Short term missionaries have the courage to obey God’s call to go to the ends of the earth, but ask them to raise money for the trip and their knees may start knocking.
They often protest: My friends are broke! I feel awkward talking to people about money!
I know the feeling, but now I have a different attitude. My wife and I raised our living and ministry expenses from friends, family, and churches during three years of ministry in Kenya and two more at the headquarters of our mission agency. Now I’m a journalist—earning a paycheck the traditional way—but I still help missionaries raise funds, and recently raised money for a short-term trip myself.
This is a touchy subject for most people, and it once was for me too. Even when people feel God’s calling to missionary work, they often don’t want to do any fundraising. Sadly, most Christians find talking about money taboo. We think it’s OK to talk to people about faith, but not finances.
Now that I have a new outlook on fundraising, I actually enjoy it. So allow me to address five common myths about fundraising.
Myth #1: People don’t like to give
God has a grip on the finances of many Christians, making them joyful givers. These people are looking for places to give. They delight in it. I needed to raise about $2,000 for a recent missions trip and a good friend pressed a check into my hands: “We had this left over this year and were looking for the right place to donate it,” he said. The check was for $3,000. I had already raised about $3,000 at the time, so the extra money God provided went toward supporting indigenous ministry in a country that’s closed to the Gospel.
It is true that some people struggle to be generous. But if you cling to the myth that people don’t like to give, it might reveal more about your heart than the generosity of others. You may not like to give, but that doesn’t mean no one else enjoys giving. That’s all the more reason to dispel this myth, make financial needs known in a prayerful and polite way, and invite others to get in on God’s work in the world.
Myth #2: People don’t have any money
We’re in the middle of the Great Recession! How can anyone support mission work? Those who think that people don’t have very much money are right, but they have the wrong perspective. God is the provider—not people. We need to be faithful to make the need known, but it’s God who works through people and circumstances to provide. My father-in-law, a career missionary, likes to say: “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s resources.”
Our temptation may be to pre-judge who can and who cannot give. We may think someone who’s wealthy can give a big gift. We may assume someone who’s poor won’t give much. But there are lots of biblical examples of God miraculously providing something from nothing, manna from heaven anyone? I’ve always been amazed that God provides in the most unexpected ways. So we shouldn’t assume who may or may not give. It’s in God’s hands, and he will provide according to his will.
Myth #3: There are more important things to give to
Haiti is rebuilding. Children are starving in Africa. How does someone dare raise money for anything else? This is a serious question that deserves prayerful consideration. But if God has called you to serve, and it requires fundraising, then that must be important in his eyes. And if you’re questioning whether God has called you to serve, then you need to think deeper about God’s will regarding this mission trip. If you’re convinced, then have the conviction that God’s leading is important.
Plus, money isn’t the only reason to raise support. The point is for missionaries to put together a sending team that will support them—in prayer, emotionally and financially—as they go on the journey. Fundraising isn’t about the money, believe it, or not. The money is required to pay for the trip expenses, of course, but prayer is the foundation of any successful missions endeavor. When people give, they are invested. They are connected. They are part of the ministry.
Myth #4: Fundraising is a burden
No, it’s an incredible opportunity to see God work. The world says it’s better to keep your money. The Bible says it’s more blessed to give than receive. Do you run away from other opportunities to see God at work? A couple was at my house recently discussing the launch of their fundraising campaign for their ministry in Africa. “I’m excited,” the wife said when I asked how they were feeling. “We’ve had so many people tell us they want to support us that I can’t wait to get started.” What a refreshing perspective!
A close friend of mine lost his hand to cancer about three years ago and needed about $50,000 for an advanced prosthetic hand that was not covered by his insurance. I emailed his loved ones, asking them to donate for the cause, and urged them to forward my appeal to their friends and family. God provided more than $50,000 within a month. That’s pure joy—a true testimony of God working through his people. That’s a blessing, not a burden.
Myth #5: It’s not spiritual to ask for money
The famed missionary George Mueller had a policy of never asking anyone for money. He prayed and trusted God to provide. That’s fantastic and a valid means of raising support. But it does not mean that it’s nobler or more spiritual to quietly trust God to provide without saying a word to anyone about ministry needs. In 1 Corinthians 16 the Apostle Paul gives fundraising instructions to gather a gift for the Christians in Jerusalem. He had no qualms talking about money!
Besides, even if a missionary never asks for money, she is still responsible for building a support team. That involves communicating with people. One problem might be that the missionary is unclear about her vision, or uncertain about how to communicate it. That’s fodder for another conversation. For now, be confident that it’s biblical to ask when God leads in that direction.
