There are many opportunities to give to Great Commission mission agencies, but how do you know if your funds are helping to create lasting impact? Before you give to a mission organization, you want to hear solid answers to your most important questions. In the past you might have asked: How many people have been baptized? How many churches have been planted? How many disciples have been made?
In response, mission organizations developed ways of measuring their activities. To build credibility they applied scientific methods: focus groups, surveys, Likert scales, etc.
Maybe you also asked about the health and effectiveness of the organization: What does your board look like? Do you have a five-year plan with benchmarks? Do you conduct annual financial audits?
These are still good questions, but it’s likely that today you want to know even more before you decide to give. Most importantly, you need to ask the “so what” question:
What difference has your work made in the day-to-day lives of the people you serve?
Continue reading Five Questions Every Seed Company Donor Should Ask here.
Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo
Gilles Gravelle, Ph.D., is The Seed Company’s director of research & innovation. He brings a unique, interdisciplinary perspective to missions in the 21st century — a combination of missiology, theology, Internet technology, strategic planning and strategic giving. But in his words, his passion is “whatever keeps things moving forward for the greatest possible results.”
