It has been my joy and pleasure to subsist on missionary support for just over three decades. I have served parachurch youth ministries throughout that time, and the Lord has been faithful to provide for, first, my needs, then, following marriage in 1982, my wife and now four children.
During this period of service I have seen scores of potential staff members initiate the support raising process and then, after a length of time, drop out. There are a multitude of reasons for this, to include the possibility that God closed the door in each case for His own good purposes.
From my view, however, many quit because there was inadequate supervision, training, and encouragement. For this reason I am in the process of writing a book/training manual on the subject. Yes, there are many books on-the-market; and all have good information, but I am writing primarily for those who are raising funds for career work with small youth ministries that dot our land, and for those who are raising support for short-term mission work.
In all cases, though, I believe a key negative factor is that there are so many potential supporters who do not support for one simple reason…at some level they feel their small contribution won’t be of help.
I do ask my contacts to pray specifically as to whether God might have them come alongside in our work. I am hopeful they do!
But I wonder how many times God prompts them to invest five, ten, or twenty dollars a month and they think, consciously or not, “Oh good grief, I’d be embarrassed to give ‘only’ that amount,” or “Jack would be upset if I ‘only’ supported him for ten bucks a month.”
Wanna bet?
Let’s see, I spend some time writing a monthly newsletter, I include a return envelope; you put ten, or twenty, bucks in the envelope, lick a first class stamp, and mail it back to me.
Whether five, ten, or twenty bucks….I think this is a pretty good “return” on my investment!
And, at least of equal importance, now that you are investing in my work you are probably praying for the work also. As Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there is your heart also.” Too often I think we misquote that verse as “where your heart is, there is your treasure also.”
Nope. It is hard to show interest if you don’t have anything invested.
Sure, I enjoy the fact the Lord has raised up some “big” supporters. But in my early years a petite grandmother in rural Kansas began supporting me…for two dollars a month. She supported me for over ten years, and then went on to glory.
After she died, I must admit it was hard to miss the two dollars. But, oh, did the lady know how to pray!
During this period of service I have seen scores of potential staff members initiate the support raising process and then, after a length of time, drop out. There are a multitude of reasons for this, to include the possibility that God closed the door in each case for His own good purposes.
From my view, however, many quit because there was inadequate supervision, training, and encouragement. For this reason I am in the process of writing a book/training manual on the subject. Yes, there are many books on-the-market; and all have good information, but I am writing primarily for those who are raising funds for career work with small youth ministries that dot our land, and for those who are raising support for short-term mission work.
In all cases, though, I believe a key negative factor is that there are so many potential supporters who do not support for one simple reason…at some level they feel their small contribution won’t be of help.
I do ask my contacts to pray specifically as to whether God might have them come alongside in our work. I am hopeful they do!
But I wonder how many times God prompts them to invest five, ten, or twenty dollars a month and they think, consciously or not, “Oh good grief, I’d be embarrassed to give ‘only’ that amount,” or “Jack would be upset if I ‘only’ supported him for ten bucks a month.”
Wanna bet?
Let’s see, I spend some time writing a monthly newsletter, I include a return envelope; you put ten, or twenty, bucks in the envelope, lick a first class stamp, and mail it back to me.
Whether five, ten, or twenty bucks….I think this is a pretty good “return” on my investment!
And, at least of equal importance, now that you are investing in my work you are probably praying for the work also. As Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there is your heart also.” Too often I think we misquote that verse as “where your heart is, there is your treasure also.”
Nope. It is hard to show interest if you don’t have anything invested.
Sure, I enjoy the fact the Lord has raised up some “big” supporters. But in my early years a petite grandmother in rural Kansas began supporting me…for two dollars a month. She supported me for over ten years, and then went on to glory.
After she died, I must admit it was hard to miss the two dollars. But, oh, did the lady know how to pray!
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