Ep. 28 | Donor Engagement Down? Use Storytelling to Rebuild Ministry Support
Struggling to Write Your Newsletters so Supporters Engage?
You’ve seen God do amazing things- but if your emails are vague or unclear, your supporters won’t feel connected.
This free guide will show you how to:
Write subject lines that get your emails opened
Follow a simple story-driven format for every update
Engage donors with clear, Christ-centered storytelling
If you’re ending the year feeling discouraged—like you should be further along by now—you’re not alone.
Maybe you expected more donors.
Maybe you hoped for stronger financial stability.
Maybe you believed that your consistency, your social media posts, your stats, and all your updates would finally “click” with people.
And yet… it hasn’t.
You’ve worked hard.
You’ve shared everything you can think of—how long you’ve been in ministry, how many people you’ve served, the staggering statistics behind the need.
You’ve posted, emailed, created content, and tried all the strategies you’ve seen other ministries using.
But still, nothing seems to be sticking.
If that’s where you are right now, take a deep breath.
You are not alone, and you are not failing.
And you’re not stuck—there is something you can change.
The Truth We Don’t Often Say Out Loud
You cannot control the economy.
You cannot control donor behavior.
You cannot control how visible or popular other nonprofits are.
But you can control the way you communicate.
And if what you’ve been doing isn’t generating momentum, then something has to change.
For most ministries, that “something” is simple, powerful, and often overlooked:
It’s storytelling.
Not facts.
Not stats.
Not announcements.
Not “we do X, Y, Z.”
Not the number of people you’ve helped or the size of the need.
Storytelling.
Consistent, strategic, emotionally compelling storytelling is the most powerful communication tool you have as a ministry leader.
Let me show you why.
The Moment I Realized Storytelling Changes Everything
Years ago, I filmed a story-driven piece for a global nonprofit.
Instead of the usual “information-style video,” I followed the journey of real children whose lives had been transformed through the ministry.
The night it played in front of thousands of people, something shocked me.
Before the speakers even got onstage…
before anyone made an appeal…
hands started going up all over the auditorium asking for sponsorship packets.
That year, they ran out of sponsorship packets.
This had never happened in all the years they had been doing sponsorship events.
What changed?
Not the ministry.
Not the need.
Not the number of children who needed support.
The story changed.
They told one child’s journey instead of a broad list of facts, and it moved hundreds of people into immediate action.
That’s the power of story.
Another Story That Still Gives Me Chills
Recently, my aunt shared her testimony on my podcast—her raw, honest journey through losing her teenage son and struggling with her faith.
Someone listened to that episode… someone who had fallen away from the Lord.
And after hearing my aunt’s story, she reached out because God used that story to draw her back to Him.
A story brought a heart home.
If that doesn’t highlight the power of storytelling, I don’t know what does.
Why Storytelling Works (When Everything Else Fails)
When donors are overwhelmed, distracted, or emotionally exhausted, stories cut through the noise in a way data never will.
Here’s why storytelling works so powerfully:
1. Stories are relatable.
A story focuses on one relatable human being.
When donors see a real person’s struggle and transformation, they feel compassion—not overwhelm.
2. Stories create emotional engagement.
Our brains make decisions emotionally before they make them logically.
A story activates those emotions and creates connection.
3. Stories are memorable.
Stories engage multiple parts of the brain at once, making your message stick far longer than stats or updates.
4. Stories prime donors to take action.
When donors journey with a character through conflict to transformation, they are already emotionally invested.
They want to be part of the solution.
You don’t have to “convince” them—they’re already leaning in.
If You Feel Discouraged This Year, Try This
If what you’re doing isn’t working, don’t blame yourself.
Don’t assume people don’t care.
Don’t let discouragement whisper things that aren’t true.
Before you try a new platform…
before you update your website…
before you chase trends…
Focus on storytelling.
Clarity.
Emotion.
Transformation.
One relatable journey at a time.
It will change everything.
You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone
If you’re tired, burned out, or craving clarity in your messaging, I want to invite you to my free community for women ministry leaders.
We encourage one another.
We pray for one another.
We share tools for fundraising and communication.
And we walk through these challenges together.
You belong here.
And you don’t have to do ministry alone.
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