I’ve been getting in a lot of trouble lately for a recent declaration I made to a group of nonprofit executives and board members. I emphatically stated,
“MONEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MISSION (OR MINISTRY)”
The old adage, there are things in life that are more important than money, is about as silly as saying there are things in life that are more important than air.
Money, like air, in and of itself is not very impressive, nor does it give life meaning. However, life has very little meaning…if you can’t breathe!
Money, Money, Money, Money.
Upon sharing this controversial axiom, many of the executives in the room pushed back, so I advised,
“Ok, let’s pause and take a deep breath…Oh I’m sorry…you can’t breathe?
That’s because YOU GOT NO MONEY!!!”
Money is oxygen. Without it, charities asphyxiate, atrophy and fail.
It’s simply a matter of THE ORDER OF THINGS. The healthy flow of lots of money (air) allows a nonprofit to flourish and, in turn, realize its important mission in ways never dreamed possible.
