Why $25?

Each year at the end of the year, I promote #Givetwentyfive which is my small attempt to get people who were touched by any college ministry (not just Baptist) to give $25 to it prior to the year's end.  I do year's end because there are lots of people who look at their charitable giving toward the end of the year for tax purposes and there are those who receive bonuses, year end profit sharing, etc.  I know that is foreign in the college ministry world, but there are other worlds out there.

Ok, so why $25....why not $50 or $100?  Most everyone can give $25!  Many people think of charitable giving as something that rich people do...not everyday people.  Through the years as the director at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Arkansas State, many alums would say, "I would give you some money, but I can't give you enough to help you."  Or, "I wish I could give you some money."  They felt like it had to be "big money".  They are embarrassed to give a small amount, so they give none.

No one knows the number of college ministry alums there are out there.  It would likely be in the millions.  If each gave $25 ONCE a year, it is incalculable how much that would be!   Obviously, $25 times one million is $25 million.  Wow!

But, here is the deal:  we must really mean it when we say, "Give $25"....people must not feel we are winking and nodding and really want them to give more.  A few will give more, but that is just extra blessing.  Through the years at ASU, I would say that I would rather ten churches gave $10 a month to our ministry rather than one church give $100 a month.  More were interested....more were aware...more would pray AND it would take ten church budget changes to wipe it all out!  Also, charitable giving experts say that the person most likely to give you money is.....someone who has already given you money.

Also, being on the receiving end of countless $25 checks is encouraging.  Most write a small note with it, but even if they do not, it warms my heart when I see who sent it and that they remember and care.

So, encourage folks to give $25 and you will be blessed!  Don't forget to give $25 to the ministry that blessed you.

Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).