Gail Perry, in her book Fired Up Fundraising: Turning Board Passion Into Action, suggests two major barriers to participation in fundraising. The first barrier is simply the fear of asking for money – undoubtedly, this will keep folks like me employed forever. Perry’s second barrier is of much greater concern- she suggests that these leaders are not passionate enough about their organization's vision.

Perry writes:

I have the utmost respect for the brave board members who are quite nervous about fundraising but courageously step up to the plate regardless of their fear… However, most board members do not have enough passion and commitment to the cause to propel them through their fear.

Now, before we point all our fingers at board members, let me assure you that my observations include church and para-church leaders at all levels and that this affects matters far beyond mere fundraising. Ministries of all shapes and sizes are plagued with leaders who do not demonstrate a level of passion that aligns with their respective roles.

This concerns me for two reasons.

Reason number one is the current economy. These are some of the most difficult economic times many leaders have ever faced. Many leaders have never encountered as swift and substantial declines as they are encountering right now. In the midst of such difficulties, passion may be all that keeps these ministries alive. Without a deep-rooted passion for the vision and mission of the church or para-church, ministries will fail and those they intended to serve may be lost.

Reason number two has me looking a little further down the road. For certain the economy will stabilize and many ministries will avoid detrimental consequences. We understand the process is cyclical and that the lessons of today are intended to help us prepare for tomorrow. However, as prepared as we may now be for later challenges, I suspect we remain unprepared for some of the other challenges that were already on our plates. When the economy takes a backseat, leadership changes, demographic shifts, and emerging ideas will once again be front and center. These challenges will continue to affect church and para-church ministries at a time when many of us would prefer to take a breather.

Our church and para-church ministries face a changing economy and a changing world. The former has more immediate, short-term consequences; the latter will affect our ministries for years to come. Amidst these changes, I believe we must examine whether we are passionate enough to press on. I believe we can do this in three ways…

Examine Ourselves

If we ourselves are not passionate enough about our ministry’s vision, how can we expect others to be? We must demonstrate a degree of commitment that exceeds or, better yet, shatters expectations.

Examine the Vision and Mission

The vision is the destination to which the mission leads us. If your church or para-church lacks a clear destination or direction, it may be no surprise that passion is weak. Without knowing where we are going and how we intend to get there, everyone is free to wander and no one is accountable for where their passion ends up.

Examine New Leaders

Whether we are considering a new candidate for the board, the office, or the front-line, leaders must be passionately committed to the vision. Anticipating that their passion will grow over time- the question we must ask ourselves is whether their passion will grow to the extent that it should.

When I discuss concerns with leaders, I ask them to identify the ten individuals who they believe are most passionate about the ministry. I encourage them to recognize these individuals and draw close to them. I explain that it is through such passionate people that God moves mountains.

As leaders, I would encourage each of us ask ourselves where our passion is. Is our name on anyone’s list, and why? Are we leading ministries that we are truly passionate about? Or do we need to resign, ourselves, so that those with more passion can take our place?