Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4
“In contemporary society we are very much prone to ad hoc practices of generosity (such as crowdfunding) in response to specific identifiable crises of need. That generosity is all to the good. It is, however, not sufficient for responsible
materiality. Beyond ad hoc acts of giving, mature generosity requires planned, regular, disciplined budgeting for sustained giving. Such intentionality makes it possible not only to respond to dramatic crises but also to provide sustained support for social institutions upon which community health depends. The amount of such giving is flexible. We may note, however, that the notion of a 10 percent tithe of income is not a maximum; it is a baseline against which we may reckon our measure of generosity. Obviously the more we practice the restraints indicated above, the more we are able to maximize our generosity in a way commensurate with our gratitude.”
Walter Brueggemann in Materiality As Resistance: Five Elements for Moral Action in the Real World (Louisville: WJKP, 2020), 25-26.
I loved every word here, especially the ending: “maximize our generosity in a way commensurate with our gratitude.” Responsible materiality requires diligent planning. It starts with a baseline. But the grows from there.
And the growth links to gratitude. As we find joy and life we increase our sharing. God supplies and it goes from there. So what is the role of “crowdfunding” per se. I think it’s the on-ramp for new people to join in giving.
And the apostle Paul provides a good example of this. Notice how he does a crowdfunding project called the Jerusalem Collection. But he gives instructions with it so they learn to do the diligent planning..
If you serve with a church or ministry, do crowdfunding projects to get everyone giving. Couple it with instructions to help everyone set a baseline and grow in diligent planning.
People will not become generous overnight. Your job is to teach them maximize our generosity in a way commensurate with our gratitude. The generosity will flow when you move beyond collecting gifts to growing givers.