I am writing about the challenges of raising support and funding ministry. Without a doubt, the biggest challenge is learning to confront wrong paradigms and misunderstandings related to partnership development. Many people do not realize that raising support actually creates financial stability or that living on support is normative for those in full-time ministry in the New Testament, including Jesus himself.
Mindset of Partnership Development
One of the biggest paradigm shifts that must occur is the shift from a “fundraising” mindset to a “partnership development” mindset. This is not just semantics. I am suggesting an entirely different way of thinking about and approaching the mission God has given you.
A fundraising mindset focuses on money. A partnership development mindset focuses on cultivating authentic relationships with people for the sake of the advancement of the kingdom of God.
Seek partners not donors.
Raise support not money.
Build relationships not transactions.
A relational approach to partnership development takes more time, but it is worth the investment. And the truth is, unless you have a massive platform such as a TV show, radio program or viral Youtube channel from which to seek donations, a relational approach is actually going to be vital in establishing and sustaining the support you need for your ministry calling.
Avoiding The Ministry Sales Pitch
In the early years of my journey as a missionary living from support, I felt like a salesperson for my ministry. And the last thing I wanted to do was to manipulate people into giving money, even if it was for a good cause. Perhaps I could just send a letter and let people decide for themselves? This was actually my original approach when I quit my job in 2007. Not surprisingly, I was very poor for a few years.
The truth is, my personality type (INTJ on Meyers-Briggs if you are curious) despises everything related to sales. I can see through slick marketing tactics, and anything that hints at emotional manipulation is an immediate turnoff. Therefore, I want to be as authentic as possible to avoid emotionally manipulating people.
My worst performance at any job was when I worked at a bookstore. The boss constantly urged me to be more aggressive and interactive with customers. But to me, an aggressive store clerk is bothersome and smothering. If I need help, I will ask! Otherwise, I will simply find what I need on my own. Why would I annoy people with my sales pitch when I don’t like being on the receiving end of a pitch? I digress.
Eventually I discovered that the people who were willing to partner with our ministry were those that knew me well and had clearly heard the vision God had given me from my own mouth, usually in person. Relationships actually made all the difference. I realized that maybe I should do more than just mail some letters.
Now, when I am going to visit a potential ministry partner, I am not going in to make a sales pitch. I am building a relationship. I am going to hear their heart and story. And I am going to share my heart and connect their passions to the vision God has given me.
Remembering that I’m developing partners instead of raising funds helps relieve my anxiety when I am meeting with a potential partner. I am not going to ask for money. I am inviting partnership – a sincere relationship for the sake of God’s kingdom.
Ministry is Relationships
A relational approach to raising and maintaining your support team is actually a ministry in itself. That is why many organizations call their support-raising process MPD, or the Ministry of Partnership Development.
It has been said that “the Kingdom of God moves at the speed of relationships.” Worship, prayer and Bible study is based in relationship with God. Teaching, making disciples and caring for other believers flows from relationship with the Church. Befriending, serving and preaching the Gospel to the world means relationships with unbelievers. All ministry is relationship.
Likewise, raising support is all about relationships with your partnership team. You minister to them by praying for them, sharing testimonies of what God is doing and providing a chance to participate practically in an important kingdom mission. They minister to you through prayer and finances.
In a world where anyone can start their own “ministry” by creating a Facebook page and doing live videos, it might be helpful to assess your own ministry approach. Are there really people being loved, discipled and equipped by you? Do you know their names? Do you have mentors that are giving you wisdom? Do you have peers that are walking with you? Do you have those who are a few steps behind your journey that you can guide and counsel?
I have said before that if you have not spent years developing quality relationships with people, then you are going to really struggle raising support. If you have already spent some time building relationships and ministering to people, then you will probably have a large pool or people who will be eager to partner with you. However, if you have not, then perhaps the first step for you is to focus on building quality servant-hearted ministry relationships before raising support. Begin some form of ministry before you try to develop a partnership team.
Servant-Hearted Relationships
This shift from fundraising to partnership development must first happen in our own hearts and minds. When your ministry is desperate for financial support, it can be tempting to view people with dollar signs over their heads.
When you have needs, it is easy to view people in light of how they can help you, instead of approaching them with a desire to love them, serve them and minister to them. Yet this servant-hearted approach to life and leadership is what Jesus invites us into. It can be hard.
To love someone else while we are personally in need requires that we first trust God deeply and receive (love, life, revelation, power) from Him in our time alone with Him. From the overflow of our relationship with God we can minister to others, even if we are in need. This frees us to approach others with a true heart for loving partnership. It all starts in intimacy with God.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
The Practical Side of Relationships
Practically, it is impossible to be close friends with all of your ministry partnership team, though some of your team may be close friends or family. But a relational approach means that you are taking practical steps build sincere and sustainable connection with people.
It means that the ideal way to obtain financial support from a potential partner is to clearly ask them face to face after sharing your ministry vision with them. It means praying for your partnership team. It means communicating regularly with your partnership team. It means that you lean into more personal forms of communication whenever possible.
Sometimes I do this well, and sometimes I do not. But when I do this well, I can tell the difference. Having the right mindset and taking the practical steps to cultivate relationships with a partnership team brings joy, sustainability and lasting fruit to the ministry of partnership development.
Yes, you will need your partnership team to give you money, but that is only one aspect of one side of the two-way relationship. Relationships are two-way, and support comes in many different forms. During some seasons you feel like you give more than receive, and in other seasons it feels like you are reaping what you have not sown. But it all flows from relationships.