Growing up as the son of a businessman in Dallas, Texas, had its advantages and disadvantages. Because Dad had lived through the depression years, he instilled his “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” perspective into his three sons—of which I was the middle. Work hard, provide for your family, get to the top, and retire early were the values he spoke of and modeled to us. My two brothers majored in business with the goal of becoming millionaires by age 30. I was expected to follow suit into the work world to obtain the “American Dream” and the accompanying financial security. But, somewhere along the line I came to Christ and experienced the joy of knowing and serving Him. I felt called into full-time service and, after four years of pastoring at a local church, I launched out to start a new campus ministry organization and, of course…raise my support.

Early on, my dad and I both had to overcome the societal norm that asking for support was really just a form of begging. It didn’t help that we had often observed underfunded Christian workers who appeared to us as impoverished nomads! And as much as I would have benefitted back then from support raising books that could provide me with the training and guidance I needed, none existed to my knowledge. So, with only a calling from the Lord and a vision for ministry, I took stock of my “possessions:” enough money to last us six weeks, a pregnant wife, three young children, plenty of monthly bills, and to put it mildly—a deep, abiding sense of urgency. I wasn’t in a panic, but I was definitely a man on a mission from God!

To say the least, I was highly motivated. All I knew to do was to go to every person I had ever known in life and, face to face, share the vision of our ministry, and to ask them to come onto our monthly support team…and let them answer. So, the six key components of my homemade plan included:
1. Going to every person I knew
2. Meeting face to face
3. Sharing the vision
4. Asking them
5. To join our monthly support team
6. And zipping the lip to let them answer!

Friends, those six simple phrases, in a nutshell, sum up the grand and glorious “secret” to raising your support. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and if you feel strongly enough about anything, you will find a way to accomplish it. Praise the Lord, exactly six weeks later we were at full support, ready to launch our ministry—and pay all our bills! Don’t get me wrong though:
 Did I pray like crazy? Absolutely.
 Did I trust God every step of the way? You bet.
 Did I totally rely on His strength and not my own? As far as I know.
 Did I give Him honor and glory for all the results? No question.

So, since 1986, our family has lived and ministered because of the generous, ongoing investments of others who believe in God—and us. And, looking back, we would not want to live any other way! I’m serious. Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for the Christian workers (especially missionaries) who minister out on their own someplace and do not have a personal, monthly financial support team. Oh, they get the guaranteed “golden check” (i.e. full payroll) each month, but most of them do not get to experience the amazing spiritual, emotional, and psychological support that a team of regular givers and pray-ers can provide. You can experience it, and I believe you too can get to full support (and stay there!) if you will embrace these six simple concepts. So go for it!*