A Theology of Thank Yous
“Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.””
-Luke 17:17-19
This story is not your typical story about missions but it really is all about how you can be a good missionary.
Simply say thank you.
Being thankful for those that give every month is helpful for a few reasons but before I get into those reasons, why should we be thankful anyway?
We want to be like the one, not the nine.
Jesus performed a miracle for 10 lepers in this story but only a Samaritan was thankful enough to come back and thank Jesus for what he did. Notice it doesn’t say that the others lost their miracle but Jesus commended the man for saying thank you. For me as a missionary, it’s important to say thank you, not just because it’s fun but to show my gratitude that I would not be able to stay on the field unless there were those who had my back. That’s why I make it a priority to thank every gift that comes in, regardless of dollar amount.
So why should missionaries thank donors for every gift that comes in?
It helps retain donors. Nonprofit studies have shown that thanking people for giving not only encourages them to give again but also helps them to feel a part of the mission. I don’t want my champions to feel like they’re on the sidelines. I want them to feel like they’re on the front lines with me. Thanking them is one way to do so.
It helps increase donations. I have seen firsthand people give more because I thank them for the gift. Not the reason why I thanked them but definitely a way to deepen relationships.
It humbles me. When I take the time to thank those that give and pray with them and/or for them, it reminds me that I didn’t make it here by myself. I have a team with me getting me to where I need to be.
Because it’s also fun. I like seeing the messages come in and the encouragement I see. I also love seeing people surprised by how we thank them, whether through video, fun gifts, or whatever we go with. Missions doesn’t have to be so serious. Have fun with it.
What do I use to thank people?
For every gift, I’ve used postcards (you can make postcards on Canva and have your local FedEx print them out the same day), emails, letters, and FB messages.
Currently, I’m doing video thank yous and emailing them out. I use an app called Loom but you can also just use you camera and send the email. Video thank yous are getting more popular.
I also try to send a special thank you each year. Not going to reveal what we are doing this year yet but we’re excited for it.
I try to reach out to monthly supporters every quarter if I have good contact info. That way they feel appreciated personally.
Thank you for reading this and we look forward to what 2023 continues to have for us.