While I agree that our church needs a building, and they are right to raise money from the congregation, is it Biblical to <I>hire someone</I> to raise the money from our congregants?

First, let me point you to a paper which I helped write for use in our church, which is on the BSF Website:

I’m sure that you could get different answers to your question, but I’m inclined to agree with you. First, it seems like poor stewardship. In them long run you end up spending more of God’s money (the amount you need to raise, plus the fundraiser’s fee). Second, the methods that many may use, and the motivations appealed to may well be unbiblical (I’m sure the fundraisers would differ with me here, but my concerns stand, and most often are well-founded). Third, you never see this method employed in the Bible, Old Testament or New. Fourth, the biblical way seems to be to present the need, and to look to the Lord to work in the hearts of His people. You may malso wish to look at this lesson I did recently in Philippians.

The strong appeal of the fundraisers is this: “Our approach works.” It does. But does giving stem from godly motivations, and does it truly profit the giver?