Recency, Frequency, and Amount

For three years I worked as Development Director for a nonprofit organization. ‘Development’ is short for ‘donor development’, or fundraising. It happens that my wife works as a donor database administrator for an educational institution.

There’s a report development directors use (and that database administrators provide) to assess the general health of their work. The report shows Recency, Frequency, and Amount.

Recency: how recently did each donor give?

Frequency: how often does each donor give?

Amount: how much does each donor give?

This report maps the engagement of a nonprofit’s financial investors.

Might this also be a good way to assess our own involvements? Like with our community? Our family? Our church? And most importantly, our God?

Recency: how recently did we give?

Frequency: how often do we give?

Amount: how much do we give?

These metrics aren’t only—or aren’t even primarily—about our money. They’re about our time and attention. Our heart. Our desire.

Pinned

I had a conversation with God this morning.

ME: Father, give me the grace to follow you more fully.

GOD: My grace is sufficient for you.

ME: Well, then give me the grace to better appropriate that grace.

GOD: My grace is sufficient for you.

ME: But I need more of your grace.

GOD: My grace is sufficient for you. Desire me, not my grace. Seek first my kingdom. Love me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and the rest will take care of itself.

At this point I wanted to ask for the grace to seek first his kingdom and to love him this way. But I saw that I was pinned.

Culture Coaching

Much has been said about Jesus’ way of discipleship. His shared life with The Twelve has figured into many messages on Small Groups. Sending the seventy out on mission has been used in support of short term mission trips.

But we know Jesus also had brief conversations with people. He taught in the temple. He fed people and healed them. He modeled prayer and submission to the Father. And he made points by challenging religious leaders.

A variety of methods.

But there was a consistency in his message: “The Kingdom of God is like…”

In this way, Jesus was a culture coach. And discipleship leaders should be like him. Whether we speak to thousands or meet with people one-to-one, we describe the Kingdom and help people adapt to its culture—not as tourists, but as immigrants. At times, it might be a light touch, like an episode of Rick Steves or Samantha Brown. Other times it might be a deep, immersive experience that’s more like sharing a home and life.

Whatever the approach, our message—as worship leaders, pastors, teachers, small group leaders, and counselors—begins with “The Kingdom of God is like…”