How to Overcome the “I Don’t Have” Thoughts in Personal Support Raising
“I don’t have connections and contacts with people I could raise support from. I don’t know any __________________.” Fill in the blank. Some would say I don’t know pastors. Others would say I don’t know many foreigners. Some would say all my friends are fellow missionaries, I don’t know any rich people interested in missions.
These “I don’t” statements are a major hindrance to being fully funded as a Christian worker living on gift income.
If you assume people won’t want to support you, they will not. You may need to change your mindset. Shift from thinking you are asking them to give you money, toward understanding you are extending an invitation to be part of what God is calling you to do. It makes all the difference.
The Power of Invitation
I listened to a podcast a few weeks ago. It’s an excellent one I highly recommend called “Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership” with Ruth Haley Barton. She was talking with Adele Calhoun, the author of Invitations from God. They talked about the name of the book and why Adele chose the word invitation.
“An invitation is something you have a choice about. It’s not something you are being forced to do,” she said. It’s a great book that talks about how God invites us to rest, weep, etc…
Billy Graham wrote about the Invitations of Christ. In evangelism, he liked to use the language of invitation. Invitation removes coercion or manipulation from the equation.
It got me thinking about the word. When someone asks me to do something, it can feel awkward. Especially if I want to say no, but have a close relationship with this person. It’s a bit different if I am invited. I feel freer to choose.
Steve Shadrach has an excellent book on ministry partner development called The God Ask. It’s particularly written for Christian workers in the United States. I wonder if a better title would be “Inviting People to Join in God’s Dreams.” Not as catchy, but you get my point.
I find it easier to think of inviting people into something than to think of asking people to be financial donors. Maybe you do too.
Okay, that was a slight tangent. Let’s go back to the idea of how I don’t have thinking impacts us.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:3
The above scripture says that God has given you everything you need to live for Him. If He has called you to live on gifts from others, He has already provided the people who will partner with you. You just need to identify them.
How do you do that?
First, you must pray with an open mind.
There are primarily two types of people likely to become financial partners. Whether they give one-time gifts or whether they support you and your work monthly.
1) People who know and like YOU.
Sometimes these people will give even when they don’t understand or believe in your ministry’s vision. That’s okay, invite them to partner. They will be blessed and grow to understand more over time.
2) People who like THE VISION in your heart.
Are names floating up into your mind, even as you read that? “Yes, but…” your mind is saying. “They don’t have much money themselves.” This can be a big hindrance.
When does the Bible say that those with only a little money couldn’t or shouldn’t give to His Kingdom? Those with little money can be some of the most generous people on the planet. And as they give to God, He blesses them back.
You believe that right? We can not out-give God? That when people give to His work, He will reward them? Stop thinking you can’t invite those without much money to partner with you. They may really want to give to the vision you’ve been entrusted with by God!
How To Overcome the I Don’t Haves
1. Repent from wrong thinking and wrong assumptions.
It’s a strong word, but we need to use it. Repentance acknowledges a wrong belief and decides to think differently. Your incorrect thoughts about this could be preventing you from living the life of freedom God intends. Ask God’s forgiveness and go forward with His help.
2. Make a list of people who like you and/or believe in you or are like-minded when it comes to your ministry vision.
You don’t have to show this to anyone, but make your list before the Lord.
3. Pray and ask God how you could invite them into this vision/dream God has given you.
Crafting your presentation of the vision is important. You will need to be able to share clearly what it is that God has called you to do and why it matters. Then practice saying it and at the end of your sharing invite people to be a part of it through joining your ministry partner team.
4. Commit to change your thinking whenever you hear those statements in your head.
It will take discipline. As you start making appointments with people to share, those thoughts will rise up and try to keep you from progress. I find it helpful to choose a statement I will say to myself when this happens. Here is an example. “Jesus invited everyone. When I invite people to partner with a Kingdom vision, I’m being like Jesus. There is no shame or compulsion in that.”
Let me know in the comments if you can identify with the above. Have you struggled with the “I Don’t Haves” when it comes to personal support raising? Join the Missionary Life Facebook Group and we can chat further.
What is one action step you will take this week to move beyond the “I don’t haves”?