Don't paint the big picture for your supporters, inspire them to 'paint' themselves into your charity's mission story

Are you sick and tired of painting the big picture for your supporters and getting nowhere fast??So, how about giving them a chance to 'paint' themselves into your charity's mission story?

Today I am going to share a few insights from a major donor who did just that.

I mean, yes literally!?

Meet Don Giuseppe Manduca, a 16th-century parish priest from Malta and a major donor to his church.?

Don Giuseppe 'painted' himself in the story of St Agatha's chapel and the city of Mdina because of his faith and generosity. You can see him kneeling in the painting (see above) he commissioned in 1551.

I saw this painting at the Cathedral Museum in Mdina a few weeks ago. And, it got me?thinking:?

What did Don Giuseppe, as a man of faith and a major donor to his church seek to achieve through this??

What can you and I learn from him?

I believe, that first of all Don Giuseppe?sought to create a visual reminder of how God saved their city?from the Muslim invasion in 1551 through the people's intercessory prayers to Him and Saint Agatha.

You can?read the full story?here.??

He also?sought to draw closer to God?by commissioning and placing himself in the painting. He believed that Saint Agatha like other saints lives in close communion with God and by honouring her he felt he was honouring God.

Also as any Catholic believer would, he expected the saint to intercede to God for him, his congregation, and his city.?

Finally, he believed that the saints can pray with us because they themselves have struggled and persevered.

So, he?sought to create some spiritual/ faith connection with someone who would understand and empathise?with the struggles and challenges he was experiencing.?

What can we learn from Don Giuseppe's giving?

And, how can we use these learnings to encourage our supporters to 'paint' themselves into our charities' mission stories today??

1.?Behind every major contribution there is a personal story?(like the Mdina siege story), a calling, a prompting from God, more than one reason for giving generously.?

So, listen to your supporters before you ask. Invite your major supporters to share their stories and spend time with them in prayer and conversation to discern how God wants them to be involved in your ministry.??

2.?Christian donors today, like Don Giuseppe and others in the past,?still seek to draw closer to God through their giving.

So, the question is: How can your ministry help them to do this? What can you offer your supporters to enable them to experience God's blessings and spiritual rewards??

3.?Visual reminders of God's interventions, love, reconciliation, etc can keep supporters engaged and motivated to give and to pray.??

Today your stories, videos, photos, etc are your visual reminders - so how good are yours? How compelling, persuasive, and inspiring are they??

And, more importantly, are they about the donor and God or just about your charity's work??

4. As human beings?supporters are seeking to create connections, to be understood, to be part of something bigger than themselves.?

Are your charity's communications giving opportunities to your supporters to feel connected, understood, and valued??

What can you do to create a??community where your beneficiaries, your supporters, workers, and mission partners can understand each other's struggles, empathise?with each other, and pray for each other??

Let me encourage you to take time to think about and find answers to these questions. Share them with your team.

Trust me it will be worth it when you see the results from your thinking and actions that will inspire more supporters to 'paint' themselves into your ministry's mission story.?

Written by Redina Kolaneci on 27 October 2021. www.christianfundraisingconsultancy.com