• She gave out of her devotion to the Lord.
• She gave spontaneously. Nobody had to ask her.
• She gave in abundance what was perhaps the most expensive perfume at that time. She gave her best, she didn’t give leftovers. She gave sacrificially, she gave what was costly. Can you see how God’s ministry can flourish? He’s calling us to do this.
• She gave with humility. She didn’t go and pour it all on Jesus’ head. She went and wiped the feet of her Lord with the perfume.
• She gave without thought of the consequences. If I give all this, what will be left for me? Will I have enough for myself? She had no thought for the consequences. And what was the result? The result was that the room was filled with the fragrance of the perfume; many people were blessed.

That’s what happens when we give with a heart like that of Mary.

Why do we raise funds locally?
1. I believe if God is going to do something in my country, the money has to come from my country.
2. I think the gift in fund-raising is that you’re given an opportunity to be blessed.
3. You’re doing yourself a favor actually.
4. So that the local people will feel it is their own ministry.
5. A sense of belonging.
Above all, I think it breaks the dependency. It also develops local commitment, and it raises leaders.
The Lord means for the nations to stand up. He’s telling you and me: “Ask of me and I shall give you the nations as an inheritance.”
Harness national aspiration.

What must happen to raise funds locally?
1. We must be convinced of the vision of the ministry, the organization, and we need to communicate it effectively with clearly expressed goals.
2. Create the structure. People will not give if there is no structure
3. Build accountability.
4. Create systems.
5. Finally, I think this is the most important, that you demonstrate a purpose in your ministry in everything that you do.
When you do all these things, I believe you are on the right road to raise resources for what has become a very credible ministry in your respective countries.

THE RIGHT APPROACH TO FUND-RAISING

1. Now there has been traditionally one particular approach to fund-raising: A lot of fund-raising for missions has been like going with the begging bowl. It is heart centred. You’re appealing to emotions. So what happens is that you might have a one-time gift. Naturally, in order to meet your mission budget you have to contact a very large number of donors. So you spread your budget amongst many donors.
2. There is another way of doing this, and this is what I believe we need to practice in H.I. We have a strong vision. Share that purpose, share that vision. What has God revealed through you as a leader for your nation? Share it.
There would be one-time givers, but really, when you want to run a large ministry, it’s good to go to a few donors and engage them. And since we are building leaders, we are talking to people in leadership positions, people who are financially sound. Naturally they will be a small number.

Some motivations as to why people give:

• They believe that we depend on the Lord for our resources and not on people. God is the ultimate giver, and those who have resources are the stewards of the resources entrusted to them.
• People give when they are gripped by a vision of what God is doing. We must return to the single most important point that all investments into H.I, if it is to be long lasting, should be vision driven.
• It has to be communicated effectively, and you will find investors for life.
• People give to people — based on relationships. People give because of the integrity and conviction of the person, and they trust that the resources will be used responsibly.
• Trust the leadership of that particular ministry. The donor/investor has confidence in the leader, in his work, in his testimony, and in the clarity of his thinking.
• Confidence in the mission strategy itself. Are the goals clear? Are our purposes very transparent?
• Is there a measure for achievements? It is very difficult to see that a training has resulted in so many souls being won, but certainly you can share other stories of how the Lord is working through people who have been touched in the training programs which have been conducted. So there must be a measure for achievements.
• Confidence in the organization. Who are the people who represent you in the field? Do they see the face of the organization through these people? Are they trustworthy? They must have confidence in the organization’s structure, the people who are on the Board, the work methodology, the control system. When I give to an organization I must be very satisfied that here is a well-run, well-oiled, well-structured organization that has a purpose, that is led well, where I know that my money is safe and is being used well.
• People also give to a cause that has been a blessing to them personally. So if the seminar has been a blessing to them, people will give.

Because that will be the only significant way he/she can feel privileged to be part of the ministry. All of us are called to give to the work of the Church, to God’s work. There are some people who will feel privileged because for them that is what they can do well.