Why A Raffle Fundraiser May Be Perfect For Your Church
If you are looking for a unique and exciting twist as to why holding a raffle fundraiser for your church may be beneficial, you’ve come to the right place! Julian Lee lays out the “why’s†and “how’s†in his thought-provoking “Impact a Life†college scholarship essay.
Julian is a Media Productions major at Pepperdine University. Thank уþu so muÑÂh Julian fþr your excellent essay – and bõѕt þf luÑÂk with your Ñ•tudіõѕ!
“Impact a Life†Scholarship contributor: Julian Lee
Yþu ÑÂðn hõlÑ€ Julian Lee’s pursuit þf a scholarship award bу ÑÂlÑ–ÑÂkÑ–ng the “sharing Ñ–Ñ• ÑÂðrÑ–ng†buttþnÑ• bõlþw.
A raffle fundraiser could be a means to prevent a splintering of church bodies.
Let me tell you why.
Oftentimes one of the largest conflicts for a church body is the balance of an ethereal mindset with a secular reality. In other words, having to find the middle ground between trying to adhere to the biblical values of avoiding worldly temptations, while at the same time facing the very real situation that money is what helps makes church possible each Sunday.
And while tithing (the act of giving ten percent of what you earn) is a wonderful and fundamental part to church, there is no way for church leaders to control if people actually give  the necessary amount. For the church leaders it is out of their hands–they can encourage members to give more, but that’s the extent of their ability. So there must be other ways to acquire the needed funds. Many churches get caught up in the bureaucratization process which results in the loss of the original values the church was founded on. Max Weber, a German sociologist of religion, philosopher, jurist, and political economist whose ideas profoundly influenced social theory and social research, created a theory on how a church leads to a sect. He claims that this bureaucratization process leads to the formation of sects because church members wish to return to the original ideas and values the church was founded on. He believes the process repeats itself, for once the sect is established and ‘successful,’ it will gradually become more secularized as its focus shifts to “worldly†rewards to survive (money). Another sociologist, Rodney Stark, claims that the presence of those who seek this-worldy benefits bring down the overall level of commitment in the church body. He calls this the Dilution Effect.
That is why a raffle fundraiser is a fantastic idea. It appeases the need for funds while still being a rare enough occurrence to keep the focus on the real meaning of church. It also offers up other benefits such as fellowship, by gathering everyone for one (or a few) big event(s); the possibility of new members, by inviting new people to a non-threatening and informal setting that is a bit more comfortable than a church service; and not to mention a fun evening overall. In order to maximize ticket sales it would help to advertise where the money will be poured into, and how it all will come back around to bless everyone. For example, a better sound system for the band will provide the congregation with better sounding worship sessions. Or, something as simple as how the money might go towards the coffee and donuts at each service. Some prizes that might encourage ticket sales while still being economically feasible might be an accumulation of goods and services the church body can offer up. Such as, babysitting services from teenagers, or furniture donations, etc. That way you can keep the prices low but still whatever the church gleans from that night is pure profit. Finally, as to motivation volunteers, I believe there is already an innate motivation, as it is a way of helping out their church. I suppose if there is trouble getting volunteers, you could encourage those programs that the money would be going to such as the daycare, or the band, or the sound crew, etc. If they will be receiving the money, I’m sure they would be willing and excited to help out.
So, in order to keep churches grounded yet economically stable, a raffle fundraiser is one very logical solution that is both fun and easy.