We all know that it takes money to operate a Christian ministry and that the key to a fruitful ministry is God's blessing.
If the fruit of that ministry is not what it should be, perhaps Christians should be more sensitive to the Biblical principles summarized in I Corinthians 9:14. Are there inconsistencies between the words we use when we acknowledge Christ as Lord, and our methods in raising (or giving) funds to proclaim God's truth? Considering the large sums of money that are being spent by Christian organizations today, and considering the general condition of the world, are we somehow missing God's full blessing?
From the beginning, God Himself has been the provider for His work. Everything that He made was for our needs! From this, I believe that man-centered efforts to "raise funds for the Kingdom" may be an invasion of His domain.
All ministry should either directly or indirectly be involved in "preaching the gospel." According to I Corinthians 9:14 (above), those who "preach the gospel" have the right (and responsibility) to expect God to provide for them through those who benefit from their teaching.
Since Christ came to seek and save those who were lost, and men are saved through the preaching of the gospel, it follows that ministries that do this are His agents toward the saving of souls. They, therefore, should expect God to provide for them through those who benefit from their teaching and those who desire to see it flourish.
That is why ICR "raises funds" the way we do. The fact that we do not send out "crisis" appeals (or lengthy appeals) for money is not because we have a surplus of funds. It is because we desire to let God be our provider. It is true that His provision usually comes through gifts from friends like you, and we trust that your gifts come as the result of the Lord's prompting rather than our promoting. Doing it God's way, we believe, will make all the difference in the world . . . to the glory of His Great Name!
