Support Raising is probably the most dreaded task a missionary faces. Asking people for money is a complicated issue. In this post we are talking about raising money. I know we all like to use the cliche phrase, “the most important thing people can do is pray” which is true, but that’s a topic for another post. Here are some first steps to think through when it comes to funding:

1. Pray through your convictions – Most missionaries fall on one of two sides of the argument. One, they have conviction never to ask anyone for money and to “totally trust God.” After all, “where God guides He provides” right? Two, they are nothing more then a sanctified salesman and every hand they shake is a potential donor. Obviously, these are two extremes and I could comment with positives and negatives on both sides. The point here is that you need to pray through these issues and see where God has you.
2. Read
   • Friend Raising
   • Funding Your Ministry
   • The God Ask
   • Please keep in mind that if we recommend a book that we are not endorsing everything the author or the book. We are simply saying, “that there are some good/bad points that you should really think and pray through and this book points those things out.” Remember, we want to become the best and most equipped missionaries we can become. Therefore, no book or author is off limits.
3. Develop a “Prayer” List – Simply start writing down anyone and everyone you can think of. This is the list you are going to start praying through because these are the people that have a relationship with you and will most likely be your primary supporters.
4. Take that list and break it up into categories (i.e. family, friends, acquaintances, etc…) – This will help you with planning your approach. I always use this example when talking to missionaries – pretend that you got engaged or that you and your wife are expecting your first baby. You know those people that you need to tell face-to-face, those people you can tell over the phone and those people you can tell over social media. The same rule applies here. The closer the relationship the greater the need is for a face-to-face conversation. You will work your way from the inner circle of family and friends out to those that are simply acquaintances.
5. Develop your presentation and put together your support information (i.e. prayer cards, giving envelopes, giving forms, etc…) and website (these topics are covered in other articles).
6. Start meeting with the “inner circle” of family and friends one-on-one or in a smaller more intimate group (i.e. like a dinner at your house) and then expanding it out to acquaintances.
7. Set a Dessert Gathering/Missions Dinner where you will gather as many people as possible. (this topic is also covered in other articles)
8. Don’t be afraid to ask OR BETTER YET have someone ask for you. Meaning, assign someone to do the financial ask and go over the financial details.
9. You are not done! Support raising never stops and these relationships need to be developed. Please see – Keeping in touch with family, friends and donors.