: Can feel monotonous and routine. Risk of stagnant or reduced pledges over time. Requires administration and follow-up for collecting pledge fulfillments.
Vision Campaigns
Multi-year fundraising campaigns for a major project. Could include building renovations, new construction, debt reduction, etc. Usually has monetary goal and timeline.
Pros: Rallying around exciting vision draws new and increased gifts. Multi-year timeline funds large projects. Stirs community engagement and investment.
Cons: Requires major time and energy over many years that could detract from other ministries. Risk of shortfall if donations lag. Can overextend church with too much debt.
Special Offerings
Special offerings for particular causes, like missions, benevolence fund, building repairs, etc. Congregation contributes through one-time gifts above and beyond regular giving.
Pros: Allow people to give towards specific needs they care about. No required amount relieves pressure. Can collect timely support for urgent needs.
Cons: Causes can feel random or disconnected rather than part of coherent vision. Donor fatigue if too frequent. Must find balance with regular giving.
Ministry Fundraisers
Events hosted by specific church groups to fund their budget – e.g. bake sales, dinners, races, concerts, etc.
Pros: Great for community building and ownership within church groups. Draws public participation. Features fun fellowship opportunities.
Cons: Can be lots of work for volunteers. Contributions likely small compared to major needs. Those not involved may feel disconnected.
Crowdfunding
Leveraging online platforms like Kickstarter and GoFundMe to raise money from wider audience for special projects.
Pros: Taps into wide network of connections. Flexible for urgent or special needs. Convenient for tech-savvy donors. Viral potential to quickly spread.
Cons: Typically better for one-time projects versus ongoing budget. Perceived as less personal. Requires expertise to implement well and avoid technical difficulties.
Overall, each model has pros and cons based on context. Churches should pray through what methods best fit their values, vision, people, and stage of ministry.
Addressing Potential Objections to Church Fundraising
Some Christians object to church fundraising efforts on principle. How might one address thoughtful concerns?
Objection: The church should just trust God to provide needs through voluntary giving
Response: Fundraising and trusting God are not mutually exclusive. God works through the means of His people giving generously to advance His kingdom. Fundraising calls people to give as the Holy Spirit leads, not under compulsion. And funds are still provided through voluntary donations, just focused during a campaign rather than sporadic giving.
Objection: The early church never fundraised but relied on spontaneous generosity
Response: There is evidence believers coordinated collection of funds in the early church to meet pressing needs (1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8-9). As the church grew, more planning and communication helped pool resources to empower ministry. Fundraising is a form of thoughtfully planning to steward member generosity.
Objection: Fundraising shows lack of faith that God will provide
Response: God calls us to step out in faith and work diligently using the means He provides, including fundraising (Nehemiah 2:17-18). He wants us to set God-sized vision that requires faith and wise planning. Fundraising is a practical way to give opportunity for generosity in response to God’s provision and calling.
Objection: Focus should be on spiritual growth, not buildings and budgets
Response: Agreed, relationship with Christ is most important. But buildings and budgets can enhance ministry outreach when done in right spirit. Jesus combined meeting spiritual needs and physical needs (Matthew 14:13-21). Faith communities need space and resources to facilitate fellowship, worship and service. Funds are a means to facilitate spiritual growth in community.
Overall, while potential concerns should be heard, fundraising can be implemented ethically in ways that mobilize resources for God’s work.
Questions for Churches to Consider About Fundraising
Below are some key questions for church leadership to prayerfully reflect on when assessing fundraising options:
- Why do we want to fundraise? Is the purpose clearly connected to advancing ministry vision?
- What methods best fit our values, context, and communityculture? Are we avoiding manipulative tactics?
- How will we ensure financial accountability and transparency? Who will provide oversight of funds?
- Are we taking on reasonable debt levels we can manage? Have we explored all options?
- How can we communicate vision and needs in a way that inspires versus guilting people?
- Are we allowing people to give voluntarily according to their conscience and means?
- What is a reasonable frequency and timespan of fundraising efforts to avoid donor fatigue?
- How can we follow up gracefully if people do not fulfill pledged donations?
- Are we incorporating prayer, discernment and counsel at each step rather than just pursuing funds?
Wrestling with these questions will help ensure fundraising aligns with biblical values and helps rather than harms the church’s mission.
Conclusion
In summary, fundraising has the potential to powerfully resource churches to carry out ministry for God’s kingdom. But it also risks problems if not approached carefully and ethically. Seeking biblical wisdom, accountability, voluntary motivations, opportunities for community investment, limited debt levels, and transparency is key.
Done well, fundraising rallies God’s people around kingdom vision and equips the church with needed resources for greater ministry impact. But the spiritual mission must take priority over money. Fundraising is a tool that must be guided by biblical values of stewardship, not pursued for its own sake.
As in all things, prayer and discernment are needed to determine if and when fundraising aligns with the church’s unique calling and community context. There is freedom in this area. The main guidelines are to avoid greed, glorify God, prioritize spiritual growth, minister generously, and give cheerfully.
May God give wisdom to church leaders seeking to make biblical decisions regarding finances and fundraising. May all be done with integrity and bear gospel fruit for God’s glory.
