The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. -Matthew 9:37-38
Some people are called to full time vocational ministry. If you have an insatiable draw toward missions or ministry that you just can’t shake, then maybe God is calling you. There will always be a need for cross-cultural missions until Jesus comes back. Missions is temporary. When Christ returns, there will be no more missions, that window will be closed. Yet right now it is wide open. There is a famine for the Word of God on every continent, and the Holy Spirit is raising up men, women, and young people from just about every nation to lay their lives down for Jesus to advance the Good News. And some of those whom he calls will be sent out as full time workers for his Kingdom.
THE #1 REASON PEOPLE FAIL IN FUND RAISING
One of the most common reasons for failure in support raising is that people don’t prioritize it from the beginning. You need to understand that people will likely want to support you and be on your team not for what you are doing right now in ministry but for what you have already done in the past. You need a proven track record of ministry. But some people wrongly think that they need to be putting 100% into their ministry at the same time that they need to put 100% of their energy into fund raising. And what happens is that fund raising loses the conflict and we do what we most love, ministry.
The problem then is that you will be short term because lack of adequate funding will likely really hurt you or your family in the long run and you won’t be able to stick around in full time ministry. So don’t fall into this trap. Prioritize fund raising first. Give yourself fully to it until you have reached your goal. Then jump in 110% to ministry for the rest of your life! Support Raising Solutions can help you avoid these common pitfalls in fund raising.
supportraisingsolutions.org
RELATED: How to Help Your Church Mobilize Missions-Minded Leaders
Maybe you are in the process of joining a mission organization and need to raise support. Or you work for a mission agency and you are struggling to raise your budget. If that is you, then I want to tell you about Support Raising Solutions. We have sent a number of our staff to their training and they have all come back equipped to raise money and confident that where God calls he provides. No one can promise you that you will raise your whole budget, because after all, “faith missions” is called that for a reason. It requires faith. But what I can tell you is that by faith you can step out and pursue your calling with full confidence that if God wants you there he will provide a way to get you there.
HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL COVER IN YOUR SUPPORT RAISING COURSE
supportraisingsolutions.org
One of the main things you will learn is that fund raising and working with supporters is part of your ministry. People give to vision, but they also want to give to people who will invest in them. I love each and every one of my donors. I pray for them and think of ways throughout the year I can encourage them, educate them on some aspect of missions or ministry, and how I can serve them. Taking care of your supporters makes this part of your ministry much more satisfying. Anyone called to full time ministry struggles with feeling like you are “begging” people to support you. But from God’s perspective, just the opposite is happening. Instead you are giving people an opportunity to give generously to him. You provide a conduit for people to invest in exciting works of God, and you are simply his instrument to serve his purpose.
RELATED: The Difference Between Exploiters and Nurturers
SUPPORT RAISING STARTS NOW
- Do you have a nagging, gut level since of calling to ministry or missions that you just can’t imagine doing anything else? You may want to talk to someone about this… you might be called!
- Are you starting the support raising journey? Do you feel adequately equipped and confident in your strategy?
- Are you struggling with support raising? Would it benefit you to be refreshed?