My Support-Raising Philosophy
I view support-raising and fund-raising differently.
Fund-Raising
Fund-raising is something to do in order to raise money for a cause or for some activity that I want to take part in. The primary goal and focus of fund-raising is simply to raise funds. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from, just as long as the financial goals are met. This can include anything from car washes and bake sales to selling candy bars and crafts.
Support-Raising
Support-raising includes fund-raising, but there is so much more. Support raising is about getting people on board with a cause–in this case, it is God’s ministry of furthering His kingdom here on earth (what greater “cause” is there than this!). Yes, there are financial goals that need to be met, otherwise that particular ministry cannot operate or that particular missionary will not be sent out into the field. However, the truth is, God’s word does not come back void (Isaiah 55:11); He will acomplish His purposes.
The question is… don’t you want to be a part of that?
The Ministry of the Support-Raiser
I’ll let you in on a little secret that we support-raisers are told: support-raising is as much a ministry to the people you are seeking support from as is the ministry you are seeking that support to do. In other words, I have the opportunity to connect you with one of the many great ministries God is doing, giving you the opportunity to get involved in whatever way you can with what God is doing.
God commands all of us to “make disciples” wherever we are, but He has called some to stay locally and some to be sent to the “ends of the earth” (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). “…And how can they preach unless they are sent” (see Romans 10:14-15).
The Need for Partners
I stick to what I have said since the beginning: God is the one who called me to this, and He is the one that will provide for His ministry. But I also recognize that many of the ways He provides is through people.
I cannot do this on my own; I need others to partner with me.
$15,500 total is a lot of money, a sum that I cannot pay on my own. Now, I do currently have a job and am saving up money to go towards other expenses for this trip (gear and supplies, medical vaccinations and insurance, visas, and travel expenses to/from the departure/arival sites in the U.S. and for training camp), but I still need your help to reach these goals.
With you as a partner, you are also a form of accountability for me not only for funds but also for correct doctrine and theology and for conduct and character.
But what is more than all of this is your prayers. If there is anything I covet, it is your prayers. You might not be able to financially give, and I understand that as long as you are giving back to God some way to support ministry that He is doing–if God does not provide through you, He will provide through someone else–but I do ask for your prayers for me, for my fellow ministers of the Gospel, and for the people I minister to. Being part of the prayer team is not a concession for not being able to financially give, it is the primary front line and defense, it is what keeps us grounded and connected, focused on God.
The Call to Get Involved
Finally, my hope for you is if you are a missionally minded person, to seek your partnership with me for the World Race both financially and prayerfully. However, if you are a person that is not yet involved in ministry in some way or another (first, let me thank you for reading through all of this!), I ask that you do get involved, first and foremost as seeing where God has placed you as being a mission field in need of His Gospel of grace, but secondly that you would be supporting others that are sent.
Now, for those of you that are not yet missionally minded, I do not want to ask you to start giving in one breath and then in the next breath ask for that money, so I give you this charge: find someone else other than me to support. Give to your local church, support another ministry organization or minister of the Gospel, give to the poor and needy, or support one of my other World Racer teammates. We are all in this together to spread the Gospel and further God’s kingdom. Like I said before, if God doesn’t provide through you for me, He will provide through someone else, but I would love to encourage you to bless someone else with your support if it will not be me.
