Postmodernism in Ministry Fundraising
At various times in the Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives program, we’ve discussed postmodernism. While I found it fascinating, I mostly thought of it as an issue for pastors to consider, much more than my role in ministry operations and donor development. Somehow, this week’s reading hit me differently, and I was able to find consilience to see how postmodernism affects my work as well.
As a refresher, to understand postmodernism, one must first be reminded of modernism.
In Jordan Peterson’s interview with Stephen Hicks, Peterson describes modernism this way: “This emerging consensus that the world was rationally intelligible and human beings could explore both physically and mentally and also come to predict and control the transformations of the material world…genuine progress in knowledge was possible…and along with that the benefits of progress both conceptually and technologically.” [1]
According to Jeff Myers in Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews, postmodernism is “a worldview that denies all worldviews. Not only does Postmodernism strongly critique the Secularist idea that science is the most comprehensive way of knowing about the world, it also critiques Christianity, New Spirituality, Islam, and Marxism.” [2]
Postmodernism is an undercurrent in western society that shapes much more than I realized.
It has led to a rejection of trying to change anyone’s beliefs or way of being. You be you is a common phrase that aligns with this thinking. According to Barna, almost half of practicing Christian millennials say evangelism is wrong, and likely even more Gen-Zers hold the same belief. [3]
If there’s an undercurrent of belief that trying to change someone’s view about religion or the world is inherently wrong, then fundraising for a mission to see change in the world naturally becomes much more difficult. ChatGPT helped me identify at 10 ways postmodernism impacts fundraising [4]. These ideas are summarized here:
- Suspicion of metanarratives: As suspicion of metanarratives and institutions has grown, the result is that donors are less likely to give just because a ministry has big, sweeping explanations or claims. “We have global impact!” just doesn’t work anymore. Donors want specific, proof, and stories, not a grand narrative.
- Decentralization of authority: Historically, donors gave because a trusted leader asked or an institution vouched for the work. Today, donors want transparency and access to data.
- Preference for relationship impact: Organizational loyalty is declining and donors today want to give based on stories of transformation and based on individuals they know rather than corporations. Donors want to come alongside rather than give to something outside.
- Fragmentation of truth claims: Postmodernism has caused a preference for lived experience and sees narrative as evidence. In modernism, it was enough to say that 2,000 people gained a Bible. Now, people want to hear that Zara can read the Bible in the same language she prays in and her daughters are learning from her example.
- Empathy and justice as giving drivers: Postmodern culture appreciates hearing from marginalized voices and fights power dynamics. Postmodern donors prefer messaging that honors dignity over paternalism.
- Demand for authenticity: Postmodernists resonate much more with nuance, complexity, partial progress over a shiny, polished message that can insinuate manipulation and erode trust.
- Qualitative Outcomes Over Quantitative Outputs: While messaging to a modernist donor may be, “we did X”, a postmodern donor will ask questions like, “Was this meaningful? Can it be sustained? Did it bring dignity to the person or community?”
- Narrative Identity Giving: Postmodern donors seek a story that reinforces or resonates with their existing identity or desired identity. At least internally, postmodernists want to tell an internal narrative through their giving, “I support Bible translation because I believe it’s an injustice that some people don’t have access to God’s word”.
- Digital-Mediated Trust: Postmodernists trust peer recommendations and shared posts more than the institution.
- Hyper-Transparency Expectations: Postmodernists assume there is some hidden power or self-seeking agenda, so they need information to be freely available; otherwise, they’ll assume it’s being hidden. Ministries should be prepared to publish budgets, explain overheads, and report failures.
These 10 impacts are critical for fundraising and marketing teams to be aware of. However, it’s not as simple as messaging to a postmodern audience. The bulk of donor funding comes from Baby Boomers who resonate more deeply with modernism. Following Baby Boomers is Gen X, which sits right in between modernism and postmodernism. Gen X sits between two worldviews, being skeptical of institutions but not fully relativist.
A further complication is that recruiting is largely amongst Gen Z and millennials, who are more solidly postmodern. In the past, messaging from recruiters largely aligned with messaging from fundraisers. Today, messaging between recruiting and fundraising can no longer be identical. In 20 years, the messaging may sync back up, but for now, fundraisers will need to communicate through a modern lens, while recruiters will need to communicate through a postmodern lens.
This is a complex topic that could be explored in much more detail. Here are some additional sources I would like to explore when time allows:
- Generation X: From Fiction to Fact, and Still a Mystery by Stephen Katz [5]
- Deconstruction of Charity. Postmodern Ethical Approaches by Antonio Sandu [6]
References
[1] Stephen Hicks: Postmodernism: Reprise, n.d. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwW9QV5Ulmw.
[2] Myers, Jeff. Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews. With David A. Noebel. David C. Cook, 2015, 149..
[3] Barna. “Almost Half of Practicing Christian Millennials Say Evangelism Is Wrong,” n.d. https://www.barna.com/research/millennials-oppose-evangelism/.
[4] ChatGPT. November 6, 2025. https://chatgpt.com/.
[5] Katz, Stephen. “Generation X: From Fiction to Fact, and Still a Mystery.” Journal of the American Society on Aging 41, no. 3 (2017): 12–19.
[6] Sandu, Antonio. “Deconstruction of Charity. Postmodern Ethical Approaches.” n.d. https://www.academia.edu/19520031/Deconstruction_of_Charity_Postmodern_ethical_approaches.
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Christy
2 responses to “Postmodernism in Ministry Fundraising”
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Christy,
Your Fragmentation to the Truth description reminds me of a book. Here is ChatGPT’s Summary
“Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes by Daniel L. Everett is the one. It’s a fascinating mix of linguistics, anthropology, and theology — tracing Everett’s journey from a Moody Bible Institute–trained missionary to a linguist who questions and ultimately leaves his faith after years among the Pirahã people of the Amazon.”
The author was unable to witness to the Piraha people because they wanted proof. They wanted to know someone who had experience with what was being discussed. So in this case they wanted to know someone who actually knew the physical Jesus. They were unable to take something by faith.
I never stopped to consider how postmodernism was impacting missions. Have you personally heard anyone talk about being impacted by any of the 10 you mentioned?
Christy, thanks for your blog. Churches and denominations deal with this reality as well. In your view, what are Gen Z and millennials looking for in recruitment messaging that older generations might not have needed?