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- Service is often the unseen gift. It operates behind the scenes, making sure everything is taken care of. If you are gifted with service, you are looking for a need to be met. No task is too menial, and no challenge is too big. While others may be tentative, you lead the way by taking the initiative. You are not afraid of failure because you will keep serving until the job gets done.
- “If it is serving, let him serve . . .” (Romans 12:7)
- If this is your gift, you have a few challenges to face. One challenge is to keep from over-committing. Relationships and/or your health suffer when you don’t make room for margin in your life, and the quality of your work may actually suffer. Another challenge is your need for affirmation. You need to remember Paul’s admonition, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men . . . .” (Colossians 3:23)
- Working to please God will protect you from disappointment. Any validation you receive from others will then be like “gravy.” My motivation, which I assume is also yours, is to one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)
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Paul’s letter to the Romans offers some potential areas of giftedness. You may resonate with one or more of these traits. Prayerfully read through each one, and define how God has wired you…
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“. . . If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.” (Romans 12:6)
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A prophet understands the desires of God’s heart. He communicates this truth with passion of conviction and compassion for the people. If you are a gifted prophet, you are not afraid to confront sin head-on, especially the sins of injustice and hypocrisy. You defend the rights of the unborn or any group of people who are oppressed or in bondage. Your boldness may increase around inauthentic authority since hypocrisy is the target of a prophet. You have the ability to discern the motivations of the heart and confront the speaker with riveting questions and logic.
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Most prophets are disliked, especially by those who are the object of their truth. However, after they have been proven right, they are admired by those who are teachable, and even their enemies come to respect them. Speak the truth in love if you are a prophet. If you are not a prophet but know one, listen and learn. You will be a better follower of Christ for doing so.
- There is an indirect way to inform others of your ministry calling and financial needs. It is an incremental approach that allows those of us who are more introverted to stick our “big toe” into the fundraising water. Some of the responses we get may be chilly, but the warm ones provide a good entrée for further discussions about someone’s potential for serving as a financial partner. The Apostle Paul describes this partnership in Philippians 1:4-5, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Follow Paul’s prayer, and you will fundraise well.
- Once a quarter, consider mailing a letter (email is an option, but you may lose some uniqueness) to potential financial partners with these elements:
- 1. Brief opening paragraph of 3-4 sentences thanking and affirming the recipient
- 2. Short second paragraph describing the purpose of the letter
- 3. To-the-point third paragraph inviting them to pray about serving as a financial
- partner for 12 months (a closed-end commitment is more attractive and invites
- broader participation)
- 4. Succinct last paragraph describing the next steps of your call to them in 7 to 10
- days for a follow up coffee or lunch
- 5. Conclude with thanking them for their prayerful consideration
- During the follow-up phone call, first confirm that they received the letter and then ask how they are doing. Thank them for their time, and inquire if it is appropriate to talk briefly about a personal visit. Listen for buy signs like, “Yes, your ministry sounds very interesting, and I would like to hear more.” But a closed door may sound like, “Now is not a good time since we just move my wife’s mom into a retirement center, and we are covering her living expenses.”
- In the second case, make sure you communicate your understanding, listen to how the transition is going for everyone, and offer to pray with them over this new season of life. If you hear any openness to next steps, offer 2 or 3 date options, and ask what works best. Typically four of the eight people you call will agree to meet in person; three of those four will likely give.
- Who are ten people I can reach out to with a fundraising request?
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