Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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This week I’m going to do a blog series on support raising.  I think there are a lot of questions out there as to why missionaries have to raise support, what it really goes to, and there are other lies that supporters and missionaries alike ask themselves.  I’m going to tackle them because, really, the father of lies has had his grip on people’s support networks for too long and I want to bust his grimy hands off of it.

 
 
:: support raising – overcoming the begging mentality ::
 
One of the biggest lies that support-raised missionaries have to fight, and even one of the biggest misconceptions potential supporters need to battle, is that of: support raising is just begging.  They see it as people asking others for money so that they have the freedom to sit on their butts all day or travel overseas to have a vacation.
 
Support raising is not begging!

I think this misconception is harder to fight for Stateside missionaries like myself.  For those around people like me, it’s hard to convince them that what we’re doing is actually mission work.  As soon as the flight overseas, dust from Africa, and heat from India are removed from the equation, a lot of people have a problem seeing what we’re doing as a ministry with global impact.  The result is that every time we approach people asking for support, we’re given a blank stare and the response of, “well, why don’t you just get a real job?”

One of the problems is that state-based missionaries are surrounded by affluence.  Let’s face it, America is wealthy and even when it’s at its worse, it’s still above and beyond Swaziland’s best.  And because America is wealthy and most people are able to provide for themselves, the thought of having someone ask you for money so that they can pay their bills, make their rent, pay their insurance, and make those scheduled trips to Guatemala and Turkey… it’s just ridiculous.

“Go get a real job,” they say.

The truth is and forever will be that support raising is not begging.  Paul didn’t beg.  Churches gave to him and his ministry willingly.  He actually had the expectation for the church to give to his ministry and missions.  Why?  Because it’s a community effort.  It wasn’t just his ministry, it was their’s too.  Yes, Paul had a tent-making business, as do most missionaries.  I’m even in the process of looking for one.

People that beg are looking for handouts so that they can make it to the next handout.  People that support raise have a mission, a goal, an end-in-mind that they’re trying to achieve.  They don’t swindle people for their money.  They take what they’re given and change the world with it.  And let’s face it, they’re usually the ones who really love what they’re doing and believe in it so much that they take cuts… they even give most of what they raise away (as is my case and the case with many I live with).

Missionaries don’t “beg” to just turn around and burn the money away…

…they support raise so they have the means to transform the world into a better place.

 
In the meantime, I’m trying to raise support for 2010 so that I can continue in the ministry I’m a part of.  So far I’ve got eleven prayer partners and nine financial partners.  If you’d be interested in partnering with me in my ministry, send me an email here and let me know whether you want to be a prayer partner, financial partner, or both.  If you’re willing to be a financial partner, please let me know how much you’d be willing to donate whether one time or monthly.  It will help me in figuring out how well we’re doing in reaching my support goal.  Thanks!