Blog / Fear and Perspective

Full-time support raising can feel like a juggling act. There are so many relational plates to keep spinning, new prospect balls we don’t want to drop, and the ongoing balancing act of constantly initiating and responding. In the midst of all this, we can easily get so caught up in our fundraising activities that we lose track of God’s activity in our lives. Although it’s true that financial needs normally drive our support raising efforts, I am convinced that God has called us to the ministry of building a support team for reasons that dwarf the financial realities. Fundraising definitely takes […]

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My wife told me I need a hobby. But collecting sea shells, restoring cars, or painting landscapes don’t do much for me. She doesn’t think this counts as a legitimate hobby, but I love to use my discretionary time challenging people to embrace God’s calling on their life and launch out to raise their support. Occasionally, though, I actually catch myself telling someone not to raise support—at least not yet. In my opinion, you have no business raising your financial ministry support if: 1. You have a lot of credit card debt  Having any consumer debt at all has a way of […]

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Face the fact. You have an enemy who does not want you to get to—or stay at—full support. If he can’t destroy and devour you, at least he can beat you into submission through inserting tapes into the back of your mind, causing you to believe all kinds of lies about God, yourself, and others. If you’re truly going to free yourself from this mental prison, you’ll need to understand—and lock in—this combination of five keys to “crack the code”: 1. Everyone has strong opinions about support raising Your father, sister, spouse, uncle, pastor, best friend, worst friend, employer, work-out […]

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Over the years, I’ve heard these three mantras about fundraising. They sound logical, but faulty thinking lies below the surface. 1. “We’re comfortable at 80% aren’t we honey?” This statement is always made by husbands—never by wives! I met a missionary recently who said, “We simply minister to people and they eventually start giving. We don’t ask.” I replied, “So it is working well.” “Yes it is, God is taking care of us,” he said proudly. “You must be up to budget then.” “No, we are at 80%,” he said. I looked at him for a few seconds. His eyes […]

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Lately, I’m hearing comments like these from mission staff of several organizations: “Fundraising appointments make me feel uncomfortable—especially phoning.” “If only I didn’t have to raise so much money…I didn’t sign up for this!” “I minister 60 hours per week and now the pressure of fundraising on top of it—can’t be done!” “Why can’t I be centrally funded from our main office? Then I could focus on the ministry.” So I decided to ponder the issue of fundraising pressure over lunch at a fine McDonalds restaurant. I sat in a corner booth with my “healthy fish sandwich special” and asked […]

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In the winter of 1864, Lt. George E. Dixon was only 24 years old when he convinced Confederate General Pierre Beauregard to let him try one more time to use the newly-designed Hunley submarine to try to take out one of the huge Union warships camped out in the Charleston Harbor that was choking off much of the South’s essential  supplies. Tragically, there had been two previous failed launches where both crews of eight drowned while testing out the tiny iron sub. Even though the General was very skeptical about survival (much less success), he gave in to the persistent […]

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Straight from the annals of Diary of a Wimpy Support Raiser come these pitiful excuses: “Shadrach, the reason I am not able to raise a lot of support—but you are—is because… “You are gifted to do so” “You have an outgoing personality” “You have a lot of wealthy friends” “You have a ‘cutting edge’ ministry position” Bull hockey! Thanks for allowing me a moment of crudeness as I debunk those four mythical statements. For the record: 1. There is no spiritual gift of fundraising. Please get that out of your mind. It is a decision of the will. 2. Actually, […]

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1. I prayed too lightly WHY oh why do I not pray more?! When I pray…I see God work. When I don’t pray…it seems like His blessings dry up. So, why do I not pray more? I guess I am just a fool. To think I can plan my work and work my plan without bathing “the before, during, and after” in prayer is the height of arrogance and pride and shows precisely where my security is—in myself, instead of God.  If I choose to sacrifice time in the prayer closet because I am supposedly too busy, I am literally […]

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