Many pastors don't like to think of themselves as fundraisers, but the function seems to go with the position. And whether we like it or not, the better we fulfill that part of our job, the more effective our ministries.
—Gary Fenton

There is an old story about a young seminary graduate who came to a rural congregation as their first seminary-trained pastor. The people were proud of his vocabulary, the evidences of culture and education, and his sophistication.

Several weeks after his arrival, he announced that on the following Sunday he would speak on "The Fiduciary Stewardship of the Royal Priesthood." The congregation eagerly anticipated this learned young man's sermon.

When the minister completed the sermon, one of the members said, "Pastor, I don't know exactly what it was you preached about, but it sounded like what our former pastor used to say when he was trying to lift an offering."

Regardless of how we say it, we are fund raisers in the eyes of many people. Many pastors don't like ...