What is the meaning of life?
Have I found a place where I can volunteer...my time and resources?
Can I be a part of their TEAM by donating to Our cause? Yes, it's our cause!
⧫ IF you are already donating or volunteering with this charity...do you feel a part of the TEAM?
How?
How do they communicate with you?
Newsletter?
Phone call for funds?
Phone call to see how you are doing and if you would like prayer??
If you are on social media, Linkedin and or Twitter...do you
communicate that way? Retweets on Twitter and Status Updates on
Linkedin? Do they acknowledge your efforts? Do you feel a part of the
"Team"?
Have I prayed about how I might be a good steward and use God's funds to further His cause through this organization?
Do I need more help in evaluating this organization?
See this site: Checking out a non profit before investing in it.
If you have questions about the non profits mission and if they are TRUE to the founders original mission, Is your favorite non profit true to it's mission?
How do I find God?Begin Your Journey to Peace
Have I discovered my strengths, my passion, my calling?
Have I found a church that I can feel a part of their community?
Is it necessary to belong to a church?
Why don't I love my job?
Do I have a best friend?
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the
only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought
and found how to serve."-Albert Schweitzer
The Journey of Life: To Be God's people..."Embodying the love of Jesus Christ in the city and the world"!
"For
we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
If we truly are Jesus's hands and feet in the world...how can we be good stewards and invest our lives for His glory? So we can truly make a difference in the world!
● When searching for charities to invest in...either as a volunteer or as an investor, what should I be looking for and why?
● With the thousands of charities out there...how can I evaluate them?
● With our instant access to information on the internet, we are probably already searching and can easily get confused. What are we really looking for and why?
● Even if we don't know it...we are looking for an organization that aligns with our passion...our desires. We all want to make a difference in the world, don't we?
● The best way is to start as a volunteer with an organization if possible.
● So start by looking at their website!
● What you want to find immediately when looking at their website:
1. Mission Statement
2. Vision Statement or their strategy for reaching their mission.
● This is what I am telling charities that they need on their website!
The Basic info you need on your site!
● But what are donors really looking for?
● You already had some idea of who you wanted to donate to!
● It's all about Passion and Relationships! What am I passionate about? A Clue
● What is Passion? "..passion is morally neutral. It is simply a strong feeling or deep longing for something." ..."Passion is the God-given ability to feel so deeply about something that it causes us to move toward the object of desire. This passion stems from an urge given by God-a burden, an emotional response to a need or opportunity He wants us to move toward. It's not a feeling that we experience and then lose easily. It's persistent and powerful. We can't ignore it." Discover Your Destiny by Bill & Kathy Peel.
"The thing is to understand myself, to see what God wishes me to do...to find the idea for which I can live and die"-Soren Kierkegaard
"The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” —William James
"...Embodying the love of Jesus Christ in the city and the world." A good vision or mission statement!
● So, what is your passion?
● We must have clarity about the Vision and Mission of an organization. If I am looking for a charity that I can volunteer with, I
look for people I respect who are practical-minded. I want to be sure
it's the sort of project that I can bring something of value to, and in
which I'm being involved in a meaningful way. So I always ask myself: Is
it a mission I believe in? Do I believe in the people who are in it?
and does it use my talents and gifts in a way that engage me?"
● So one of the best ways to evaluate a charity is to volunteer with them...if they are in your area or have a local chapter...like The American Red Cross or The Salvation Army...just two examples! They are looking for volunteers! They have FREE training, both online and classroom .
● No matter what your passion, gifts, abilities, past experience, personality etc. are, each of these organizations has a place for you! You just have to have patience and talk to people at the organization...and start getting connected. The same for any organization. These are just two International organizations that have local chapters around the country within easy driving distance. Obviously, there are probably other similar organizations that have local chapters.
● When contacting an organization...consider calling and talking to Communications Director or Volunteer Director. But do your research on their website first!
● This is what you want to immediately see and clearly understand!
1. Vision Statement
2. Mission Statement
3. Their Strategy for reaching their Mission
4. It's also great if they have some testimonies from reciepients of their ministry!
● There's a lot of noise going on in the world. We need to listen to God speaking to us and that it is God that is speaking.
●
When I stand before Jesus one day, I want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant". Isn't that what you want to hear?
So what are we asking ourselves as we view their website and consider if we should invest in their cause?
So what is God calling me to do?
We all know there is no I in TEAM.
What is God doing in the world through this organization?
● Can I be a part of their TEAM by donating to Our cause? As a volunteer and or investor. Yes, it's our cause!
● If we are already volunteering with an organization...do we feel a part of the TEAM?
How?
How do they communicate with you?
Newsletter?
Phone call for funds?
Phone call to see how you are doing and if you would like prayer?
If you are on social media, do you promote your favorite organization? Tweets and Retweets.
Status Updates on Linkedin. Does organization acknowledge your efforts?
Have I prayed about how I might be a good steward and use God's funds to further His cause through this organization?
● Do I need more help in evaluating this organization?
I welcome your thoughtful insights. Richard
