Latest / Believe & Become | Ministry, Biblical Encouragement, God's Will, How to Change, Holy Spirit / 49. How to Share Your Ministry Story with Clarity

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49. How to Share Your Ministry Story with Clarity · Believe & Become | Ministry, Biblical Encouragement, God's Will, How to Change, Holy Spirit

• 0:00
  Speaker A: Today we are so excited. We have Lisa Diaz on our show and we're just excited for what she has to share with you all today. If you're tired of leading others while secretly battling doubt, discouragement and mental warfare
• 0:17
  Speaker B: and you want practical tools to renew your mind and walk boldly in your
• 0:20
  Speaker A: calling as a leader, you're in the right place. Welcome to Believe and Become.
• 0:24
  Speaker B: We're Josh and Corina Your spirit filled coach is here to help you overcome those limiting beliefs and lead others confidently.
• 0:31
  Speaker A: If you're ready to hear God's voice more clearly, to step into your purpose and find joy and strength in the
• 0:37
  Speaker B: everyday silence those Bible app reminders judging you from your lock screen and let's jump in.
• 0:49
  Speaker A: So you want to hear God's voice again and you want clarity in your purpose. But you feel stuck and might be thinking is that God's voice or just me?
• 0:57
  Speaker B: Listen, it doesn't have to be this way. Our Clarity coaching program is designed to reconnect you to God's voice and demolish those lies trying to hold you back.
• 1:06
  Speaker A: As you work with us, you'll learn our simple, proven five step process for overcoming lies and limiting beliefs and reconnecting with God's truth.
• 1:16
  Speaker B: We'll give you the tools you need to succeed to move forward with confidence and stay plugged in to God's voice.
• 1:22
  Speaker A: Book your Clarity coaching session today to build confidence in your identity in Christ and move forward in your purpose.
• 1:28
  Speaker B: Just go to Josh and Corina Dot com coaching that's J-O-S-H-A-N-C-O-R-I-N A.com coaching and book your first session now.
• 1:40
  Speaker A: Lisa, why don't you introduce yourself?
• 1:43
  Speaker C: Thank you guys. I. Well I actually grew up in Spain. My parents are missionaries and born and raised in Spain, have two siblings and then came back to the States to go to college and stayed and grew my family from there but kind of been in ministry in some form or another my whole life. I host a podcast called Story Driven Fundraising and it's really for ministry leaders who are trying to fundraise for their ministries and sharing with them how to use the power of story to fundraise more effectively.
• 2:20
  Speaker B: That's amazing. I think probably more than just ministry leaders can benefit from that kind of training and even people who are trying to get volunteers who are trying to get people to just come on board with their vision. I think that's really important so.
• 2:34
  Speaker A: Or anybody that's just trying to get the word out about what they're Doing and what they're passionate about.
• 2:39
  Speaker C: Yeah, it absolutely works in many different areas. I've seen it work for businesses and branding and marketing, and I just saw how it can actually also work for ministries. And I thought if. If ministry leaders only knew how to use this tool, then fundraising wouldn't be such a headache.
• 2:58
  Speaker B: So why do you think that so many people in ministry struggle to clearly communicate. Communicate who they are and what they do?
• 3:04
  Speaker C: It's such a big question. A lot of times ministry leaders come from so many different. They come into ministry in so many different ways. A lot of times they just kind of fall into it or they're kind of nudged into it. But in a lot of ways, there's not a whole lot of training. It's almost like, oh, you're willing, okay, you are hired, or you know, you have the spot. And a lot of times you just kind of learn on the go in a lot of different ways. A lot of different areas of ministry. And when it comes to communicating about it, without any sort of training, you just try your best, kind of fumble forward, maybe look to the left and to the right. What are other people doing? But no one is really. Everyone seems to be struggling a little bit with it. And there's so much, so many other things that go with it, with even the fact of feeling awkward or shameful, you know, about asking for help, asking for support. And there's just a lot of things kind of tied into it. Now we can dive into all the.
