100% Funded in 2017, An Action Plan

 

(Part five in the Raising Financial Support series from Tim Parlier. Read part six here.)

Our world needs you. Specifically, they need Jesus. But for some reason I’ll hopefully one day understand, He chose to use knuckleheads like us to introduce Him to the world, to be the bearers of good news.

I want you to take a couple minutes to consider these questions seriously:

1. What would it feel like if I was fully funded? (You’ve raised 100% of your support, ministry expenses, fixed costs, groceries, date nights, gas, and even fun stuff with the family.)
2. How would being 100% funded affect your overall mood each day or as you meet with others?
3. How would being 100% funded change the dynamics in your home and in your marriage?

Well, put simply, it’s time! It’s time for you to be 100% funded. The world needs you! Your neighborhood needs you! Your church needs you! Jesus said somewhat painfully, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization, concurs: “I estimate there are over 100,000 young people who have made a commitment to some kind of missionary service, but 95% of them will not make it to that work. We’re not able to help them involve their networks to raise the necessary finances.”

Steve Shadrach in his book The God Ask: A Fresh Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising responds to Verwer’s quote in this way: “We have to solve this problem. We must find a way to unleash these thousands of world changers. Like me, maybe you, too, have been tempted to walk away from your calling when you found out there was no secret pot of money your organization possessed to pay your salary. Instead, you’ve taken the road less traveled. You’ve not only made the momentous decision to follow through on the Lord’s leading in your life to pursue full-time ministry, but now you have taken the second, even more extraordinary step of faith, committing yourself to raise your personal support. May God be with you.”

The good news is He IS with us, you, and me!  The Good News of the Gospel is He will never leave you or forsake you, and He didn’t put a burden on your heart to see the lost brought home, the kingdom advance, the broken-hearted restored, the spiritually dead to come alive, just so you could fall on your face or go broke. Rather, He invited you in to feast at the party with Him! He invited you to find life abundantly in Him and about your Father’s business that He prepared before the foundations of the earth (Ephesians 1).

So let’s do this! What’s next? Some of you may recoil when you see this action plan below, but I’m going to challenge you right now not to create excuses for inaction. God has done and IS doing His part actively moving in people’s hearts to give to Him, and your role is to go find them and invite them in. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Decide now not to be the information hoarder who loves to read articles or scripture about mission with no intention of ever walking in obedience what the Spirit has put on your heart. Being “hearers only” is self-deception, so if you plan to read the next posts in this series (or any other material for that matter) with no intention of following recommended steps, then I’m asking you (on behalf of all blog/writer/contributors) at least to take some time to find out and repent of what’s really keeping you stagnant.

Action Plan:

1. Go online and buy The God Ask by Steve Shadrach. Read it completely by 1/20/17.

• I’m reading it with you, and I’ll be continuing this series with some of the topics that come up. I get no kickback on this. (Should’ve thought of that earlier—maybe I could’ve helped my funding efforts, haha!)
• Take notes, and utilize the appendices and forms.

2. Write down your goal in monthly support. 

• Do you need $1,000/month more to cover your budget? Use an actual number that you actually need/want.
• Of that goal, take 1/3 of it; that’s your funding goal for January. This is what I call a “bite-sized step,” which I’ll explain in the next article.
• This gives you a final goal/vision and a specific number needed in thirty days that you can communicate clearly and is a realistic one-month benchmark that donors will be drawn to helping you achieve.

3. What are you going to STOP doing?

• You can’t do everything you’re doing currently AND raise support. So here’s where the rubber hits the road.
• Write down three things you will stop doing for the next six to ten weeks that will allow you to focus on raising financial support.

To repeat what I stated earlier, our world needs you. Specifically, they need Jesus. For some reason I’ll hopefully one day understand, He chose to use knuckleheads like us to introduce Him to the world, to be the bearers of good news. So here we go. I’m in this with you. I need to raise my support, as well, and I’m excited we can journey together and be 100% funded!

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Are you going to be taking part in Tim’s action plan? Let us know in the comments below!

–> Check out some of our video content:

• How to Prayerfully Plan
• Business as Mission