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Successful fundraising: The "Big Give"
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When the Rev. John Lentz of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, wanted to raise money for the church's social services programs, he followed the example of the master in Jesus' parable about the talents.
The parable, found in Matthew 25:14-30, tells of a master who left varying amounts of money with his three servants before he went on a long journey. When he returned, the master learned that two of the servants had invested his money wisely and had made him more money, while the third servant had only buried what the master gave him, earning nothing.
Lentz gave each church member $50 and asked them to put the money to work and see what would happen. With no obligation to participate, or even return the money, the congregation took their pastor's challenge to heart. Following the example of the faithful servants, Forest Hill Church members used the money to invest in the supplies and tools needed to sell handcrafted products and personal services. The results? Over $10,000 in profit, in addition to the return of the original $15,000.
If your church is looking for a successful fundraiser, this one - known as the "Big Give" - could work for you as well. While you may not have $50 per member to invest, even the smallest church could come up with $10 per member to create their own successful fundraiser following this example.
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