A Theology of Fundraising: A Conversation with Paul Edwards

For nearly forty years, Paul Edwards has been at the center of several miraculously successful philanthropic efforts. He began his career with a record-breaking higher education campaign and then decided he needed to leave the field for his faith, entering the seminary. There he unexpectedly discovered a new and profound spiritual role for fundraising which he applied when tapped to lead the fundraising effort at Prison Fellowship. Since then, he has led a successful major campaign for Mercy Ships International, Gordon College’s $75.5 Million Capital Campaign, and Wycliffe’s $2 Billion Last Languages initiative, making the Bible available in all the world’s languages, as well as serving as a teacher and guide to hundreds of other organizations. Today, as Principal Consultant at Edwards & Creson, he collaborates with inspired leaders and organizations to produce inspiring results. I spoke with Paul about his remarkable journey and what he describes as his Theology of Fundraising.