Raising support means we trust God to bring people into our lives and ministries as part of His provision. Thus, integrity and good stewardship requires us to view our supporters not as donors, but as full-fledged partners in the ministry – we can’t do it without them! So how do we help those who say, “Yes!” to partnering with us, get involved in what God is doing beyond just their pocketbook? This unfolding of a “whole-life stewardship” seeks to involve their time and talent – not just their treasure! Three simple words can outline your efforts in this arena: Pray, […]

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A Christian worker carefully crafts an email or newsletter that hints at what they need. They might choose their wording such  that it sends a subliminal message to their readers. Some brazen missionaries don’t beat around the bush and come across as outright beggars! And, of course, the innocent victims of these appeals are hard-working income earners who are supposed to have pity on these underpaid and underprovided Christian workers. Their sympathy and guilt causes them to reach into their pocket and make a charitable donation. See if you can match the bold/underlined words above with their proper definition below: […]

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Think back to the last time you sent a gift for a missionary that you had never supported before. Remember? How did they respond to you? Missionary responses to first-time gifts often fall into these categories. You get: Nothing, did they get the gift? The missionary’s newsletter A warm phone call A handwritten expression of thanks An email, text, or facebook thanks A thank you note handwritten in their next newsletter Which do you prefer? Alma and I have sent lots of first-time gifts to missionaries, and often we hear little in response. The only reason we know they got […]

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1. Mr. and Mrs. “Out on a Limb” The Randall’s could tell I was impulsive and highly excitable when they met me as a counselor at a boys camp. Later, when I went to this mature, godly couple to explain my new ministry to college students and ask them to give, I’m sure they detected how many holes there were in my half-baked plans, inflated goals, and unrealistic budget. But, in spite of my inexperience and “over the top” salesmanship, they quietly handed me a significant check to help launch my ministry. They went out on a limb and took […]

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Emily was a 35-year-old schoolteacher who had developed quite a heart for missions. She had taken the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course, gone on short term mission trips, prayed regularly through Global Prayer Digest and then felt a call to do more. She arrived at a critical crossroads and was thinking seriously about accepting one of the staff opportunities presented to her by several agencies. She prayed, fasted, and read Scripture until she finally thought she knew God’s will. Overjoyed, Emily immediately worked to gather a newsletter list of 300+ people she’d known during her life to inform […]

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In March of 2003 sportswriters for USA Today rated the most difficult thing to do in all of sports is to hit a fastball coming toward you at 100 mph. Any major leaguer knows it requires laser like focus to connect with the tiny blur hurling toward them. Similarly, a successful support raiser must exercise incredible concentration if they are going to get to their ministry assignment quickly—and fully funded. In Bill Dillon’s book, People Raising, he contrasts two different, but true, cases of support raising—one focused on churches, the other on individuals: Case One: Couple Focused on Churches Support […]

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