Creating a foundation for successful support raising is key to ensuring longevity and sustainability in a life of ministry. If you are called to a life of support raising and are willing to trust God with the results, you will lead a life set apart from others. With that comes many blessings and, yes, some challenges, but the rewards are far greater.
You have no idea what God might do with your "yes" to living on support.
Here are some tips to help you start thinking through what support raising looks like:
PrayER
Prayer is essential in pursuing ministry work. Praying for clarity and discernment allows you to navigate the complexities of ministry with wisdom and confidence. As you make decisions, pray for peace and help in trusting God's guidance. Pray for the people you want to invite into your ministry, asking God to open their hearts and lead them to partner with you. Pray for opportunities to practice and receive generosity.
Through prayer, you invite God into every aspect of your ministry journey. No matter if you are considering ministry or currently serving, prayer is essential.
Study the scriptures
Studying scripture to develop a deep, biblical understanding of the practice of support raising. It's important to explore what the Bible says about generosity, partnership, and trust in God's provision. Support raising is a deeply spiritual process that requires you to be grounded in truth. You cannot expect to approach others for support if you are spiritually empty or unclear about why you are raising support.
To confidently ask for support, you must first understand, believe in, and live out the principles of biblical stewardship and partnership. By taking the time to dig in and study scripture, you will lay a solid foundation that will help you approach support raising with both faith and clarity.
Look below in the resources section if you would like guidance on where to start.
Practice being spiritually healthy
When you prioritize your spiritual health, you are better equipped to serve others, make wise decisions, and live out your faith authentically. Here are some specific examples to engage in spiritual practices to prepare you for a role that requires living on support:
Engage with your church community. Volunteering is a great way to get to know the church staff and other members, helping you establish connections and a strong support base for your ministry journey.
Practice generosity. Practicing generosity in your own life helps cultivate a heart of compassion and gratitude, which is vital for building meaningful relationships.
Regularly pray for others.
By investing in your spiritual well-being, you create a strong foundation that enables you to live out your calling with purpose and integrity.
Consider your Community
When considering a life of support raising, it's important to think about your community and the support network around you. Start by thinking about people you know and who is in your circle. Are you actively attending and serving at a local church? Do you have friends and family who would support your decision to pursue ministry? If you're considering ministry work that involves support raising, begin building and strengthening your relationships now!
Resources
It's crucial to assess whether you have the emotional and moral stamina to support raise, as this process can be challenging. To help navigate some of the more challenging parts of the support-raising process, check out these resources below to get you started.
Read The God Ask
Take a support-raising readiness survey
Read scripture through the eyes of support raising
Create and live off of a monthly budget if you do not already
Connect with another missionary or someone who has experienced support raising
Support Raising Solutions has many more resources; check them out!
A Final Note
We don't want fear or negative emotions about support raising to become an obstacle to saying yes to living on support. If fear is the only thing holding you back from saying yes to living on support, do it despite the fear and hesitation. You will never regret being obedient to God and trusting that he can do abundantly more with your “yes.”
