When I stopped asking for money, something amazing happened
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For most of my life, I worked in the business world. No matter what I was doing—selling a product, consulting, or making deals—there was always a pitch.
The goal was simple: convince people that what I was offering was worth more than the price I was asking. Was I the best at it? Probably not. But I was persistent (like a rock in a shoe persistent), and I really enjoyed helping people.
Then one day, everything changed. I left my thirty-five-year career to lead a faith-based nonprofit focused on bringing clean water to people who desperately need it. It was terrifying, exciting, and completely different from anything I had ever done before.
Learning a new kind of ask
In business, making a sale was pretty straightforward. You had a product, you showed its value, and if people needed it, they bought it. Simple, right?
But in the nonprofit world, everything was different. There was no product to sell, no direct exchange. Instead, I had to get comfortable asking for what I call "Other People's Money" (OPM). That's just a fancy way of saying fundraising. And let's be real—asking people for money all the time isn't exactly fun. But I did it because it meant helping more people.
For over a decade, this became my reality: constantly looking for ways to raise funds so we could keep doing the work.
Then God got my attention
A little while ago, our organization was planning a big donor event. Normally, this would be the time to make the case for why people should give—pull at the heartstrings, show impact, and make an ask. We had 300 people coming, and we had the whole event planned out.
Then something totally unexpected happened.
While practicing my speech, I heard myself say, "Tonight, we are not going to squeeze anyone, we're not going to pressure anyone for money. We're just going to share what God has done and celebrate His work."
Wait… what? That was NOT the plan. How were we going to pay for rent, filters, and everything else if we didn't do a traditional ask? Was I losing my mind?
But that night, we stuck with it. No pledge cards. No emotional appeals. Just stories about what God was doing.
And you know what? People gave anyway. In fact, they gave more than we expected.
What I learned
That night changed everything for me. I realized two big truths:
#1 If I really believe who Jesus says He is, I don't need to stress about convincing people to give.
#2 If I really believe what Jesus says He can do, all I need to do is share the stories.
That's it. God is the one who stirs hearts, not me. He's the one who provides. My job? Just tell the stories of His faithfulness and let Him take care of the rest.
Trusting the provider
I think we all have moments where we try to control the outcome—whether it's in our jobs, finances, or even ministry. But Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:26: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
If God provides for the birds, He's got us covered too.
So, here's what I'm learning: We don't have to overcomplicate things. When we trust God, when we focus on telling the stories of what He's doing, the right things fall into place.
And honestly? That's pretty freeing.
To God be the glory.
 | Christopher Beth is the Founder, Chief Storyteller and Director of The Bucket Ministry, a nonprofit organization that works to provide the love of Jesus and clean water solutions to communities in need around the world. Learn More » |
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