Episode 4: Fundraisers

Featuring Melissa Russell

Many times, fundraising can carry a negative connotation—evoking feelings of guilt and compulsion. But Melissa Russell doesn’t believe it has to be this way. Serving as the Chief Advancement Officer at International Justice Mission, Melissa shares how she and her colleagues seek to lead and serve from a posture of abundance instead of scarcity. Offering a refreshing glimpse into the peace and joy of Kingdom-minded fundraising, Melissa invites us to reframe our perspective and trust in God’s rich generosity.

Stream or download: Spotify - iTunes - Stitcher - Overcast

Show Notes

0:22 Rooting for Rivals; newest book by Peter Greer and Chris Horst with Jill Heisey

0.44 International Justice Mission; an international human rights organization where Melissa Russell serves as Chief Advancement Officer

9:00 Generous Giving; a ministry focused on grounding believers in God’s call to generosity

10:45 Ice bucket challenge; a viral Facebook campaign that raised $115 million for the ALS Association during the summer of 2014

11:44 Noonday collection; a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities for entrepreneurship around the world

20:09 Every Good Endeavor; a book by Tim Keller offering a godly perspective on work

23:06 Spiritual Disciplines of IJM; four disciplines for spiritual formation

25:50 A21; an organization dedicated to eradicating human trafficking through awareness, intervention, and aftercare

26:50 World Vision; a global Christian humanitarian organization partnering with children and families to tackle the cause of poverty and injustice

26:54 6k for water; a fundraising event sponsored by World Vision that brings life-changing clean water to communities in need

About Melissa Russell

Melissa Russell is the Chief Advancement Officer at International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence in the developing world. Melissa leads IJM’s Advancement teams, driving the core strategies and engagements that fuel IJM’s growth around the globe. Before joining IJM in 2008, Melissa worked in business development at the University of Texas and for KPMG as the Director of Marketing in Austin. A University of Texas alumni and southern girl at heart, Melissa now lives outside DC with her husband Paul and two amazing boys. Her passions cover everything from seeing the Church stand up to fight slavery and oppression to the world of travel soccer in Northern Virginia.

Connect with Melissa: Twitter - Instagram

About Blake Mankin

Blake Mankin serves as a regional representative for HOPE International in Houston, TX. Blake hosts the Values-Driven Productivity Podcast, where he shares about disciplines, habits, tools, and practices that increase productivity on the things that matter most. Blake and his wife, Meagan, have two sons and attend Hope Church.

About the Rooting for Rivals Podcast

In a world marked by division and territorialism, how can we leave a lasting impact? What happens when we're no longer threatened by the success of our rivals? In this six-episode podcast, hear from leaders and philanthropists putting collaboration into practice and learn how we can multiply our impact through cooperation.

Learn more about Rooting for Rivals here.

Scroll to top