Next up in Question Week:
Are you completely fundraised or are you a “tentmaker” (do you support yourself with an income or form of work outside of ministry or missions)?
We’re an odd breed on this one, as we are actually both. Sometimes the mix of each changes, but it’s been this way the whole time here. A huge part of why we need the income from our business back in the States is the exchange rate from the Dollar is brutal, so we’re shaving a third to one-half of our value when we use it over here, hence the need for a huge amount of money despite living modestly. However, because we rely on the fundraised part of our income as well, we still get to do all the communication, interaction, and “dog and pony” show to supporting churches.
Related posts:
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Question Week: How Much Should You Divulge During Fundraising?
Question Week: How Much (or What) Should You Communicate Back Home?
Question Week: Sent By a Mission Agency or By Your Home Church?
I know you guys are getting hammered by the dollar/Euro exchange rate. Earlier this year in Mexico the peso per dollar rate jumped to 15 pesos per $1 (it had hovered at 12/$1 for 4 years) so we were rejoicing. But now that we’re planning a trip to Europe in the summer of 2010 we’re grumbling like spoiled children at the dollar/Euro rate. Can’t imagine the frustration you guys have at seeing the diminished power of the dollar there.
Financially we’re crossing into strange new territory. I have 3 sons – ages 16, 15 and 11 and at this point my wife and I are beginning to plan for our boys’ college educations. We’re looking into scholarships for MKs, grants, special loans to missionaries, etc and in re-working our budget we see that we are short in our monthly income. All the while we believe God is calling us to expand our ministry and branch out in some very “out of comfort zone” directions. This new, re-booted ministry will require lots more money but I believe God has made it a faith issue for me. Last December I was considering taking a lucrative part-time English teaching job yet reluctantly-in-faith turned it down only to have a check for $6,000 USD come in unexpectedly a few days later. Life by faith is a roller coaster ride! But this is not to say that God may call me at another time to get work or “tent-make” and that, too, would be walking in faith just the same.
@Greg: Yeah, some people think since we’re already in Western Europe that we should vacation so cheaply. Hah! While a flight wouldn’t be priced as bad as starting off from the States, accommodation, food, etc. would all still be converted from the Dollar. Just be glad it’s not at $1.60 to the Euro as it was about a year or so ago.
God bless you as you look to your financial future. It is definitely about being outside of comfort zones and being on a roller coaster of faith. Several thought it was “too expensive” for us to attempt ministry in the most expensive part of Europe, but we have been blessed for it and have not gone without our needs.
Very good question, and like most things I am not a one size fits all kind of person. The only thing I am “one size fits all” about is Christ. Truly He is the only solution for man’s salvation–but I digress (albeit a holy digression). I am also pretty adamant about Coca-Cola (Pepsi-yuck), Mac computers (I don’t do Windows), and my hatred of the New York Yankees (Baltimore Orioles fan)–but again I digress.
Christ has many methods to provide for what He has called His people to do. Before I became a missionary I was a computer engineer for a county library system. My mission field was my staff and co-workers at that library. Christ provided the finances for that mission field through my paycheck. I know I was called to that field, Christ provided for me and my family when we ministered there.
Presently I am in the Philippines. At this time Christ’s method for our provision is through monthly investors. We are blessed to be completely funded, we are not tentmakers. Again, this is Christ’s method for our current calling.
For both situations (library and Philippines), Christ was my Source. When I worked for the library, Christ was my Source, now living as a full-time missionary, Christ is still my Source.
This is what I know to be true. My job is NOT to provide for my family, food, clothing, housing, etc. That is Christ’s job. Christ is the Provider for me and my family, and He is better at it than I am. My job is to do what He tells me to do. When I do my job, He will do His job. The method of that provision may change, but the Source will remain the same.
@David: We have a lot in common! Before entering the field, I was an IT consultant and also viewed my job as my mission field at the time, much to the confusion of other Christians, I might add. “But a missionary goes to another country and speaks a different language, and that’s not how it is at your job.” Hmmm, 14 non-Christians for 8 hours a day…you can’t ask for more direct contact and interaction.
And “amen” to your comment “Christ is the Provider”. That was a hard lesson to learn in the field, but it is so true.
My wife and I are about to go into overseas missions in Sept, and we have had a revolution in our minds regarding the subject of finances as we’ve sought to understand a kingdom perspective on the subject. We come from the UK where the culture is for everyone to work for what they need and a common perception of mission support as laziness. We’ve had to battle the fear of man and get a renewed understand of the altogether more holistic nature of support that comes through relationship-based support. As our attitudes have changed we’ve seen Gods generosity to us and been able to accept it as grace instead of guilt. For the first season we are in training and I dont think it would be appropriate to try and tent make as it would inevitably take away from our focus on training, but I think if oppurtunities arose after that time I would certainly consider oppurtunites to make money as long as it didn’t negatively impact my first calling to the ministry we are involved in. I ran a short series of interviews asking what people thought of finances in mission given the current financial climate, which became quite formative for my understanding on the subject – http://liambyrnes.co.uk/?s=21st+Century+Missions
@Liam: I really appreciated your series and the respective links out you provided to other articles and papers on the subject. It’s been most informative and I highly recommend other readers check these out.
We can also relate to the change in attitude about finances that you describe.