Funding and Sanctification
Support Raising: 11 Principles to Get Funded
Principle #4 Funding and Sanctification
I’ve been a Christian for a little over fifteen years, and it’s been an amazing journey so far. I have seen God come through in unprecedented ways, I experienced significant growth in my faith, and the sweetest fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I can say that every step towards God makes me more like Him. However, when I think about some of my most sanctifying experiences, they are not necessarily the most glamorous moments of my life. Evangelism comes in first and closely followed in second place is support raising.
We all know how evangelism works. It’s simply sitting down with a friend or a stranger, pouring out your heart, and pleading them to turn to Jesus. You are risking your relationship and reputation with this person. But the crazy thing here is that support raising is no different at all. You sit down with a friend or a stranger and you earnestly beg them to get on board with the mission of God. You want to persuade them to commit and use their resources to advance His kingdom. Again, you’re risking your reputation and being made fun of. You also risk presenting yourself as weak and vulnerable before them.
I am incredibly grateful for my support raising journey because it has molded me to become more like Christ. When I think about some of my first and even some of my more recent support meetings, I realized that some things have not changed over the years. The process and accompanying emotions have remained the same. It starts with casting a vision to your audience, trying to sell them some amazing things that God is doing in the world. Then comes the last step which is asking them to support you personally, and that is the most humbling part of support raising. I sweat and feel anxious every time I have to do this part. Every single time, I’m forced to humble myself because nobody enjoys asking other people for money.
However, as I grow to become more like Christ, I became more convinced that the mission of God is my primary mission on earth. I believe that I’m called to go make disciples of all nations, and this is the role that I get to play in being a laborer of God’s harvest. The sanctification that I experience through the support raising process has been a tool God has used to make me the man I am today. So, as hard and humbling as it is, I’m still deeply thankful for the journey.
Although I have stumbled over my words countless times, become overwhelmed by my nerves and anxiety, and left fundraising meetings feeling embarrassed to my bones because I did a horrible job communicating the vision, my entire support raising journey has been worth it. All the times that I have pleaded with people to give to the kingdom of God have made me more like Christ. It has made me willing to lay down my life so that others may see God. I became eager and willing to set my rights aside and give up fantastic opportunities for this work God has given to me. I have gladly turned down chances to take jobs where I’d earn a fantastic salary and not depend on anyone’s generosity. This humbling process has made me willing to consider others better than I consider myself.
Thinking of the present generation of college students that will be rich with the message of the Gospel because I have chosen not to work in the corporate world, fills me with a deep sense of gratitude and immeasurable joy. It makes the sacrifice, humbling experiences, moments of surrender, and sanctification absolutely worth it. I get to use my time on earth to give to these students that God has put in front of me who have an amazing opportunity to transform the world is nothing short of beauty.
Support raising is difficult, and it is not always fun. However, one thing is guaranteed - support raising will make you more like Christ if you really give it everything you’ve got.
