CREATIVE WAYS TO FUND MISSIONS—AND MAKE GENEROSITY A LIFESTYLE
Some of the greatest missions opportunities begin with one simple idea.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of leading and being part of a lot of missions projects. Some raised thousands of dollars while others may have looked small on paper but made an enormous difference in someone’s life. Some met a very specific need. Some served people right in our own communities. And some began with an idea that sounded a little unusual at first.That’s the point. We don’t have to do missions the same way we’ve always done it. Whether you’re part of a congregation of 30 or 3,000, a small group, women’s ministry, youth ministry, Sunday school class, or missions department, there are creative ways to raise funds and make an impact. That has taught me something: you don’t have to have a large congregation, a huge budget, or a complicated plan to make a difference. You simply have to be willing to start.Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “God loveth a cheerful giver.” Generosity isn’t just about the amount we give. It is about developing a heart that looks for opportunities to give. Sometimes we simply need to look at what God has already placed in our hands—and think outside the box.L
OOK AROUND. YOUR CHURCH IS FULL OF POSSIBILITIES.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is assuming a missions fundraiser has to look like a traditional fundraiser. It doesn’t. Your congregation is filled with people who can cook, bake, paint, sew, build, craft, organize, entertain, teach, photograph, garden, decorate, collect, create, and connect. Put those gifts to work. Host a dessert auction. Sell handmade items. Organize a missions yard sale. Have a talent night with donations going toward a project. Auction a quilt. Offer a church-wide service day and invite people to make donations toward the missions project. Let a small group host dinner. Have a “favorite things” auction. Ask businesses in your community to partner with you. The possibilities are limited far more by our imagination than by the size of our congregation.And don’t be afraid to involve every generation. Creativity doesn’t belong to one age group. Grandparents have skills. Young adults have ideas. Children have enthusiasm. Teenagers have energy. Retirees have experience. Put them together.
HOMELESS BLESSING BAGS
One project we used at a large camp was assembling blessing bags for people experiencing homelessness. The bags included practical necessities such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, Band-Aids, feminine hygiene products, snack crackers, socks, and other everyday items. Each bag also included a handwritten note of encouragement. The supplies were important, but the personal touch was just as meaningful. I’ve heard stories from people who received similar bags during difficult seasons of their own lives. Those stories remind us that we never really know the impact of a simple act of kindness.Matthew 25:40 reminds us that when we serve others, we are serving Christ. A missions project doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. And while this particular project focused on meeting a need rather than raising money, it can easily become a fundraising opportunity: sponsor a bag, challenge groups to fill a certain number, or ask businesses to donate supplies while your congregation raises funds for the items that still need to be purchased.
MISSION ART AUCTION
At Junior Camp, the girls competed against the boys in a mission art project. Each group created artwork, and the finished pieces were auctioned to raise money to purchase French books for an orphanage in Haiti. It was fun. It was competitive. It was creative. And it raised money for missions.Don’t limit an art auction to only children. Invite adults, families, small groups, artists, hobbyists, or even local businesses to participate. Paint a canvas. Create a handmade piece. Donate photography. Make something from wood. Design a mission-themed centerpiece. Then auction it. Turn creativity into currency for the Kingdom.
ADOPT A SCHOOL STAFF
Our church has a school next door, so we found a natural opportunity to bless the people working there. We collected practical supplies for teachers and staff—highlighters, scissors, sticky notes, tissues, snacks, dry-erase markers, and other everyday necessities. The response reminded us that what seems small to us can be significant to someone else.This idea could also become a year-round missions partnership. Adopt a classroom. Sponsor a teacher. Host a school supply drive. Provide meals during teacher appreciation week. Ask your congregation to “fill the supply closet.” And if fundraising is the goal, let people sponsor a specific need or donate toward the monthly project.
Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men.” Sometimes the mission field is literally next door.
SUPPORT A LOCAL PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER
Another practical opportunity is partnering with a local pregnancy resource center. Collect diapers, wipes, baby clothing, formula, car seats, and other essentials. One director we worked with mentioned something as simple as fresh fruit to serve young mothers during their sessions. That stuck with me. Sometimes we get so focused on raising a certain dollar amount that we overlook the opportunity to meet an actual need.Ask the organization: What do you need? Then listen. Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s diapers. Maybe it’s food. Maybe it’s volunteers. Generosity isn’t always measured by the size of the check.DIMES FOR MISSIONS
One of my favorite fundraising challenges started with something most of us hardly notice—a dime. During a camp missions class, we distributed clean 16-ounce water bottles and challenged participants to take them home and fill them with dimes. The bottles were then returned to their local church to support a designated missions project.A full bottle can hold roughly $75–$80 in dimes. One bottle doesn’t sound like much. But when an entire church participates, those little bottles can become thousands of dollars. That is the power of collective generosity. Never underestimate small gifts multiplied by many people.
GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO DREAM BIG
Second Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. Giving isn’t simply about fundraising. It is about forming a generous heart. That’s why I believe we should challenge our churches to move beyond their comfort zones. Try something different. Ask questions. Find the needs. Listen to your community. Give people an opportunity to use their gifts. And don’t decide something can’t work simply because nobody has done it before.The widow in Scripture didn’t have much, but she gave what she had. A little boy offered his lunch, and Jesus used it to feed a multitude. God has always been able to do extraordinary things with ordinary things placed in His hands. So don’t begin with, “What can we afford?” Begin with, “What can we do?” Then pray, plan, work, and watch what God does.
Missions isn’t an event on the church calendar. Missions is a lifestyle. It is serving across the street and giving across the globe. It is teaching our congregations to see needs, respond to needs, and become people who live with open hands. Make outreach personal. Make it practical. Make it exciting. Live generously. Give generously. Dream generously. And whatever you do—don’t be afraid to think outside the box. And be courageous enough to DREAM BIG!Some of the greatest missions opportunities really do begin with one simple idea.