• 4:20
  Speaker A: That's so true. I mean, we had no training in that when we got into ministry, and I don't think anybody around us did. I mean, even if you go to Bible school, you have a ministry degree or you go to a seminary, I don't really teach.
• 4:35
  Speaker B: That's not like a marketing class.
• 4:36
  Speaker A: There's no marketing class. There's no really how to fundraise. None of that is really covered. And especially if you're a volunteer, a lay leader, you kind of. It's whatever you bring with you is what you got. So I love what you. You're doing trying to help ministries just get their, their message out there. It's. It's so, so cool.
• 4:57
  Speaker B: Yeah. For us, it was a lot of bake sales and we sold salsa. We did actually. Did really good with salsa. But yeah, it's like whatever you tools you have, it's kind of what comes out. So that would have been really helpful.
• 5:14
  Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. I can actually tell you how I first realized it, because growing up as a missionary kid, I actually really Hated the idea of fundraising. I saw everyone else do it, and I saw the negativity and the, like, negative vibe around fundraising, and I was like, yeah, I am never going to be a missionary because I don't want to fundraise. I don't want to ask people for money to do a job. I want to earn my own money. And so my kind of path went a little bit differently. I was still involved in ministry, and I was working at a mega church as a video director. And I had this opportunity to go on a trip and do. It was basically a fundraising video for an event that they were going to do for a nonprofit that sponsored children. And I had been learning about storytelling on the side, and I just loved it. I thought it was so powerful and memorable. And it was not just a bunch of information. Just let me tell y' all the list of information. And so I kind of dove into it and prepared that film using the power of story and using a story of two girls whose lives were changed through that nonprofit. And when that played at this event, this is like. I mean, tens of thousands of women are at this event. And I'm watching it from the back of the auditorium, and the film plays and it ends, and the hosts are coming up toward the front to try to get people to sponsor a child and talk about it. And before they even stepped foot at the front, there were hundreds of hands being raised to sponsor a child. And I saw the volunteers kind of hustling around trying to get the packets to all the people with their hand raised. And I just had chills. As I looked, I was like, hundreds of kids. Lives will be changed forever because of the power of that story. And they said later, like, they had run out of packets. And that was not the first year they did it. You know, they had run out. They were not prepared for the response. And that. And that had never happened before. It was just kind of. Just really showed me that the power of story is so much greater than we really, really realized and how we can use that power of story to fundraise more effectively. And I was like, this is what I want to do. You know, I want to use the power of story to really make a big impact and help others. And. And then, yeah, it just kind of led me to a point where I saw, like, I was doing a lot of fundraising campaigns and fundraising films for different nonprofits, and then also saw, you know, the. The need for ministry to learn how to use the power of story in their messaging. Because videos are really powerful. But if you don't have a clear message, then that's kind of like the root of it. And so you kind of miss a lot, a lot of opportunity. And so I'm like, okay, this is. This is a need, and this is where we're going. That's how the podcast started.
• 8:45
  Speaker B: Wow, that's such a good story.
• 8:48
  Speaker A: Yeah, it really is. Tell us why storytelling is so effective.
• 8:54
  Speaker C: I think there's a level of it I don't even understand or comprehend. I think a lot of people can't truly comprehend the level one level of it. But our brains are literally wired for stories, and God created our brains for stories in the way that several parts of our brain actually engage when we listen to a story instead of listening to a message or informational, like, several different parts of our brain are engaging in the way that we actually feel it emotionally and almost like we have lived it in a way, like, secondhand experience kind of thing. And it's just memorable, you know, that's the way they used to pass down stories even in Bible times. Like, it was through around the Fire by storytelling. And I think we just forgot how powerful stories really are. And then along the way, I just learned, like, there's story frameworks, too. There's a story, a structure to storytelling that makes it extra effective. It's not just, well, tell me a story, and you just kind of ramble, you know, like your. Your grandpa has told the same story over and over again, goes on a million different tangents. It's not just a kind of a natural thing. It's also a skill that you can develop. I don't want to get, like, super in the weeds about it, but there is a specific structure and plot points that makes storytelling so powerful.
