Most of you know that I, along with two other dudes, will be planting a church in Madison, WI in a few months. A huge part of the start up energy goes to fund raising. Since we don't have any people at our church yet, we have to seek support team members to help us get off the ground (btw - if any of you would be interested in this, just click here).
Of all the guys I know who have to fund raise for their jobs, very few actually enjoy it. There are just varying degrees of hatred for it. Since last October, as I have progressed in the fund raising journey I have grown to see how hard it is and how emotionally taxing it can be especially in these crazy financial times when many people are simply trying to sit on their money and wait out the storm.
One facet of this process that I have been reflecting on lately is the tension in fund raising between God's sovereignty and my responsibility. As I see it, there are two main sides to the coin in this fund raising process.
On the one hand, I am full of faith that God will provide. I have seen God do this in my life over and over again, from the time when I was struggling as a musician in Nashville, TN and working in the Christian music industry, to the money that came in for Mya's adoption. I have seen God's faithfulness over and over again and I will fight to not become a grumbling Israelite who faithlessly wants to go back to slavery in Egypt. God will provide. This is a fact.
On the other hand, I have to be diligent to go out and get the money that God will provide. I can't lay in bed all day and believe that checks will just start coming in the mail. I have to put in the work. And it is work.
So this is the tension that I will live in for the next few months. It is good to be reminded of these crucial theological concepts as I move forward.
Some of you reading this may be passionate about church planting. If so, you might want to take a moment and look over our support team site. There are a bunch of links to look through. Especially read our vision, and watch the videos in the media section.
3 comments:
I have been "on support" for over thirty years. I do a bit of training/exhortation about it. As much as I hate the term, I serve in "parachurch" youth ministry. I do maintain a blog on the subject; perhaps you'll check it out: http://supportraising101.blogspot.com/
I do promote three basic truths about "support":
1. There is no "way" to raise support; you need to find what works for you.
2. Support raising is NOT preparation for ministry; it IS ministry.
3. Money follows ministry.
Blessings to you on this journey!
Jack,
I like your second point especially. Fund raising is not begging for money - It is a key way to GIVE people an opportunity to step out in faith, to join with you in being a significant agent of change in God's work, and to be blessed in every way by being a blessing to others.
I guess I have to be one to say that I LOVE support raising. It is uncomfortable at times, but the ministry and the relationships and the blessings that I can bring through it are simply amazing. And God has been so faithfully and amazingly providing (like you said Z) for over 11 years of doing it. It has boosted my faith in God's power.
Praying for your plant. Thanks for the post, it's an encouragement to me as our group prepares to begin our fundraising push in the next couple months.
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