Top Five Myths in Support Raising
Posted by C. Holland on Sep 07, 2009The latest issue of “Support Raising Solutions” from TheBodyBuilders.net focuses on the Top Five Myths in Support Raising. We certainly suffered from Number 2 early on (“I can do this alone”), partly because of our tentmaking ability with our business in the States. God quickly convicted us that, even if we could completely fund our ministry, prayer support and communication is really the most important part.
Number 3 (“Everybody’s already tapped out”) reminds me of my work in advertising. The sales manager always emphasised that the sales people had to approach everyone regardless of whether it appeared that their business could afford promotion; stop making the decision for potential advertisers, he’d say, and let them make it. You’d be absolutely shocked to know who our biggest and most consistent financial supporter is—and where they live.
Finally, Number 5 (“I will have to scrape by the rest of my life”) reminds me that, while prosperity gospel is not our goal, neither should be poverty theology; the whole attitude seems defeatist. However, I believe that non-missionary Christians are just as guilty at perpetuating this myth with this odd expectation of missionary life—but not for them, their Christian friends or their pastor. If the funding ultimately comes from God, then differentiating lifestyle by parts of The Body doesn’t really make sense.
Check it out here: Top Five Myths in Support Raising
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September 7th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I would like to add a sixth myth:
Multi-level marketing is not a substitute for support-raising.
I have been approached by several fellow missionaries about signing up with their MLM “businesses” – something they see as a way to eventually be self sufficient. If someone wants to use their MLM to supplement their support-raised or tentmaking income then so be it, but I’ve never seen it work to support any missionary completely. To me though, MLM’s are nothing more than wealth-focused pyramid schemes that can seriously damage your friendships and therefore should be avoided.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:21 am
@Greg: Excellent addition. I have not encountered this specifically from missionaries but from non-missionary Christians with essentially the same agenda.
Anyone else have some myths to add?
September 7th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Myth #7
Living on support is second-class to people with “real” jobs. I carried a lot of guilt around during our first ministry work because I felt like I was taking a hand-out, working on the dole. It wasn’t until this year (after going through support raising training) that I learned that being supported for ministry work is a part of God’s plan for his church. I also learned that Jesus was on support and that because it wasn’t beneath him, it isn’t beneath me.
MLM ran rampant through our bible college and many, many people were suckered into paying into the pyramid with the promise of great wealth and no support raising. NOT ONE family made any money, EVERYONE lost their money. It was sad.
September 11th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
@Kevin: Thanks for the addition. It’s something we definitely struggled with as well. We know some of our Christian friends still feel this way about us, but God really is our source no matter if we acquire it through “clocking in” to a secular job or being on mission. Re: MLM, sounds like it’s a bad idea.