Why generous giving is key to partnership development
I'm going to share one of the biggest keys to success in partnership development... and it's probably not what you think.
Here's my story.
In 2012, I was feeling the call to embark on a four-year training program with a house of prayer in Kansas City where I had just completed an internship. The trouble was, I had no more savings and no job! I had come home to California and wasn’t sure how I was going to get back to Missouri.
The only idea I had was to trust the truth of Luke 6:38, which says,"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." I decided that I was going to give my way back to Kansas City. I made a monthly giving commitment to a ministry I had long respected, and trusted the Lord to provide.
Over the next few months, He gave me my previous job back and I watched my savings grow! I was able to make my way back to Kansas City, where I lived with friends, worked a part-time retail job, and also sent letters to begin a small partnership team. In my last year of school, I was able to increase my partnership team and leave retail work, which was the biggest blessing as I began to throw myself into ministry and leadership.
By the grace of God, I maintained my original giving commitment and since then have been able to partner with a number of missionaries and organizations, on top of my tithe to my church. I got married two years ago, and my husband is the same way! Our favorite part of doing our monthly budget is seeing our giving commitments go out. I'm so grateful I married a man with such a generous heart. We have way too much fun giving where God leads.
We truly believe that part of our success in partnership development has been because of our commitment to giving. Proverbs 11:24–25 says, "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." We've been able to watch a pattern of God supernaturally responding to our giving. Several times, we've sown a large gift somewhere, and soon after received a similar or multiplied amount back.
Just this week, we set up some new monthly gifts for missions, and days later two new potential partners dropped in our laps! (It's a good day when someone says out of the blue, "Let me know how I can help you guys... through prayer... or money..."😂)
Here's what we've learned:
Generosity moves the heart of God because it expresses faith in His ways more than our own efforts.
Mathematically, seeking to grow your finances by giving money away is completely counterproductive. It only works if there's a real Person on the other end of the equation who actually sees and responds. He set it up this way-- it's Kingdom math! Of course, we believe that God will bless those who sow into us, but the principle is true for us as well. We're not exempt from the biblical command to give generously, or the biblical promise that God will generously respond.
I encourage you, even as you are raising partnership for your own ministry, look for ministries into which to sow monthly (over and above your regular tithe to your home church). Pray about where and how much, and as you know the blessing of receiving, allow the Lord to move through you to bless others. Let giving generously be part of your financial plan, and watch Him provide in response!