Blog / Biblical Encouragement

Have you noticed that Jesus gave two different sets of instructions for funding ministry? Early in His ministry Jesus sent both the twelve disciples and seventy others on mission trips. He instructed them to “take nothing for your journey” but to be supported by “worthy men” to whom they ministered (Matt 10, Mark 6, Luke 9, 10). By contrast, just before He was crucified Jesus asked His disciples a penetrating question: “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you? They said, ‘No, nothing.’ And He said to them, ‘But […]

For almost a full year we’ve worked on painting and remodeling our house to get it ready to sell. Then my wife creatively “staged” the house so people could visualize living here. It worked! The house sold to the very first person who looked at it. The next few weeks will be a blur as we find a new place to live, pack, and a myriad of other tasks. Moving produces significant stress and can take our eyes off of the Lord. Being in ministry has a way of producing anxiety and stress in our lives too, doesn’t it? Especially […]

The season of Lent begins this month. These forty days before Easter were set aside by the early church as a time of reflection and repentance. It is a period when we as Christ-followers acknowledge our brokenness and journey with Him to the Cross, where we are made whole again. Engaging in the ancient spiritual discipline of repentance over the next six weeks can significantly impact not just our souls, but also our support raising. As I coach folks in fundraising, I’ve become convinced there are two pervasive attitudes from which we as North Americans need to repent if we […]

As the age-old cliché sounds unwise for medical doctors, it seems nonsensical for Christian missionaries who are on support. But then again, does it?  Even before we consider the hard work on our part (preparation, phone calls, face-to-face appointments, etc.) needed for raising support, we should look at what creates a healthy environment for it. Our tendency is to think, “If only Christians would be more Kingdom-minded and generous in their stewardship, there would be plenty of support to go around!” I propose that fostering a healthy environment for raising support begins with us, and our generosity in stewardship. Amongst the […]

Ministry partner development often seems overwhelming. But let’s break it down! What is God’s job? What is your job? Calling you into ministry—God’s job. You can’t call yourself. Only God can “call.”  When you get discouraged, go back to His call on your life. Review key passages or incidents that guided you. If He has called you, He is committed to funding you. Providentially bringing family, friends and acquaintances across your path—God’s job. I wasn’t born into an evangelical family and culture, but God in His wisdom continually brings people “across my path” who need to hear my story! Guiding people to […]

I recently listened to a sermon on the life of David that referenced the generational impact of David’s sins on his family. Scripture has numerous references to the sins of the fathers carrying over to the next generation and beyond. My mind was drawn towards the implications of that idea – generational legacy and impact – as it relates to missionaries raising personal support. Although hardly a scholarly research project, I spent time exploring this issue with some of our cross-cultural workers who come from missionary families that raise support.  I came up with some pretty strong threads that, when […]