If you are a leader of a business, a mission organization, or a church, you’ve likely faced some tough decisions recently about projects and people because of the realities of the global economic downturn. You may have had to “tighten the belt” by delaying major projects or expenditures, cutting salaries, limiting business travel or even making the tough decision to lay off people. In the midst of all this, work that should or could get done is delayed.
When this affects the advance of the gospel, how should we respond? Do we just spend even more time fund raising? Should we “enhance” our ministry reports to current (and potential donors) describing what we will do with their money – making the statistics shine a bit brighter in our favor? I mean after all it’s for God’s work, so a little embellishment can’t hurt, right?
to create a corrosive stew of fellowship destroying behavior.”
With that statement, Rob Martin, Lausanne Senior Associate for Global Philanthropy, cuts to the heart of the matter in this month’s focus on The Lausanne Standards. The Lausanne Standards were developed out of Cape Town 2010 to help donors and recipients create relationships of accountability and trust around funding mission. Rob provides an honest look at the fundamental issues that can divide those who need funding and those who can provide funding. Rob says developing a balanced relationship of trust, respect and accountability between the donor and the recipient is essential and offers The Lausanne Standards as a way to begin.
Read Rob Martin’s Article Here
Responding to Rob’s article, Sas Conradie, Coordinator of the Global Generosity Network, points out that giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. The donor and the recipient must work together, he says, as part of the same Body of Christ, each with something valuable to contribute to mission.
Read Sas Conradie’s Article Here
Alex Araujo, Senior Partnership Consultant at Partners International, says one question is how we can rely on money to resource our work in mission, without it also destroying our relationships.
Read Alex Araujo’s Article Here
The Lausanne Standards are available in seven languages to read online or download.
Join The Conversation on Resource Mobilization and prayerfully consider how your ministry or church can expand the relationships of trust and accountability in financially supporting the work to which God has called you.
Additional articles, resources and videos will be shared in the next few weeks as a part of our focus on Resource Mobilization. See below for the full list of resources as they are added throughout the month.
This Month: New Resources in the Conversation on Resource Mobilization.
Week 1: The Lausanne Standards
Lead Article
From A Wallet In The Purse of the Bride To Nickels For Beggars: The Divide That Binds Us – Rob Martin
Responses
- – Sas Conradie
- Money and Resources
Week 2: Global Generosity
Lausanne Material
- The Lausanne Standards – Rob Martin
- A Global Understanding of the Cultural Context of Stewardship – Lausanne Resource Mobilization Working Group
- Kingdom Stewardship: Occasional Papers for Cape Town 2010 – Resource Mobilization Working Group
- Funding for Evangelism and Mission: LOP 56 – Issue Group No.27 Pattaya, Thailand 2004
Other Material
- Individual Generosity Declaration – Global Generosity Network
- Corporate Generosity Declaration – Global Generosity Network
- Unleash Generous Disciples – Generous Church
- ECFA’s Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship – Sas Conradie
- Giving For Life: Encouraging Generosity in Your Parish – The Archbishop’s Council
- Christian Finance in 2010 – Todd Johnson
- Life is a Gift, The Grace of Giving and A Handful of Rice – Global Generosity Network
- Mission Giving in the Local Church – Sas Conradie
- Do Lent Generosly – 40 acts
Week 3: Global Generosity
Global Generosity Network
Week 4: Resources
- Generosity Resources Overview – Sas Conradie
- Generosity focus in Christian networks and churches
- Generosity ministries
- Mission Africa Trust Fund
- Generosity courses and training
- Generosity Internet resources
Blogs
- Communicating and managing expectations in funding – Steve Steele
- Ministering to Donors – Fred Smith
Week 5: More Resources
- Stewardship Ministries Life Stewardship Series Curriculum
- Generosity Bibliography – Sas Conradie
- Generosity Campaigns – Sas Conradie
- Generosity Champions and Networks – Global Generosity Network
- Lausanne Middle East North Africa Younger Leaders 2nd Annual Conference
- European Generosity Consultation – Global Generosity Network
- Report on the Missions Africa Trust Fund – Global Generosity Network
Stories
- Increasing the Harvest of your Righteousness – African mission mobilizer
- A Cambodian Generosity Story – Ps Robert Oh
- A Sudanese Generosity Story – Rev Arrie Preller
- This is our Story: El Salvador – Wycliffe Global Alliance
R Scott Rodin
- Five Things They Never Told Me About Christian Fundraising
- How Does a Steward Pray?
- Generosity of Spirit - It’s the heart of great leaders
August Resources
9th August
- The Age of Global Giving – Gilles
- The Complexities of Money and Mission in Asia – William Carey Library
- Generosity is the New Evangelism – Chris Willard
- Should All of My Tithe Go to the Local Church? – Chris Willard
- Christian networks, denominations, churches and… – Sas Conradie
- Creating Cultures of Generosity in Europe – Chris Willard
- Generous Churches Leadership Community – Leadership Network
- What Have We Done to This World? – Jay Link of Stewardship Ministries
- Igniting a Life of Generosity – Chris McDaniel
- Großzügig sein – Michael vom Ende
Join the Conversation on Resource Mobilization.