I know, I know…. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He also owns the birds of the air and the fish of the sea and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore and every good and perfect gift comes from above and on and on. In other words, God is loaded!! Yep, I know you have your doubts as you peek with one eye open at your bank account and budget each month. Nine out of ten missionaries that I talk to about raising money don’t like it, aren’t good at it and at the end of the day, don’t want to do it. But… They have to. So it all begs this question. Given the understanding that God loves to bless and provide for his family, what then shall I do? How do I raise money!!?? Here are 5 keys that I have personally found to be instrumental in raising funds.
1. Be a Giver – I think it would be impossible to expect to raise 100% support if you yourself are not giving. For me, giving is focused on three areas.
A: The Tithe – Giving your first fruits of your labor, the very best 10% to the equivalent of your home church. (The practice of tithing is a must. If you don’t believe in the theology/principle of tithing, then start tithing with a grateful, cheerful heart and see what happens).
B: Giving to Jewish ministry – I believe “To the jew first” is very applicable with our finances too. Romans Chp 9-11, make it very clear that Jewish people coming to know their Messiah will have a worldwide impact on the Kingdom and therefore the Great Commission.
C: To other missionaries – Believing in the principle of reaping what we sow, what better soil to sow into than the soil that you also tend!
2. Be a good steward – It’s crazy talk to believe that God is going to consistently entrust you with his wonderful provision if you don’t steward in an obedient manner. After all, the definition of stewardship is “the activity or job of protecting and being responsible for something”. A great question to ask here is… Where does my money really go? Which leads me to my third point…
3. Be a budgeter – It does not matter how much money you have, your money needs a job! If you have 2k a month to steward then you need to give each of those dollars a job and know where they are going. A budget is the way to do this. If you are handy with excel then making a budget should be simple. If you are not (like myself) then google (printable budgets) and get lost in all the options. If you need further guidance on budgeting you can consult Dave Ramsey’s website or email me. I would be happy to chat with you about budgeting.
4. Be a communicator – If you want people to give to you make sure they know that you want them to give. In other words… GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY. People are not going to just mystically find you or google you online. You need to be communicating using every platform you can. Here are some platforms that I have seen work:
A: One on One- If you can, meet with people/pastors/leaders in person and share your passion and heart with them. In the end, make sure they KNOW that you desire their two-fold support. Prayer and finances.
B: Cottage Meetings- Host small meetings (8-12 people) at your house or a friend/family member’s house and serve people nice hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Share with them a presentation of your vision and mission for your ministry. Make sure they know at the end of the night how they can give and where they can give.
C: Professional Emails- Bringing your emails to life with color/pics/graphics can really help. Please online programs like MailChimp can help you stay organized when it comes to managing your network.
D: Social Media – Facebook/Twitter/Instagram and such are great ways to keep people connected with you and updated. Use them for your pleasure, but also be intentional with deepening relationships and broadcasting your missions initiatives. These are great platforms to share quick pics and short stories of the great things that are happening in your life and ministry. People don’t know what’s going on if you don’t tell them.
E: Snail Mail Letters – I know it’s old fashioned, but it still works! 2-4 times a year send out a letter to your network. Make sure it looks good and reads easy. And that it’s obvious that people know where and how to give.
5. Be consistent – Two newsletters a year is not going to cut it. Just newsletters is not going to cut it. Your network is bombarded with information everyday from a multitude of mediums. People need to be seeing your face, hearing your stories and reading your writings, weekly if not daily. I know it sounds crazy and tiresome, but in all my experience in missions, those who are the most consistent are always the ones with a growing network and donor base.
In the end, it takes money to live, so by all means make it easy for people to give. Make it simple. Straight forward. And don’t beat around the bush. People like for things to be clear and concise, especially when it comes to how they are going to invest their money. You are a worthy place to invest, so make sure that people have every opportunity to sew into the great soil of your ministry. It’s a blessing to you, but it’s really just as big of a blessing to them!
If you would like to make a financial contribution to Marvin Slaton and his family, CLICK HERE.
