FUNDRAISING 101. Support Raising...

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1 By Mark and Debbi Witt FUNDRAISING 101 Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. Phiippians 4:17 ANSWERING GOD S CALL You hear the call; God wants you to become a vocational missionary and tell the world about Christ. You know he has called you to make an impact on our world spiritually. There are so many who need to hear the Gospel message... then... The words Support Raising come into play and you panic. You ask yourself, Why does that have to be part of it? Maybe I was wrong God. I can just serve You in other ways... and you end the dream of winning the world to Christ through missions. Support Raising... it gives many pause. Support raising is merely friend raising and it s one of the most exciting adventures you will pursue in your life. God can use anyone and any resources to provide for His work. You are becoming His instrument in challenging others to give to His work. We have written this book to share with you what God thinks about support raising, how He provides, and how it enriches your Christian walk. Answering God s Call Luke 10:1-1 6 I Peter 5:10 Nehemiah 2:1-8 1 Romans 8:28,29 II Corinthians 8:16-21 Psalms 46:10

2 BLESSINGS Realize God has called you to ministry. If you are married, you need to hear the call jointly. Support raising and missionary service itself will not work if you are not in this together. God doesn t call one without the other. There are many benefits of raising support. It gives you a sense of independence within the team an income while you minister. Support is your income as you minister. Why not give God your full attention to the ministry He s called you to? Your support will come from the King of Kings who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He will bless you. You will witness miraculous giving as you trust Him. It will show you the blessings of God and His greatness. God will bless you as you raise support and learn to trust Him with every physical need in your life. You will gain a deeper understanding of what it means to totally rely on Him in every aspect of your life as you raise support. It will give you a group of people who will pray for you. One of the greatest attributes of missionary support is the family ties you develop with the folks who give to you. Usually if someone is giving, they are also praying for you. What could be better than to have a base of friends who lift you up to the Lord in prayer as you are on the front lines of ministry? Always remember your support team is your extended family, your congregation. They are the ones who really care about what you re doing and they want to be involved through giving to you. Raising support is not begging for money. Raising support is asking for gifts from people who want to share in reaching people for Christ. Remember the giver is more blessed than the receiver. Acts 20:35 It is more blessed to give than to receive. HOW God has called you to be part of missions and He has asked that you trust Him with support raising. A commitment of a period of time must be made. Set aside time each day for support raising. As you raise support, realize it takes time. We live in a busy world and people often need to be challenged several times before they realize this is something God wants them to do. Set realistic goals. An example would be - If you need $3000 for your trip, try to be at certain levels of support by a certain month. Set goals daily, weekly, and monthly. 2

3 1. Don t take being a missionary lightly. a. You will be part of a larger mission. b. Most missionaries raise their own support c. Home missions is just as important as foreign d. It s important to study the life of great missionaries and find out how they did it. 2. Raising support is not begging for money. Raising support is asking for gifts from people who want to share in reaching people for Christ. Remember the giver is more blessed than the receiver. Acts 20:35 It is more blessed to give than to receive 3. Once you take this step of faith there is no turning back. Quitting is not an option. If you are called to be a missionary, don t stoop to be king. Discouragement has no place in the life of a missionary 4. Realize you can raise adequate support you can do it with God it is just a matter of when. 5. You must ask God to give you a real desire to build a team of supporters. (You must have a positive attitude) 6. Support raising is friend raising. 7. Realize people are looking for a challenge and a cause. 8. You must be aggressive no room to be shy. You are asking not for yourself but for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 9. You are not asking for yourself, but to join in a greater cause for the King. 10. Support is the most stable form of income to the missionary support you can count on. 11. Do not discard potential supporters remember the people you think will support you WILL NOT and the ones you think will not support you PROBABLY WILL. God has His own plan. 12. Never go after a regular supporter of a ministry to move his/her money from another account to your account. 13. Support raising must be part of your life. a. Continually give new folks you meet your missionary card b. Always talk about you being a missionary c. Engage your family as part of the missionary process 14. Never use the word money use support, gift, and contribution. Money adds a negative or worldly connotation. 15. Plan to pray for your supporters and pray for their specific needs. Let your supporters know you are praying for their needs. 3

