Saving

Saving is an often-neglected discipline; most of us would be shocked to see how much money we waste each day. If you put aside a few dollars a week, you should get the bulk of your cost together in time for the convention. Saving money is generally a more fruitful way to pull money together than event-oriented fund-raisers like car washes. However, since it makes higher demands on your life-style than an event, saving is a hard discipline. Beyond piecing together a few hundred dollars, you will be developing better money-management skills.

  • Set down as a goal a reasonable amount to put aside in a week, write it down, and stick to it like glue.
  • Ask a trusted and responsible friend to demand progress updates from you.
  • Open a new bank account for your OUP money, to keep you from spending.
  • Look over your daily spending patterns. How much money do you spend on fast food? Every time you pack a lunch, you’ll save two or three dollars. How much money do you spend on little food luxuries like snacks and candy? What about coffee, alcohol or tobacco? Making even minor cuts in these areas (besides being good for your body) could save several dollars a week.
  • What about your spontaneous spending habits? How often do you buy books or music? If you check out books from the library, rather than buying them, you’ll save fifteen dollars at a time. Try this little rule: for every CD you buy, you have to sell one. A system like that would really help you evaluate which purchases you really “need.”
  • What about entertainment? There are a lot of things to do for free, and the savings add up very quickly.
  • What if you get off track? Don’t beat yourself up, but do what you can and try to return to your rhythm. Don’t try to catch up, just continue from where you are.
  • Be Encouraged! If breaking habits is hard for you, congratulations for trying! Remember that self-control is a fruit of the spirit. Pray for spiritual strength. You are doing more than saving for a convention; you are developing discipline.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, the Apostle Paul wrote: “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.” Talk to other Christians and ask them to pray for you. We are all in this together, and if any of us can learn how to serve God better with his or her resources, the better for the whole body of saints.

Earning

How do you earn several hundred dollars when you barely have time for school? The secret is to make use of structures you already have in place. However, be sure to have a thankful heart. The financial liberty we have is a great privilege in today’s world. Unemployment, destitution, bonded labor and perpetual warfare affect billions of people around the world. We must never even take our part-time jobs for granted, but should focus on the bounty of Christ’s blessings. We often grumble about going to jobs that seem drudgery, but a job is a gift from His hands and an opportunity to worship Him.

  • If you have a part-time job, consider adding a couple hours per week as “OUP hours.” Over the course of a few months, you could put together the bulk of your convention costs.
  • Check out the Student Job Center on your campus. Often homeowners from the area will post requests for help moving boxes out of the basement, or raking the leaves in the back. These projects can earn you thirty to fifty dollars for an evening.
  • Consider Tutoring. Many students underestimate their academic skills, and their marketability. Sometimes, universities will pay for conversational partners for international students. What about tutoring local High School students? Many schools have money set aside for tutors for disadvantaged or at-risk kids. This could be a tremendous use of your time, and a great way to learn about the heartbeat of your city. Call a local High School, and ask if they have a bulletin board for posting tutoring services.
  • Rent a small refrigerator and sell pop from your dorm room.
  • Pray! God will show you where to go, where not to go, and how to earn the money.
  • Tithe. In the end, any money you raise from jobs is God’s blessing, more than the fruit of your own hand. Tithing is a physical demonstration of our faith that He is providing for our needs.

Fundraising

Fund-raising is often confused with asking people for a handout. By committing to attending this convention, you are putting yourself in a position to learn about missions and worship. When people contribute to your OUP funds, they are not helping out a poor student, they are giving to a whole ministry: They are sending a delegate or a whole team out to answer a calling. Often this step in the process is quite joyful and spiritually fruitful. As always, start with prayer and humility. You do not deserve these blessings, but they come freely from a God who loves his people.

Send out a letter to several people that you can trust to pray for you. Their prayers will strengthen you.

Call people and ask to meet with them to discuss your opportunity to attend OUP. Explain OUP to them, and why you feel called to attend. Tell them all the things you are doing to raise the money and prayer support. You are asking them to contribute to a cause they believe in, and to a delegate they trust. Ask for a dollar amount.

Treat donors as people, not bank accounts. Your meeting is an opportunity to deepen, or renew your relationship, and to be as Christ to each other. Follow up with your contacts. Consider sending out a postcard shortly before you depart (take the Christmas postal logjam into account), to remind them of your trip, and to ask for their prayers. Personally thank them for their prayer, and their support. Many of your donors would love to hear about your experience when you return.

Event Efforts

Event Efforts are one-time projects designed to rally community support for the cause. Events have great fund-raising potential, but are often more labor-intensive than people realize. The time cost, as well as the up-front expenses, must be considered. They are best for teams working together to raise money. In any case, event fund-raising should compliment, rather than replace, your private savings efforts. At all of your events, be clear about your intentions. Explain what OUP 2000 is, why you want to go, and how you intend on pulling together the resources. You will likely run into several people who are familiar with the OUP conventions, and who may have gone to one in their college days.

  • Pray! The event is not about you, but about Jesus. It is a means of getting to OUP. Pray that God would lead you, help you think creatively, and teach you. Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill your hearts with worship as you work.
  • Find out if your church has a budget for conventions such as OUP, and fill out an application. Hint: do this early; many churches only go over their sponsoring budget once a year. Get your application in before the deadline.
  • Are you going to OUP as a team, or individually? Group fund-raisers are usually more fruitful than individual efforts. Plan as a team, taking stock of the skills and resources you have in the room.
  • Assess your target group: are you working through your church, your chapter, or your neighborhood? Different constituencies will have different needs. What can your team offer that some one would be willing to pay for?
  • Put on a free community service, like a car wash. Find sponsors willing to make a donation for each car washed by the group. Ten people could do 20-30 cars in an afternoon. If each person has five $1 per car donors, you could raise $1000-1500!
  • Paint a house, rake leaves, plant flowers or weed gardens. Remember to do high quality work, and finish your job (including the clean-up). You are not performing or entertaining, but serving. People rarely hire you to exploit cheap labor, but to give to your cause. Make an effort to be as Christ to them.
  • Have a free potluck after Church (with food you’ve cooked), and show the OUP promo video(s). You can order the Videos online here. Have team members share why they feel called to go to the convention. Explain that you are asking for the congregation’s partnership in your efforts to get to OUP. Do not make a plea for cash, but present OUP as a worthy cause for your team to pursue.
  • Put on a talent-show coffeehouse after large group. Sell pastries (preferably of your own concoction), have friends perform - if they can do it well - their own songs, read their own poems, dance a performance piece etc. Have an emcee explain the evening, and show the promo video.
  • Have a silent auction for artwork that students donate to the fund.
  • Hold a rummage sale.
  • Thank all your donors! People give because they are excited about the convention, and they would love to hear how it went.
  • Tithe. Income is income, regardless of source, and God’s provision is worthy of our praise, regardless of the vehicle he uses.

Some text borrowed from the Urbana site