Ep. 29 | Why Pastors Aren’t Engaging—And How to Reach the Ministry Donors Who Will
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If you’ve been reaching out to pastors, churches, or ministry leaders—and hearing crickets—you’re not alone.
Maybe you’ve sent emails, made calls, shared your heart, and explained your ministry clearly…
but they don’t respond.
Or they respond politely, but nothing moves forward.
Or worse, they take the meeting—but don’t take you seriously.
It’s discouraging.
It’s frustrating.
And it can make you question your calling, your worth, and even your ability to raise support.
But here’s the truth:
Their lack of response doesn’t define your value.
And it doesn’t determine whether your ministry will thrive.
Today, let’s break down why this happens—and what you can do to reach the donors who truly will listen, support, and partner with you.
1. Not Everyone Has “Ears to Hear”—And That’s Not Your Fault
Jesus’ Parable of the Sower gives us a powerful picture for fundraising.
The sower scatters seeds everywhere, but only one type of soil produces fruit.
Not because the seed was bad.
Not because the sower was unqualified.
Not because the sower should’ve tried harder.
But because not every soil was ready.
When you’re reaching out to pastors or leaders:
Some are too busy.
Some don’t feel connected to your vision.
Some don’t have margin.
Some are distracted by their own issues.
Some simply aren’t your people.
You’re casting good seed—you’re just hitting rocky, shallow, or crowded soil.
This does not mean your ministry isn’t important.
It simply means:
They weren’t the ones with ears to hear your message.
And that leads us to the next truth…
2. The Donors Who Will Listen Already Exist—You Need to Identify Them
This is where everything changes.
Behind every ministry calling is a group of donors who are primed, prepared, and aligned with exactly what you do.
Your job isn’t to convince everyone.
Your job is to find your ideal donor—the person who:
already values what your ministry stands for
cares deeply about the specific problem you solve
shares your heart, passion, or mission
naturally resonates with your story
feels spiritually moved by your calling
wants to partner with the kind of impact you create
Many ministry leaders skip this step… and then wonder why their fundraising feels scattered, stressful, or discouraging.
If you try to reach everyone, you end up reaching no one deeply.
But when you identify your ideal donor—one very specific person—you suddenly have clarity:
you know the language they use
you know their values and pain points
you know the stories that will touch them
you know where they spend time
you know what they care about
you know how to speak directly to them
This is the donor who has “ears to hear.”
This is the donor who will take you seriously.
This is the donor who wants to be part of your ministry’s impact.
3. Once You’ve Done Your Part—Bless & Release
After you’ve:
clarified your ideal donor
shaped your messaging around them
leaned into storytelling
spoken clearly and with intention
planted the seeds…
Your job is done.
Your responsibility is faithfulness, not forcing results.
This is where so many ministry leaders get stuck—holding onto a pastor’s silence, a donor’s “no,” or a meeting that didn’t go well.
But when you’ve done your work with excellence and intention, the next step is spiritual:
Bless it and release it.
You release the pressure.
You release the outcome.
You release the discouragement.
You release the resentment.
You release the fear of “not being enough.”
You release the worry that you’re running out of people to talk to.
And you trust that God—not you—brings the increase.
You are not begging for attention.
You’re not forcing meetings.
You’re not trying to convince the wrong people.
You’re placing your seed in ready soil and letting God do what only He can do.
You Are Not Out of Options—You’re Just Shifting Strategies
If pastors aren’t engaging, it doesn’t mean your ministry is less important.
It doesn’t mean your calling is unclear.
It doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage.
It doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It simply means:
It’s time to focus on the people who are truly ready to hear you.
Your ideal donor exists.
They’re prepared.
Their hearts are open.
And they want to be part of what God is doing through you.
Your job is to find them, speak clearly to them, and release the rest.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
If you’re a woman ministry leader raising support and feeling discouraged, isolated, or overwhelmed, I want to invite you into a community where you can be seen, supported, prayed for, encouraged, and equipped.
👉 Join my free community for women leaders:
irisstorytelling.com/community
You’ll find women who understand exactly what you’re feeling—and tools that help you fundraise with clarity and confidence.
You don’t have to do ministry alone.
And you don’t have to fundraise alone, either.
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