• 10:34
  Speaker A: Well, and Jesus, that's how he taught. He taught in parables. And those stories are easy to remember. You might not remember that particular verse, but you know the story, you know the message behind it, and you can retell that. Yeah, I mean, Jesus modeled this storytelling. That's amazing.
• 10:52
  Speaker C: Yeah.
• 10:52
  Speaker B: Well, even the story that you just told us about, when you realized that storytelling was so powerful. I mean, like, I was there. I was in that stadium with you, and I was waving my hand, and I was like, I want to do it, too.
• 11:06
  Speaker C: Pick me.
• 11:06
  Speaker B: You know, I didn't even watch the video, but I was ready. And so I. Yeah, I definitely see that. What would you say to a ministry leader or somebody who is trying to get volunteers or, you know, funds? That feels like, I don't have a story to tell. I Know what I need, I know what we do, but I don't have a story to tell. How do you navigate something like that?
• 11:30
  Speaker C: I think one of the main things when it comes to talking about your ministry, whether you're trying to get volunteers or funds or. Or just buy in to the ministry, a lot of times it's like, well, tell me about your ministry. And you say, well, we do this and we do this. Maybe your mission statement. But you kind of miss the main point. So one of the key things that creates a strong story is conflict. And that once that conflict comes into play, that is like the start of a story. There is no story without conflict. And so when it comes to talking about your ministry, you really need to lead with conflict. And what that means is think about the whole reason why your ministry exists. What would happen if it didn't? Who do you minister to and what is their need? Like what, what need are you meeting? What problem are you solving instead of starting with, well, you know, we have a ministry school and we serve food, and you know, all the things that you do, it's. It's harder to get emotionally connected to that because it's like, great, that's a lot of good things you're doing. You know, like, okay, but if you start with a need like, hey, in your own community, there are people who are waking up without food for like three days. You know, like, whatever that need is, you have to lead with that because that is what connects emotionally with your listeners, is like, oh, that is a problem. I care about that problem. How are we going to solve it?
• 13:16
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 13:17
  Speaker C: And so what conflict does is also creates this story loop, opens a story loop in the person's mind where it's like, oh, how is this going to be solved? How is this going to overcome? And they want to stay and hear the end of that story. That happens in movies and books and, you know, the reels that you watch or like episodes of shows where they end on a climax, how is it going to end? And it's the same type of thing. Once you start with conflict, this is the problem, and it's urgent and it's a big need. Then people want to listen in. Okay, how is this going to be solved? And that's the whole story framework kind of talks through those plot points to help the ministry leader learn when to say it and how to bring in the people that they're talking to as a part of the solution to that problem. And so you're not just talking about the ministry, hey, we do this and this and this. Come support us or come watch us what we do, or, you know, give us money. It's actually bringing people in to that story so that they have a role in it.
• 14:33
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 14:34
  Speaker C: And it's so much more engaging in that way. Because a lot of times what happens is ministries talk about them in like that hero, main character type of Persona. And so the listener is just on the outside watching instead of being a part of it and being pulled into it.
• 14:56
  Speaker B: I can see how that's really powerful. So a mistake would be painting yourself as the hero instead of inviting them to be the hero. Or maybe not having a story and just listing off, here's what we do. What other mistakes do you see people making when they're trying to raise funds or invite people to work with them?
