The Christian School and Philanthropy
From Secular Transaction to Biblical Relationship
by
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The school’s mission is at the center of all philanthropic activity. It is surprising that this truism is not always obvious in what schools do. The tyranny of the urgent overwhelms conversations so that fundraising desperation dominates: paying the bills or fixing the roof or providing underpaid teachers with a Christmas gift or “bonus.” It is not unusual to be in schools where every Board meeting seems to be a crisis meeting. “Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18), but St. John points out that a lack of fear means being confident on the day of judgment (v. 17). Boards that are not confident in what they are doing are driven by fear. Here are four common fears: • Fear that families will leave the school • Fear that tuition will become too “expensive” • Fear that a key teacher might leave • Fear that the school may stray from its theological roots Philanthropy must not be driven by fear. Instead, it needs to be inspired by the school’s mission and point to a vibrant future. Deuteronomy 30 reads: “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess” (vs. 11-16). To take maybe a little liberty, Moses speaking to a Christian school would have talked about the obviousness of mission. In the language of the school, mission is not “too difficult for you or beyond your reach.” CSM calls this The Kingdom Principle, that the school’s task is to bring God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The way it accomplishes that is through the school’s mission. The Board can, then, be confident as it moves forward if its actions are in support of the school’s mission. The Board’s responsibility in philanthropy is third in importance to supporting their Principal / Head of School and operating according to a Strategic Plan / Strategic Financial Management. Its actions in finding, nurturing and soliciting philanthropic dollars are crucial to next generational mission delivery. The Christian school needs philanthropic dollars. It is not a “love of money” that leads to asking for investment into the lives of children in the school. It is an appreciation of the needs that truly exist in the delivery of the school’s mission. It is because the school can clearly and authentically identify a future-oriented need. It is done with complete integrity and open accountability. It is done transparently and without embarrassment. When the Christian school takes its mission seriously, commits to its fulfillment at a level of excellence, identifies the philanthropic dollars that will best move it forward, it will provide God’s children with a true experience of His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
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About the Book
Christian schools only have two major sources of revenues: tuition and philanthropy. The Christian School and Philanthropy delves deeply into how school leaders can raise transformational philanthropic dollars. At times story telling, at times grittily detailed, at times reflective, we challenge secular assumptions about donor motivation, the nature of the donor, and typical fund-raising scenarios. In its place, we provide a deeply Biblical narrative pulling from the examples of Jesus’ own fund-raising committee, the travels of Paul, and the extraordinary fund-raising achievements of the Hebrew Scriptures. Backed by the latest research from multiple sources, and proven in the experience of our Christian schools, we offer you practical pathways irrespective of the size of your school. Professionals and volunteers alike will find helpful strategies and tactics to take your school to the next level.
About the Author
Simon began teaching in 1977. A lot has changed since then and that includes the decline of Christian education. After 26 years in Christian schools and 14 in consulting across 5 countries and 36 states, Simon was called by God to bring hope to Christian schools – and co-founded Christian School Management, a 501(c)3 to do that just that. This book is part of that journey of hope.