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, Give, and Go.
Pray: This represents the stewardship of time – that irreplaceable commodity. It’s also a significantly deeper level of commitment beyond just filling out a check or online giving form. We must diligently find ways to engage our ministry partners in our work at the spiritual level, so build into your routine regularly, giving your ministry partners specific, detailed things they can pray for. You can do this through your monthly prayer/newsletter, e-mails, or Facebook. (Note: because of the “public” nature of networks like Facebook, use discretion when posting prayer items that might be personal or confidential.) Don’t make long “laundry lists” of prayer requests, but keep them short and focused on one or two specific items, events, or persons you are asking prayer for. Matthew 6:21 teaches the timeless spiritual principal: “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In today’s hectic, multi-tasking culture, most people treasure time over everything else. So by asking your partners to pray for your ministry, you’re also helping it become their ministry, as God draws their hearts to the place they’re investing their treasured time.
Give: This represents the stewardship of treasures/resources, beyond what they are already giving financially to support your ministry. Depending on your ministry, there may be ways your partners can give specific items – or even get their friends involved in giving – that accomplish the spiritual purposes of your work. If you serve on a university campus, your partners can collect and send you items for “Finals Survival Kits” or “Dorm Welcome Bags” that would help your ministry build relationships with students to share the gospel. If you work in chaplaincy or military ministry, it may be collecting items for“Deployment Kits” or “Hospital Stay Pacs” that will show those you’re ministering to that you care. For church planters, it may be collecting items for “Welcome to the Neighborhood Kits” or various school supplies for the “back-to-school-blitz.” Be creative and you will find many ways your partners can increase their “giving” to the ministry.
Go: This represents the stewardship of talents. This is to provide specific opportunities for your partners to actually come and serve alongside you in your work. Many ministries could greatly benefit by an individual, family, or group coming for a “mission trip” to do servant evangelism on campus, or take spiritual surveys in a community as part of an evangelistic effort, or prayer-walk an area in preparation for a church plant. Be creative – you can probably think of dozens of ways you could use some short-term help in your ministry. For those who serve in locations or ministries that do not lend themselves to on-site involvement, there can still be numerous ways to involve partners. It may be managing your mailing lists, or helping get out your monthly newsletter if you serve abroad, or hosting an annual “Vision Trip” that allows them to come get a first-hand view of your ministry.
Ultimately, the intent is to engage your ministry partners in praying, giving, and going to help them fully embrace the ministry God has called you – and them – to.
