Fundraising through Storytelling

It was a small country church on a dirt road with a steeple dwarfed by the big Texas sky. The basketball hoop stood a little forlorn in the yard, crooked and missing a net. It didn’t look like an ideal place for fundraising, but I decided fundraising wasn’t my main goal. My main goal would be telling them what God is doing in Asia, and why I was going.What is fundraising? Is it asking for money? Or is it telling stories? And how do you tell a story in a compelling fashion? Here are seven things I have learned about storytelling:

1. Tell what brought you to go on this trip. If you’ve been on a trip before, tell what is drawing you back. If you’ve never gone on a trip, really think through why you are going. Is it because someone suggested it to you? Why did the idea stick in your mind? Has God been hinting at this for a while, or was it a complete surprise to you? What scriptures have been brought to your mind during the deciding process? Tell what’s going on in your heart, not just what you think is expected of you.
2. Be vulnerable. We don’t like to be vulnerable, especially in this independent culture of America. But being vulnerable is what connects people to your story. If you’re afraid, say so. Ask for prayer for the specific things the Enemy is using against you. Are you torn by the stories you have heard from the places you are going? Then cry. Seriously. When people see heart, they respond. But be genuine. Don’t be anything your not, just to gain an audience.
3. Tell the story of those with whom you are going to work. Be the voice of those who don’t have the platform you have. God’s heart has been captured by their stories. Capture the hearts of others.
4. Educate your audience. Find out as much as you can about the cultural assumptions, religions, and needs of the people to whom you are going. You are a touch-point to the body of Christ in a different part of the world. Most of the people in your church rely on people like you to connect them to what God is doing on a grander scale. Even if you have never gone before, make a concerted effort to understand the conditions into which you are being sent and communicate those to your audience.
5. Bring the place to life. This is something that is much easier to do if you have been to the country before. Imagine the markets, the people, the sights, sounds, and smells. Communicate those to your audience as an opening to lead into your story, or incorporate them into the stories you will share. These details help the audience travel with you rather than simply listening from their pews.
6. After telling the story of why you are going, ask for support. The words of Jesus ring true when talking to people as well as to God. You do not have because you do not ask. So ask. Open the door. You are offering others the chance to become involved in God’s work. And be humbled. Every cent given is sacrificed because the giver is sending you as an ambassador of Christ. Remember this is not just a trip. It is a mission.
7. Less is more. Keep your presentation to the essentials. Truth speaks louder when it is not cushioned with unnecessary details.

Remember the small country church with a steeple dwarfed by the sky? I used these principles there and was amazed and blessed by what God provided through a congregation of mostly farmers. But they caught the vision. Become excellent in sharing truth and God will use you to impact both at home and abroad. For more fundraising ideas to help support your mission trip this year, check out this new prezi!  Atalie Bale works for Global Encounters in Communications. She loves telling God's story both at home and on short term mission trips. She is always learning how to do it more effectively, so if you have any suggestions to add to this post, comment below!