Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6
“Imagine a world where fundraisers want to get to know you just to find out and respect the causes that God has placed on your mind and heart to help. If one of their organizations doesn’t fit the bill, they point you to another organization that better suits your interests. They are more like stewardship consultants, only you don’t have to pay them (although a small donation to their cause in exchange for services rendered probably would not be refused!).
Finally, someone is there just to listen and help you know what to do best and responsibly with the resources that God has given you. We know we are to be generous as Christ followers, but we don’t need to be ‘sold’ anything. Welcome to the pages of The Sower…Although it will still take a while for the Christian fundraising industry to be changed, I now believe that it is possible to see the day when those who receive funding are treated as joint believers in fulfilling the Great Commission and they will become transformed stewards.”
Barbara Shantz in her ERT book review of The Sower: Redefining the Ministry of Raising Kingdom Resources by R. Scott Rodin and Gary G. Hoag in Evangelical Review of Theology 37.1 (2013):91.
I am citing my esteemed colleague and GTP board member from Canada, Barbara Shantz, today not to be self-serving, as she is speaking kindly of a book I co-authored. There’s a much bigger reason.
She was instrumental in translating this book into Spanish and I stuffed over 100 copies into my checked back on this trip to Guatemala. “Bring as many copies as you can carry, Gary!”
That was the request of Paula Mendoza, GTP Global Administrator who lives in Guatemala City and works closely with Nydia Garcia Schmidt, GTP Regional Facilitator for Latin America.
The transformational message that we are sowers is not an image that Scott and I created to bring about change. It’s a biblical exhortation celebrated in today’s famous Scripture on giving.
Today I honor Barbara for getting biblical fundraising materials into Spanish. They are bringing about change. For a free PDF of The Sower in Spanish (or English, Chinese, or Romanian) reply to this email.
And whether or not you get a free PDF of the book, please everyone click to give to the regional campaign for Latin America. GTP is trying to raise $1,000 for Latin America efforts. We are at $288. Only $712 to go.
And if God has put another region of the world on your heart, visit our regional campaigns page as God supplied GTP with a $50,000 USD matching grant. Or to help GTP global efforts, give here.