Fair warning: I am about to cross (topical) streams here for a moment and speak to my Christian brothers and sisters.
I spoke on Sunday night at the 2010 NRB Convention about Desiring God’s policy of “Making it Free”: Giving all of our content away online for free, without requiring registration.
One common question was a concern about continuing to see revenue. “If we are giving away all of our content for free, how will we be funded? (And thus be able to continue operating.)” This seemed to be a common concern, perhaps bordering on a fear.
I do not believe this was expressed out of greed or lack of faith, but rather it is a radical concept that is not often trumpeted in the world of business (though it is in small and influential circles). Ministry fundraising consultants are not often recommending that you do not charge for your “products”. It is in fact counterintuitive to general marketing wisdom.
All I have to say in reply is that Desiring God has seen continued growth of our donor base, increase that is perhaps even directly linked to the fact that we give everything away online.
Speaking personally (not as an official representative of DG, if that is possible), I believe we even have a Biblical promise as Christian ministries for providence for a God-given task.
> 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
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> The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
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> “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.â€
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> He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
Do you see it? God will supply us in order that we be generous! This particular verse is in the context of Christians giving to meet the need of a suffering and needy church. I think it applies very directly to every God-given ministry. (I say God-given because I suspect there are many out there doing “ministry” that they cooked up in their head. We aren’t promised providence for that.)
Bob Lepine, who was moderating the panel where I expressed this promise, expertly and incisively replied: “I’ve seen ministries shipwreck themselves on the rocks of that verse.” His point is excellent. I believe there are three possible replies (perhaps there are others I do not see):
1. I am mis-using this passage.
2. The ministries that were ship-wrecked were operating outside the will of God.
3. The ministries were operating precisely inside the will of God, and that “shipwrecking” was in fact God’s providence for that ministry, for the good and (spiritual!) prosperity of the people involved and the world.
We so often mis-define success. We have short-sighted ideas about what is good. And we have selfish expectations about God’s providence.
I want to encourage you, brothers and sisters, to continue to walk joyfully by faith, even through a valley that is dark as the shadow of death, because He is with you.
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