by Peter Hone
National Development Director, Man in the Mirror
I have been reflecting on our donors and partners as we move into the second quarter of 2024. To be frank, the past few years were expected to be pretty tumultuous for fundraising.
First, there was the pandemic that changed all our lives forever. Surely giving would decline significantly as we all got used to the new normal as people’s personal lives and finances were challenged? Surely, many folks would be inclined to give less as uncertainty prevailed.
In fact, the pandemic seems to have had an unusual, unexpected effect. It encouraged loyalty. Yes, folks trusted God and continued to give sacrificially. More sacrificially. Many individuals decided to increase their giving to God’s work. Giving from foundations increased dramatically.
In the post-pandemic period, the leadership at Man in the Mirror made major decisions. After 38 years of successful partnerships with churches all over the country, we pivoted to disciple a new, younger generation of men who are isolated, lonely, and desperate for help. They need the gospel. We beta-tested a new initiative, Spiritual Fathers, in 2022, and launched it in October 2023.
This year is crucial as we plan to go deeper and wider with Spiritual Fathers, bringing new tools, resources, and technology to bear as our national field team brings awareness of our new mission to churches. There are other Christian ministries that we will partner with.
But another ‘pandemic’ has arrived.
Inflation has gripped our nation. And, of course, it is an election year, and what can be more distracting than that, given the current political climate? Once again, Christian ministries are asking if fundraising will suffer. What do the gurus say? Well, they are calling this the Year of Stewardship. Giving will be strong, but givers will be more discerning, wanting their funds to have maximum impact for the kingdom.
Ministry Watch, an advisory publication to Christian donors, has assessed the financial management/impact of Man in the Mirror and awarded a Donor Confidence Score of 94/100, with a notation to their readers-‘Give with Confidence’. MIM also scored an ‘A’ for transparency.
This is good news for Man in the Mirror. Our mission is vital, and we are well-positioned to make that impact.
But it is our donors and partners that make things happen in our ministry. It’s during the tough times, like now, when both the leadership and staff in our ministry together with our partners step out in faith to make discipleship a reality. After all, Paul put it best-
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
Please know that you are loved and appreciated by all of us at Man in the Mirror. With your faithfulness in giving, and our mission before us, the future is bright!