• 15:13
  Speaker C: I think it's painting the whole picture. Sometimes they don't paint the big resolution. Right. So if you start with your conflict and you pull them in as they're the hero and they have a role in this and you lead them to a solution. But paint the big picture. If someone's funding for a building, for instance, that's like the short term goal, right? We need this building. But don't stay there because it's so much bigger. Right. You know, once you have the funds for this building, what's going to happen? How is that going to benefit? And then what? And then what? And just kind of keep getting bigger and bigger. I was working for a nonprofit that rescues and restores women and children from sex trafficking. And one of the coolest things that I loved about doing their stories is at the end when it talked about the impact of one girl. It wasn't just one girl. It was the impact that she would have on her family and on like her immediate family, but then her sons and daughters and their sons and daughters and their, you know, and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger and paint that big vision, you know, when you talk to people, because that's exciting. And who doesn't want to be a part of that?
• 16:39
  Speaker A: Right? I mean, we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves and especially, you know, Christ followers. We are passionate about what God's doing. We want to help out. But if we don't understand the big picture of what is the impact of this, how do we get moved from. I'm sitting here listening to, actually, I'm gonna partner with this. I'm gonna, I'm gonna be moved to action.
• 17:01
  Speaker B: So what would you say healthy fundraising looks like from a biblical perspective? I mean, you said yourself you felt uncomfortable with it. You didn't want anything to do with it. So how do you. How do you now see it in, you know, a better light? And what does it look like from, you know, what does the Bible have to say about it? How do you make people feel more comfortable with that aspect of ministry?
• 17:24
  Speaker C: One of my favorite passages is Second Corinthians 8, and it talks about Paul's talking about the Macedonian churches and how really surprised he was that they were. And they were poor, they were struggling, and yet they were, like, super generous. And it says something like, they pleaded with us to be part of the service, to be part of what God is doing. They pleaded with us. And so they just had this. This group of people weren't, you know, the. The bystanders, like, why should I give you money? You know, they were actually understood the value and the blessing that comes from being a part of what God is doing. So they're like, please let us give so we can be a part of this. And so it just kind of changes the mindset of. A lot of times you think it's. You're begging, right? Like, this is our ministry. Please help us. If. If you want to consider. Pray about it. It's just kind of like this. Like, you don't have anything to give back. But the fact is that you are giving something, and you are giving people an opportunity to be a part of what God is doing, be a part of transformation, be a part of miracles, have, like, this eternal influence. You know, it is a huge blessing. And so you don't have to have this mindset of, I. It's awkward, and I'm ashamed because I just have to take from people that work so hard. It's like, no, what you have is an incredible blessing, and people need that. So it's just a whole different. Yeah. Different perspective.
• 19:13
  Speaker A: Do you think that there are lies that maybe we're believing as ministry leaders about ourselves or about other people's willingness to be involved or to give financially?
• 19:26
  Speaker C: Absolutely. There's lies. I've heard them growing up. You know, I think some. Some lies are about themselves. Like, I'm not good at this. I don't know how to do it well, or just the fear of failure. But there's also lies I've heard of, well, the church, they're just not generous. They just don't care about missions anymore and kind of putting the blame on the outside of, like, well, I can't control that. That's just really sad because you're just Kind of generalizing. All the people in the church don't care. In reality, there are people in that church that want to be a part of what God is doing and care deeply specifically about the ministry, you know, that that person has and the need that they meet. And so it's not fair to them to withhold that opportunity just because you think, well, churches don't care. They're more self involved. You know, all those things, those are definitely lies.
• 20:27
  Speaker B: We also like to talk about identity and, you know, who God created you to be. How does that play a role in somebody who's trying to fundraise, maybe either for their own personal ministry or trying to get people involved? You know, how does clarity in your own identity or the calling, the purpose, I mean, you've talked a lot about like the purpose for the program and all that. But like, I think sometimes, like you're saying there's lies we believe about ourselves and what we're doing. How does that, knowing who you are and that you're called specifically, how does that help them to build trust with others and to present their message?
