Dealing with the # 1 Obstacle
 
Some of you are in the process of raising support, others may question if that would even be possible for you. Finishers is offering this resource to help you gain what we believe is a good and healthy perspective on this challenge we all face. . .

Raising Financial Support for Missions Ministry
 
#1 Obstacle
In conversations, survey results, workshop questions and continual interaction with people across the country, consistently, the Number One obstacle keeping people from moving from the market-place into full-time missions ministry is the need to raise financial support. By contrast, the majority of those who have made this transition testify that support raising turned out to be one of the richest times of their spiritual journey. So how do we cross the bridge from concern and fear to enjoyment and confidence?
 
Perspective and Philosophy
How we look at things normally determines how we feel about them. When we look at raising financial support as holding our hand out and begging for money, our perspective is negative and very unattractive. This philosophy is being dependent on people, rather than on God; it establishes a mental image of weakness vs. strength, (you have, I do not have); it creates a win-lose scenario, (If you give, I win and you lose, or, if you do not give, you win and I lose); and it generates the feeling of becoming a salesperson who is pursuing and closing the sale.
 
All of the above perspectives are unappealing to most of us. We do not want to appear as a beggar, we do not want to compete for dollars nor do we desire to become pushy salespeople. But there is a philosophy that is biblical, appropriate and non-threatening.
 
Obedience
Ephesians 2:10 teaches us an extremely valuable principle. God has prepared unique ministry opportunities for each of us. From day to day we encounter those opportunities, sometimes easily recognizing them and other times completely missing them. These opportunities come in a wide variety of life situations:  physical needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, relationships, listening, giving a hug, leading a ministry initiative, participating in a project, and, pertinent to the topic, the opportunity to provide the finances necessary for a ministry. All of these opportunities, and the endless possibilities not mentioned here, are moments to exercise obedience. Some of them are designed uniquely for us and our step of obedience would be to take on the ministry. Others are not designed for us, even though we are aware of them. In those cases, we are also called to obedience, but our obedient step is not to become involved. Those opportunities are for others, not us.
 
This is the philosophy that we should take into raising financial support for missions ministry. It is a question of obedience. We are presenting a ministry opportunity to someone, asking them to consider whether or not God has been preparing them for this moment and if this is one of those Ephesians 2:10 "good works". 
 
An example of this conversation
Let's suppose you know God has been preparing you for a new ministry role and you need to raise financial support. One of the steps in communicating this need will be for you to ask friends to host a dessert in their home, inviting people from their spheres to hear and consider your presentation. 
 
When the time comes in the evening, you succinctly describe the ministry opportunity before you, letting them sense your passion and confidence that this is exactly what God has for you in the next phase of your life. You then share with them that you need to raise a certain amount of financial support in order to do this ministry. (Note: At the end of this presentation there is a paragraph explaining why support-raising is necessary.)
 
After sharing the amount and perhaps answering a few questions about it's use, ask those present to make a commitment to talk and pray for one week about their participation in this need. It could be that God has been preparing them for this ministry opportunity, or that he has not. You are simply asking them to prayerfully seek that determination. Explain that you will call them next week and ask if they have been able to discern God's direction as to your request. In that phone call you will ask if they have peace about helping provide some of your support, and if they do, that they will be obedient and begin this ministry God has prepared for them. You will also say that if they have considered and prayed about this opportunity and do not have peace, you also want them to be obedient and not give toward your need. That would be being disobedient and God has other uses for their financial giving.
 
This philosophy and approach changes the perspective from begging to obedience. It allows people to freely consider their involvement without any sales or guilt tactics on your part. They are presented with an opportunity for ministry, just as we all are on many occasions, and their responsibility is to determine the Lord's will regarding this new opportunity. No pressure, no win-lose scenario, no high-pressure tactics, just seeking the Lord's direction, then moving on.
 
While this example uses a small-group gathering, the philosophy and wording can be used in one-on-one conversations, in letters, or in large-group settings. The God-honoring and God-trusting motivation communicated with this approach is the effective essence of this philosophy of support-raising. The setting in which it is done can be greatly varied.
 
Prayer
While the focus here has been on the difficulty of raising financial support, we would be amiss not to highlight the necessity of prayer regarding all aspects of the journey into a missions-related role. All of our thoughts, actions and decisions need to be initiated in prayer, continued in prayer and capped with prayer. Whenever the enemy sees activity that may claim back some of his territory, he goes into action. He will work hard to attack the person, to stir up trouble and lies about the person, to discourage everyone involved and seek any way possible to derail their obedience.
 
Personal prayer, prayer as couples for those married, the forming of prayer support teams, the combined prayer efforts of the church in classes, small groups and prayer ministries, are all necessary for our spiritual protection and to see the release of the finances needed for support.
 
Why Support Raising is Necessary
The type of missions work we are talking about is normally through a non-profit structure. In the ministry world, typically there is no product to sell in order to receive income. When a missionary arrives at their destination to touch lives for Christ, those needing salvation are not going to provide a paycheck so the missionary can witness to them. Throughout the entire missions enterprise, this is the norm for the financial bottom line. So, funds for a person's living expenses and their ministry expenses need to come from somewhere.
 
In the local church setting, we see this played out, but often do not connect it to the same working principle in the missions setting. We give our tithes and offerings to the Lord through our local church, believing that is a part of our obedience to our Lord. Those tithes and offerings are used for the expenses necessary to fulfill our church's vision for ministries, to provide the supplies needed, etc., as well as provide living expenses for those on the church staff. The church is not producing and selling goods to receive an income in order to pay for all the expenses and salaries. They are depending on the people God has placed in that congregation to give financially in order to meet those needs.
 
It is the same in the missions world. Those working in the missions enterprise are depending on the people God has brought into their lives to give financially to meet the ministry and living needs of those giving of their time to do the work. The same system we are used to in the church setting is what functions in the missions setting. In both we are giving to the Lord, but we are aware that the funds are to be used to meet the living and ministry cost needs of those doing the work.
 
As a final note, it is true that much of the way missions is being done is changing, in that in many situations, the only way to get next to those needing to hear about Jesus, is to obtain a job in their setting and therefore receive a salary for that job. In these cases, the need to raise support is greatly diminished or negated all together. This is a  wonderful and growing strategy, but it is not the only method. Many still need to raise financial support through those God has been preparing for such a ministry. This written presentation has been designed primarily for such people.