Successful people become very good at reading people.
They've had to.
People want their investment. Their endorsement. Their introduction. Their influence. Their money.
After enough years, they develop a pretty good radar for motive.
Pastors sometimes believe we're better at hiding ours than we actually are.
We're not.
If the only time you call someone is when you're raising money, they know.
If every lunch eventually becomes a pitch, they know.
If your interest suddenly increases after discovering their net worth, they know.
And once someone senses they have become a target instead of a person, trust disappears quickly.
That's why motive matters so much.
Before asking someone for a significant gift, I think every pastor should ask himself a harder question:
Would I still want this relationship if this person never gave our church another dollar?
Your answer matters.
Because genuine ministry cannot be contingent upon generosity.
This doesn't mean pastors shouldn't make bold asks.
I believe pastors should become far more courageous about talking to people about money.
Jesus certainly wasn't afraid of the subject.
But our motive must remain clear.
We're not trying to get something from people.
We're trying to help accomplish something through people that God wants to do in people.
That's stewardship.
When you believe generosity changes the giver, you stop apologizing for inviting people into it.
But you're also able to hold the outcome loosely.
They can say yes.
They can say no.
They can say not now.
And the relationship remains intact.
I've discovered something else: high-capacity people often appreciate clarity.
They don't need manipulation.
They don't need twenty minutes of theological gymnastics leading toward an ask everyone knows is coming.
Tell the truth.
Share the vision.
Explain the opportunity.
Ask clearly.
Then give the Holy Spirit room to work.
Clean motives create courageous conversations.
And courageous conversations can create extraordinary kingdom impact.