• 21:06
  Speaker C: Well, I think one of the things, and this is something that I experienced with a ministry leader that I've been coaching, and she was kind of maybe struggling with her role, and we were talking about, you know, figuring out who her ideal donor is, because not everyone is going to be the perfect person to support your ministry, whether it's in your volunteer staff or actually a donor. So you really need to figure out who that is so you can talk specifically to them. And I was just, I just said something like, your role is not to convince them that it matters. Your role is not to convince them to care. Your role is to communicate clearly to those ideal donors so that they can and have that opportunity to say yes. And I think that freed her a lot from the weight, you know, because when, you know, ministry leaders are coming in contact with people and they see that there's not a connection, they don't seem to really get it. It's almost like there's this pressure to make them understand, make them care, because they care. Of course, the ministry is important and it's necessary, but your role, you don't have to convince them to care. You leave that role to the Holy Spirit. You know, the Holy Spirit can work on that. Your role is just, just to communicate clearly so that the ones who are ready can say yes.
• 22:42
  Speaker A: So give us maybe your top tip for clearly communicating your message.
• 22:48
  Speaker C: You know, I would go back to conflict because everything really anchors around that why your ministry exists, what need do you solve and lead with that? Because that is what really hooks people in and brings them into the conversation. That's your why. And so it actually, you know, sometimes ministry leaders don't even know what their why is or don't know what problem they solve. They just do. We just do all these things, but there's always a reason. So you just take a little time to think about that. Who do you serve and what problem do you meet? And that will go a long way.
• 23:30
  Speaker A: Yeah, that's really good. I think so many of us have not even really sat down to consider that maybe, you know, kind of in your heart. I'm passionate about serving people. I want to help people. But have I really said, okay, what is this problem that we're actually solving, you know, in our church or in our ministry? Some of them it's obvious.
• 23:50
  Speaker C: Right.
• 23:51
  Speaker A: But for some of them, it's a little bit more nebulous because maybe we have this church and we have 20 different ministries. You know, how do I boil that down to? Okay, what. What are we really going after?
• 24:03
  Speaker C: Yeah, and it will. One of the benefits, too, is it unifies everyone. Like, everyone is clear. Not just the people listening to your message, but everyone internally and volunteers and staff. Like, oh, okay. Like, we're unified on this main message, on this main point, so it's helpful.
• 24:21
  Speaker B: Well, I know you have a free resource for our listeners and viewers, so why don't you tell us a little bit about that?
• 24:29
  Speaker C: Yeah. So I understood that a lot of ministry leaders struggle with ministry newsletters. Writing ministry newsletters, it's something that ends up at the bottom of the task list or pushed off for months at a time. And so I just put together a guide to help them write their ministry newsletter that they can use over and over again to make it so that donors actually read it, so that people are reading it and engaging and actually opening the email, you know, not just, like, deleting it. So that's@iristorytelling.com newsletter.
• 25:06
  Speaker B: Amazing. Well, thank you so much for all that you carry and for what you're bringing into the world and the way that you're helping people. Profound. I think that if people really get a hold of this, then, I mean, there's no telling how far you can. How much further you can go with your ministry, with what God has called you to, if you know how to bring people along.
• 25:32
  Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Thank you so much for spending time with us. And is there anything else that you want to say before we wrap up.
• 25:40
  Speaker C: Come check out the podcast if you are struggling with fundraising. There's so much value and tips on there. But thank you guys. Thank you Josh and Corina and for your hearts and for serving your listeners so well.
• 25:53
  Speaker A: Well, we'll have the links in the description and in the show notes for people to find that and thank you so much Lisa for spending time with us and wow, we just really love what you're doing.
• 26:04
  Speaker C: So yeah, thank you.
• 26:11
  Speaker B: Hey friends. And we hope you enjoy today's episode. If so, would you take 30 seconds to share this podcast with someone who may need encouragement or practical tools for fighting their battle?
• 26:21
  Speaker A: Then rate and review this podcast. Help us spread the message of transformation far and wide.
• 26:27
  Speaker B: All right, time to walk back into the noise with peace, purpose and maybe a tiny bit of guessing.
• 26:32
  Speaker A: We'll meet you back next Thursday for another episode.
• 26:35
  Speaker B: Bye.