Fundraiser Event Formula

"I am aware that only God knows the total plan and that I am part of it." - Laurie Beth Jones, Jesus CEO



You need a formula for your special events, especially when they are used to raise funds.  Much like the Lord has a divine plan, you need to have a plan for your special events and fundraisers.

I always like to say that it is only special because of the special effort that you put into it to put it on and pull it off.  So, with that being said, you have to put something special into it for others to get something special out of it.

• Special Attention: Red carpets, paparazzi galore, and loads upon loads of glitter should be on the agenda for gala bashes.  Disposable cameras or digital prints with sizzling frames printed on the scene for guests.  Guest books are great, too! If it's an arts fundraiser event, have your guests leave their handprints in "cement" (use clay) like the Hollywood walk of fame and scrawl their John Hancock to be displayed in this week's society section.  Jazz it up as much as you can without going over budget.
• Special Attractions:  Yes, it sounds corny, but the real deal is the real deal.  People will flock to the dunking booth if the principal is on that plank.  How about the youth minister or the senior pastor? Got talent? How about the librarian who dresses like Lady Gaga or the softball coach who plays a mean violin- or, is that a fiddle? Either way, get people to attend your event by what you have to offer.  Try to find local talent.  Get in touch with local promoters and producers, club owners and talent agencies.  You never know what treasure is buried in your own backyard until you start digging around.
• Special Appearances: Is there a local celebrity who may grace your event? How about the mayor as the fry cook for your Friday night fish fry? Could you get that ex-football player to talk to dads in the community about the importance of fathers and male role models for young boys? What about that Negro League player? Is there a famous professor who won the Nobel Prize or Pulitzer at the local university or college? Check out who lives in your town or area, even those born there.  There are those who love to visit certain areas who may be inclined to show their faces at such an event if you can get close enough to their people who will call your people, and then you all can do lunch and see what works.

Prayer Plan

Okay, folks.  The year is closing out.  We are wrapping up the third quarter and getting into the final and fourth quarter of the year, looking ahead towards 2011 with eagerness and excitement. 

Here's my sound advice for the evangelical entrepreneur or the Bible-believing businessman or businesswoman:

"Pray constantly."- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (HCSB)

You don't have to be consumed with the latest headlines and the market conditions through the news wire and constant streams of Internet data that reveal the ebb and flow of the business world moment by moment.  Get saturated in prayer.  Let your prayer life set you apart from how others approach business.

Believers who are in business need to be in prayer.  Constant prayer will need cause the problems to cease, but it will center you to focus on God's calling for your life and how to deal with the demands of being in business.

Pray frequently. Pray fervently. Pray faithfully.

Pray daily. Pray weekly. Pray monthly. Pray quarterly. Pray annually. Pray with a purpose. Pray with a plan. Pray with power.

Pray over your business and everything that is connected to your business.

How often you pray impacts how you pray, and how you pray impacts how often you pray.

Pray for your business today.  Pray with your future in mind.  Pray for guidance d strength

Children of Darkness or Light

And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.- Luke 16:8 (NLT)

 
I think about the recent terror scare regarding explosives discovered in packages destined for Jewish houses of worship.  It's sent the world into a new frenzy of terror.  It has TSA and FedEx into a scurry about security along with everyone else from DHL and UPS as well as USPS.
 
Imagine if they weren't Islamic terrorists.  What it they were evangelical extremists? I am talking about some Bible-thumping, gay-bashing, King James-only, moral flag wavers.  What if that was the case?
 
How quiet is it kept that hate crimes can be committed in the name of Christ just like Allah? How much of an uproar is stirred up when Christians blow up abortion clinics or attack others for their "sins?"  Paul said that we are all like "filthy rags."
 
Where is the love?
 
The hate is evident.  It is surely visible.
 
Where is the love?
 
The fruit of the Spirit should be pouring out from us.
 
Think about it and be real honest with yourself.
 
What if the tables were turned?
 
Evangelical extremists? Could there be such a thing?
 
This year Halloween falls on a Sunday.  Don't allow your congregation to fall prey to the subtle idolatry that may slip as "for the kids' sake" or "just having some good, clean fun."

Internal Resource Inventory

23  Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, 24 for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations?  Pro. 27:23-24 (ESV)

Tom Peters named it "Management By Walking Around." It sounds silly.  It seems like it is something that everyone should do.  Unfortunately, most do not do it.  In fact, many do not do it at all.  Peters dubbed it the "technology of the obvious."

How well do you know the condition of your flock?

Is it your ministry team? When was the last time that you saw Sister Fletcher's husband at church? Was it before he was laid off or not? Think hard.  Can you recall?

Have you kept tabs on Brother Edwards? He used to be one of your most faithful and devout Sunday school teachers.  Have you sent a card? Have you paid a visit? Since when?

Why hasn't Anne Marie sung a solo lately? Is she back on the streets? Is she back on drugs? Is she hooking again?

How would you know the answers to any of these questions if you have lost touch with your flock?

Develop a means for leading God's people beyond a set schedule of meetings and appointments.  Carve out time for "pastoral care" that includes home visits as well as lunches and coffee breaks with members and ministry leaders throughout the week. Be sure to reserve some time for drop-in emergencies.  You never know when Ann Marie may come on her own.  It would be a shame if she was turned away because you were too busy or she didn't have an appointment scheduled.

Know the condition of your flock.
Pay attention to those under your pastoral care and leadership.
Stay in touch with them and love them as if they were your own.

"The true shepherd spirit is an amalgam of many precious graces. He is hot with zeal, but he is not fiery with passion. He is gentle, and yet he rules his class. He is loving, but he does not wink at sin. He has power over the lambs, but he is not domineering or sharp. He has cheerfulness, but not levity; freedom, but not license; solemnity, but not gloom."- Charles H. Spurgeon

Open Opportunities

"Opportunity exists where you find it." - John C. Maxwell

Find your own opportunities.  Don't wait on someone else.  They won't knock on your door.  They won't yell out and beckon you unto them.  You'll have to search and seek them out.

Some will be obvious.  They'll be right before your face.  They may be sitting right in your own backyard.  You will simply have to recognize them as opportunities.

Some will be more obscure.  They may appear to be obstacles or challenges.  Yet, you will discover an opportunity to put your talent and skills to work on discovering a solution.

Some will need to be created. When I didn't find much success in peddling my self-published books through online resources, I decided to turn my lessons learned into resources that drew people into me.  I wrote a blog and published a newsletter where I could get people's attention and inform them about tidbits of what I had already published and what I was currently working on with my writing.  it does work, but I had to find a way to make the opportunity work out for me.

Find your opportunities today.

Building Through Vision

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

- Proverbs 29:18 (NIV)

 

You need to cast the vision before the people so that they can run with the vision with purpose.

• We need to put the vision in plain view. 

• We need to put the vision in plain terms.

 

Be sure that our people are:

• Aware of the vision
• Activating the vision
• Advocating for the vision

Our people will see the vision for themselves.

 

Our people need to grasp the vision.