How Much Thanking is Enough?
Interview with generous Navigator missionaries—Mr and Mrs Staff Donor
Scott: You and your wife have given to many missionaries over many years. As a “donor,” what has been your experience in receiving thank-you’s?
Mr Staff Donor: The majority express thoughtful gratitude, but some do better than others.
For example, we once gave “Missionary J” a larger gift, and she responded in amazing ways over several weeks:
Thank-you phone call
Thank-you letter
Note from a student who was impacted by our gift
Another missionary couple sent a thank-you letter and also phoned on Thanksgiving-day to say how grateful they were. Another told us how it helped “their ability to trust God.” We continue to give to those who say thank you well.
Scott: So, some express much gratitude, but what about others…any concerns?
“While we don’t give to be thanked, the lack of acknowledgement catches our attention.”
Mrs Staff Donor: We’ve noticed a widening gap between those who say thank you and those who do not. After giving $2400 to one missionary, we got their text saying, “Thanks for your gift.” That was it. A $3500 recipient texted even more briefly, “Thanks.” While we don’t give to be thanked, the lack of acknowledgement catches our attention.
Scott: Why is this happening?
Mr Staff Donor: It’s puzzling, but here are three ideas that might underlie a lack of thanks:
Dare I say it? Entitlement. We recently sent $3,000 to a mission-worker—a large amount for him. We only got an 11-word text saying, "Thanks for the gift, as it meant so much to me." And nothing more since.
Also, this missionary chronically talks about (complains about ) his low donor income. Is this a reason his support is low?
Do missionaries feel entitled to receive money without any effort to thank a ministry partner? Being busy in ministry is not a good excuse!
Relying Solely on Technology. Digital thank-you’s are quick, but if we only communicate via short texts, we are not communicating much of our heart, and we might eventually lose that partner.
What else can you do besides texting? Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone!
Too much task-orientation. If a mission-worker’s personality is “get-the-task-done,” they seem not to want to be bothered with the details of the funding process, but faithfully thanking donors means less work to find new ones!
Scott: Some missionaries may feel, “I can’t add new giving partners—I’m inundated with relationships.”
Mrs Staff: We get it. With some partners you might develop deep friendships, but not with most. In donor ministry, you're not offering to become “best friends.” Expressing gratitude doesn’t imply a deep lifelong friendship. Small gestures of gratitude echo into ministry partner’s memories of you.
Scott: Is it possible to thank too much?
Mr Staff Donor: Most missionaries are not guilty of that! I've been challenged by the words of Timothy Smith in Donors Are People Too:
“Many people say, ‘You don’t have to thank me.’ Thank them anyway. People need to be appreciated. They need, and they deserve, to have their generosity acknowledged. Thank a donor early, and often, and consistently. I call this ‘creating an atmosphere of appreciation.’”
Scott: Final thoughts?
Mr Staff Donor: In our experience, missionaries generally relate well with their partners (or think they do!), but let’s do better. If we are too busy to say thank you genuinely—we are too busy. Today a staff friend told me that every Friday afternoon he carves out time to thank six donors. Writing dozens of letters is overwhelming, but how about six a week?
I like Jesus’ conversation with the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-18:
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
If Jesus noted who thanked him and who did not, that should motivate us to immediately say THANK YOU!