Funded

Have Fun Getting Funded

How to face the pitfalls and practices of raising support
By Chris Stanton

Chris Stanton is the author of TheMission Bridge Manual, a "How To" book on establishing a training school for missions in the local church. He worked as staff with Youth With A Mission in Los Angeles.

"This church is not going to pay for those kids to have a vacation in Europe ," declared the flush-faced deacon, "even if they do call it a mission!"

If the hopes and dreams of a young generation of short-term missionaries hinged on the mindset of this deacon, not too many would be going on short-term missions this summer. We're grateful that most churches (and deacons) no longer maintain an attitude that missions is only for those with four to eight years of training. Today, many churches are willing to help support short-term missionaries if they can show that their mission will have an impact for the Kingdom of God .

Potential Pitfalls
Since most missionaries are financially supported by individuals and churches, one doesn't get too far along on his or her "mission planning" before the question of how to raise money arises. Let's look at some pitfalls of poor thinking when it comes to financing a short-term trip and then at some practical ways to get the job done.

Pitfall One: The Beggar Bugaboo
Somehow, support raising can seem like a sure way to turn off all your friends, offend your family, and ruin your reputation. Sometimes, important family members can howl about "my son, the religious beggar."

Don't believe the bad press. Support raising is not rattling a tin cup for spiritual welfare. It's team ministry. You're asking others to add their financial and prayer strength to the total effort of your mission group. If you do it well, you honor your friends and family by placing yourself in a dependent mode on them. In most people's experience, few friendships are paralyzed by a request for funds. Most friends draw closer. Many of us enjoy the privacy and independence of financing our own affairs. This can lead directly into the second pitfall, in which would-be missionaries put plans on hold to get a job to earn money for the total cost of their trip.

Pitfall Two: Checkbook Guidance
This term describes the method of determining your availability to be used by God on a short-term mission by looking at the bottom line of your checkbook, where it reads "Present Balance." The reasoning is that if you have the money, you'll go; if not, you won't. If every mission enterprise were determined by the present amount of available funds, not much would ever be accomplished in missions. (Just ask a seasoned missionary.)

Instead, give God the opportunity to go beyond your means. That's when this whole process gets exciting. That's when you know you're not just forcing your way onto the field but allowing God to provide for you and send you out.

Pitfall Three: Rich Uncle Syndrome
This syndrome strikes when a person thinks that one individual or organization will underwrite his or her mission. Although this may be possible for a select few, it can be a dangerous approach to God's work. Even if your past history tells you that your parents or someone else will cover your expenses, any short-term missionary who wishes to execute a mission with integrity needs to go to God for His strategy.

That strategy may demand that you go beyond the lone individual for your support. More people on your support team means more people influenced, involved in, and affected by your mission. If you want a delightful support-raising experience, build a loyal team of friends to pray, work for, and rally around you during your support-raising process. They can help you brainstorm, mail prayer letters, do fund-raising projects - and they can provide a shoulder to cry on when the going gets rough.

Pitfall Four: Ignoring the Supernatural
As a training director of short-term missions for the past eight years, I've seen some wonderful and unusual ways God has provided money. As one mission leader says, "Where God leads, He feeds. Where He guides, He provides." The emphasis here is on "He." Never give up, no matter how impossible the situation seems financially. Trust God. If He has prompted you to go, He will provide for you, as well.

Get it fresh in your mind that God is the Provider. He has the resources. Your responsibility is not to get money from people, but to get wisdom and strength from God and depend on Him.

Positive Steps
Let's look at some positive steps of action to prepare yourself to receive the needed finances for your mission. Be sure that you never look at this wonderful opportunity to raise support and involve yourself with others as something negative or as a burden. Try to put your finger on your misgivings and questions. Talk it over with someone you trust who has done it before.

1. Pray. Pray that money in. Long before actually counting the money that comes in, you should have counted on it, by faith. Prayer is the only way to keep from fret and worry.

Some pray until they have God's assurance - a deep conviction that He will provide. This may take some time, but it's well worth the work. Once you are sure that God's desire is to provide for you as His child, you can raise support with confidence.

2. Make a budget. Know exactly how much the mission will cost. Most agencies already have set budgets for their short-termers. If not, develop your own. Don't forget to list food, transportation, toiletries, unexpected emergencies, and gifts. (You should consider bringing a small gift back to those who helped you get there.)

Type out your budget so you can be prepared to share it with those who may ask how much your short term will cost. Your budget will speak to them of your seriousness about this trip.

3. Develop a financial strategy. List all the resources available to people who might support you. This will help you consider how to spur people on to give creatively and sacrificially. Do this sensitively, of course. You may have more resources than you realize. Consider breaking your piggy bank of personal savings. Why not sell some stuff (stereo, car, other non-essentials)? You might be able to work an extra job.

Ask God for a clear support-raising strategy. Your agency or church may have guidelines you must follow as you raise support. As a representative of their ministry, it's important that you follow them. There is almost always some flexibility built into such systems, so don't overlook the consultation of your pastor and other mission leaders to help you think through the special needs of your support-raising strategy. Brainstorm and write down all the ways you can think of to raise the money.

Write down the names of those you might ask to become involved financially in your ministry. This list will help you make sure you don't miss any potential givers. Be very open minded while you do this. You'd be surprised how many people have old neighbors and great-aunts as their most loyal supporters. Be sure to contact parents, friends, relatives, business associates, your church, clubs you belong to, or even past employers.

4. Be prepared to make a presentation. One of the best ways to let people know about your short term is through face-to-face conversation or public presentation. If God directs you to share your financial needs with others, be prepared to make an excellent presentation. Here are a few essentials to cover:

Who you are.
Where you're going.
Why you're going.
Who you're going with (organization).
What you expect from the mission.
What you expect to give to others through the mission.
How long it will take.
How much it will cost.
How much money is still needed.

Your need for people to pray about providing financial support.Some people have convictions about not sharing specifics on their financial need. That's okay. Certainly act out of your convictions or the policy of your mission agency. I think it's wise to be very clear to potential supporters what your needs are and just how much they might give. In my experience, it really frustrates supporters to not know how much they're expected to give or if you really need the support. It rarely ever puts them off to be asked directly. You won't lose friends. People can relax around you, knowing just how much you need and knowing that you know just how much they can do to help.

When you give a presentation, be sure to intersperse a lot of stories and anecdotes about yourself and your task. Don't talk too much. And always leave time for people to respond.

Tips for an Effective Support-Raising Presentation

Don't rely on letters. Letters alone are the least effective means of communicating your mission and your need. Statistics show a two percent response. If you must send a letter, make sure it's followed by a phone call and a specific request for a prayerful response.
Make a personal visit. This is most effective, with a sixty percent favorable response. Call first. Look sharp. Show up on time, and keep it short and to the point.
Telephone calls are second only to personal presentations, with a forty percent effectiveness rate. The same principles that apply to a face-to-face presentation apply over the phone. Once you've told them what you want, be sure to send follow-up information.
One good method is to use a response card. Your donors will need to know pertinent information like how to give, where to send the check, how to get in contact with you, and whether tax credit can be received. Give them a prayer reminder such as a picture of yourself with dates, times, places, and the type of ministry in which you'll be involved.

We've barely scratched the surface of the whole ministry of support raising, but this should provide a few suggestions of how to begin. Be ready for a challenge; be ready for a blessing.