My Unexpected God-incident Moment with MPD
Beginnings in Fundraising!
Over 40 years ago when I married my husband, Pete, we started (as Navigator staff) “living by faith” as it was often referred to. (As if all Christians didn’t also live by faith!) Back then, pre internet, this involved writing letters to our friends and asking them to support us. Most responded, and we set about matching our lifestyle to the money we received.
There was no budget. But I have to say God was faithful, and we did have enough. When leading student ministry, we always gave the students opportunity to support us, and that added to our number of regular giving partners over time. God also provided funds to buy a house, back when a house cost £15,000!
God continued to provide in different ways for the next 30 plus years, but strangely, in all that time conversations withother staff about how our support was progressing were few and far between. The subject of money seemed off-limits.
Often, I heard staff say that they didn’t have enough money for a car or a new home appliance, or a holiday beyond “cheap and basic.” A flicker of thinking in me said, “Things should not be like this. Why isn’t God providing?”
Then in May 2010 Pete, now UK country leader, and I went to the European Leadership Forum to help resource the church in Europe.
I went to sessions on fundraising, and there I had my God-Incident moment. The first session started with the statement that, “Development success is determined by how effective you have been at building relationships.” Wow I thought, Mission-workers are supposed to be good at relationships, how come we are not good at development?
I was hooked for the rest of the morning. The God-incidence continued over lunch with Pete. As an introvert, conferences de-energise me, and I would normally be quiet. But during this lunch I was energised and talking about all I learned in the morning session. Pete was like, “What’s happened to you!”
That was the beginning.
Later that year we met Scott Morton. As Navigator International Funding Coach, Scott was beginning to work across the world training missionaries in fundraising, particularly emphasizing a biblical foundation. In 2011, Scott visited the UK, and I found myself taking on the role of Funding Coach to train Navigator staff. It was then I experienced more God-moments of energy for helping staff become free from the constant stress of not having enough money.
Since then I have learnt so much about Ministry Partner Development (MPD). I like the phrase MPD for fundraising because it focuses on the relationships and not the money.
Frequently asked questions about MPD:
1. Why do Bible study? Mission-workers often say, “I know the bible well, and I want to get on with it!”
Yes, they know the Bible, but I tell them to slow down, study again those familiar verses and plan well. Be honest about feelings and doubts you are probably hiding but will come back to affect you. Look at them in the light of Scripture.
I delight to see what happens when missionaries give time to study the Scriptures about funding. They start off fearful, unsure about asking. But God gives them confidence, conviction and courage to ask. Then there is the delight in seeing God provide generous partners over and over again. And their giving-partners experience that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
2. “Do I stop doing MPD when I reach my target?”
Helping people see MPD as an ongoing part of discipleship, influencing partners towards generous giving isn’t essentially about the money but about the relationships. Resources we use are Henri Nouwen’s book, The Spirituality of Fundraising and R Scott Rodin’s book, The Third Conversion.
But it’s also about putting a realistic plan in place for maintaining your partners and looking for new ones. Steve Shadrach in his book, The God Ask, talks about “winning, keeping and lifting.”
Winning focuses on asking. Keeping focuses on communication, taking your partners with you. Lifting focuses on asking for increases. Often partners who start with a small amount, over time become anchor-partners.
One last God-moment occurred three years ago when 11 Navigators from five European countries attended a Forum for MPD organised by Agape Europe. Two passages of Scripture spoke to me. Philippians 1:3-11 and Habakkuk 2:14. These verses speak of:
“Partnership in the gospel”
“Love abounding more and more.”
“The earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.”
For me, these phrases sum up what MPD is all about—partnership, love and God’s glory.
This European Network has given me colleagues who take MPD coaching forward as I retire. I am so thankful to God for all he has done and all I have experienced of Him in this journey. May He richly bless you who read this in your own lives.
Gillian Dowse
Gillian’s husband, Pete Dowse served as Country Leader for Navigators UK from 2009 until his death in 2014. Gillian was a valuable partner with Pete in that role, especially in funding. Gillian is now retired and lives in Birmingham. She has two grown sons Colin and Neil. Her hobbies are playing and watching tennis, reading and baking.