Asking for Support
Don't feel bad about asking people to support you. It takes money to reach the lost, especially in the foreign field.

I was praying about this and God spike to my heart. He said, "They will either sow into your ministry or into Starbuck's and McDonald's. Which do you think will produce a better return for them?" I thought that was good advice!

And when you ask for money, cast vision. People want to give toward a cause, not just a person. I can ask people to support me this way:

I am a missionary to Germany and am serving the people there. It takes money for my family to live there. If you are interested, we could use the money to further the Gospel.

But it's much more effective for me to tell them this way:

Less than one-percent of European students have a genuine relationship with Christ. Less than five-percent are involved in church, even sporadically. So I can safely assume that any teen I run into has never been to church. Jesus is to them only a figure on stained glass. This is truly an unreached people group!

This is a youth pastor's dream! I have found that once I earn the right to speak into a student's life, it's very easy to get them to give their hearts to Christ. Our vision is that every teen in every European town will hear the Gospel in a way they can understand it. The way we go about accomplishing this mission is by evangelizing and discipling teens and by equipping leaders with the heart and skills necessary to reach this generation.

Now accomplishing this vision takes money, but the eternal rewards are well worth the investment. I believe in what I'm doing so much that our family has moved halfway across the world. I invite you to join us in taking the Gospel to this pivotal generation. You won't just be affecting lives, you can change a continent!

Based on the two fundraising strategies I have shared, which one are you most likely to give towards? The second one, right? Why? Because I have attached vision and purpose to a person's giving.

I'm not talking about a marketing strategy, but instead sharing the purpose God has given us. And in doing so, I am inviting people to do something significant with their money, and therefore, with their lives.

Remember: God Loved Them First
As a seasoned missionary once told me: "Remember that God has a history with these people...He was working on their hearts long before you got there!" Be a student of the culture and people. Learn their customs and their mindset.

In John. 5:19, Jesus said, "I only do what I see my Father doing." This is good advice for us to! We need to observe what He is doing in the lives of the people and then connect with it. If I do that, I am guaranteed to succeed.

Look for the religious, cultural, political and philosophical connections between their stories and the story of God, and then use those connections to paint a picture of a loving God.

If you are called to the mission field, you are in for an incredible adventure. Just be sure to do the natural things that will allow you to "finish your course with joy" (Acts 20:28)!

May God bless you and go with you as you impact lives and influence nations with the Gospel.

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