4 THE PLAN 1. Pray over this matter of being a missionary. 1. Pray Pray Pray (with your family and friends) 2. You must take ownership of this project 3. Plan to meet with your leadership weekly to discuss your progress. 4. Tell your story of what you will be doing on the mission field. 5. Plan to pass out your missionary support card to everyone you see. 6. Design a Facebook page for folks to check out. 7. Ask a friend to introduce you to a friend. 8. SUPPORT LETTER a.develop a mailing list- try to come up with at least 100 names. b.do not exclude anyone. (Those you think will give, will not, others will give, etc) c.send out your initial support letter to your entire list and let those who respond make up your key list. The first paragraph should tell what the letter is all about. The last paragraph should be the ask. People need to know your specific need. The PS should tell what is in the letter and make them want to read the body of the letter. d.if you need three thousand dollars, then ask for it. e.after several months of sending monthly newsletters write to only key people on your list. 9. PERSONAL IMPROVEMENTa.Read books and materials on support raising b.exchange notes with other missionaries raising support c.attend meetings to help you with support raising 4

5 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations,... and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14 PRAYER / GIVING / RECEIVING Philippians 4:15-18 I Chronicles 29:11 Luke 6:38 Malachi 3:10-12 Numbers 18:21 I Corinthians 9:11 I Corinthians 9: 14 Mark 11:24 I John 5: James 4: 2-3 I Corinthians 9:14 Psalms 50:10-12 Mark 11:24 I Thessalonians 5:16-18 FAITHFULNESS Colossians 2:6 John 15:7 Hebrews 13:5 Psalm 37:7 COURAGE AND FAITH Acts 4 Philippians 4:11-13 Joshua 1:9 Philippians 4:6,7 Isaiah 41:13 Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Exodus 3: 4-14 I Samuel 17 Proverbs 3:5-6 Exodus 4:10-12 II Corinthians 5:7 STRENGTH IN GOD Psalms 81:10 Luke 1:37 Psalms 84:11-12 II Corinthians 12:9-10 Romans 8: II Corinthians 12:9 10 Isaiah 40:29-31 Jeremiah 32:27 Jeremiah 33:3 Genesis 18:14 GOD S WORD STANDS Isaiah 40:8 5

6 Remember to challenge as many people to give and pray as God recalls them to your mind... to your piano teacher, your math teacher, your mailman, your mother s aunt s aunt, your aunt, your paperboy, your best friend, your best friend s parents, your orthodonist, your boss, your cable guy, your preacher, your long lost friend, your mentor, your church secretary, your mom and dad, your grandparents, your gym teacher, your dentist, your doctor, your banker, your grocery clerk... Support letters~ 1. Tell a story in your first paragraph- vivid pix to enthuse and gain sympathy 2. How do THEY benefit? 3. Why am I writing this letter? 4. Reiterate in the P.S. HOW TO RAISE SUPPORT FOR YOUR MISSION ~ READ THE ATTACHED SUPPORT 101 It is actually written for our fulltime missionaries, but there are a lot of good ideas and methods for you to implement as you raise your support for your mission. MAILING YOUR LETTERS You will want to compile a list of people. (See Support 101 as to whom you should write.) You will need: # 10 envelope for the outside envelope Hand address the envelope Put your name and address in the upper left corner # 9 envelope or smaller for the inside envelope This will need to be addressed to: Teen Quest, 293 Rich Road, Somerset, PA Put YOUR name in the left bottom corner so we know which account the gift goes to. Letter *Address the letter personally. Do not use Dear FRIENDS. Say, Dear Friend or their personal name. Pray Pray Pray Checks should be made out to your mission organization. Givers should not put your name anywhere on the check. 6

7 CREATE A YOUTH GROUP MISSION EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR GROUP Start today and contact a Teen Quest Church Ministry Coordinator and get your group involved. Phone: quest@teenquest.org Web: ABOUT TEEN QUEST MISSIONS Teen Quest is a youth ministry with the three-fold focus of: WINNING students to with the Gospel message, BUILDING each student in the saving faith of Jesus Christ through discipleship and SENDING students into local and foreign mission fields to share the Christ. This gives each individual missionary an experience that will change their life on the adventure of a lifetime. INTENSIVE TRAINING Pre-Trip Planning Training begins the moment you re placed on your mission trip. A package will arrive at your church containing what you need to get ready. A guidebook, that includes critical details such as fundraising blueprints, a schedule of optional online mission classes and contact information for your assigned representative, is included in this package. Once your youth group arrives at the Teen Quest headquarters - you will learn the tools you will use to connect with the people being ministered to (dramas, children s ministry, skits, etc.). On The Field Even after your mission trip has begun, the training continues. We re committed to provoking every missionary to grow in their relationship with God. Throughout the trip leaders will share from God s Word on several important topics. These daily coaching moments will help you capture life lessons that will impact your youth group forever! Post-Trip Debriefing True learning requires reflection. At the end of your mission trip, you will gather with your team for a time of sharing testimonies and rejoicing in all that God has done in and through you. A final time of corporate worship and celebration will seal the work God has done in your heart 7