1. Begin with your home church
The first step is meeting with the leadership of your home church if the trip isn’t already organized by your church. By contacting your church first, you recognize your church, your pastor, and your elders as your spiritual leaders and seek their approval on proceeding to enlist support in the church. You will benefit from your church’s counsel now and in the days ahead. You need to have your church on your team.
4 things to accomplish when you meet with your church
- Share how God led you to be a part of this mission trip.
- Share your financial need
- Gain a clear understanding of the steps to follow to request church support
- Identify ways to present your ministry in the church.
2. Determine who to ask for support
The second step is to make a list of people to ask for support. This list should be anyone who knows you and cares about you. Don’t try to qualify them to be on the list based on their ability to give or even based on their faith in Jesus. You have the privilege of inviting people into ministry with you and you never know the impact that could have on a friend or loved one.
3. Organize your potential donor contact info.
The third step in raising support for your mission trip is to compile your list of contacts and their contact information in an easy-to-use system. Ideally, you will computerize this list.
USING A SPREADSHEET PROGRAM IS ONE WAY TO COMPUTERIZE YOUR LIST
Elements to include in your prayer letter
- Provide a brief update on your life
- Convey your mission and why you felt led to go
- Share about the ministry and what you will be doing during the trip
- Provide some photos or videos (if electronic) to help people understand what you are doing
- share about your needs and give people a way to respond
4. Distribute your prayer letter.
In step four, you let people know how God is leading you. In the past, support letters would be mailed to the people on your list and those people would mail in support checks. However, most of the communication and giving is now being completed online. Today, a common alternative to a prayer letter is an email that includes options for online and text giving.
Ways to Support a His Healing Hands Team Member
- Through the secure online giving portal
- Texting keyword and amount to 805-262-8404 (keyword is yourlastnameyourtriptripyear; e.g. smithlima24)
- Mail a check to His Healing Hands. Donors should note your name and trip name on the memo line.
- Ministry mailing address: 1050 Las Tablas Rd #5, Templeton, CA 93465
Tip: When you email your letter you can include the link to the giving page.
5. Ask people to pray about joining your support team
In this step, it’s time to individually ask people to pray about joining your support team. Set a goal and start communicating individually with people each week. It could be 5, 10, 15 or however many people seem realistic for you and your schedule. Remember, you’ll need to plan to follow up with people each week in addition to talking to new people.
Order your list by the people closest to you and work your way out. Again, try not to rank people based on their ability to give, the amount they could give, or even how likely they are to give. Remember, you’re not the one persuading them to give. The Holy Spirit is the one moving!
Communicate with people on the list the way you normally communicate-that could be:
- Over Coffee
- A text message
- Via Email
Even through social media or a phone call. Follow up to make sure they received your prayer/support letter and ask them to pray. See if you can follow up with them in a week or so to see how the Lord has led and then do so. Keep following up until you get a “yes” or a “no”. Then don’t forget to thank them and continue to communicate with them as part of your support team, if appropriate. Be aware that support comes in many forms so don’t make it only about money. Make anyone who supports you in any way a part of your support team.
6. Stay connected with your support team and potential donors
Don’t make this a transaction by reaching out to someone when it’s time for your trip and then cutting off contact once they’ve given. Make it a transformation! Keep them informed of your progress towards your goal, thank your donors, provide updates to those praying, post updates to social media, and share how you saw God move in and around you after the trip.
Raising support is so much more than just paying for the trip. It will stretch your faith, create a space for God to demonstrate what He can do and give many more people the opportunity to be part of the ministry than ever before. This is your opportunity to develop a ministry team where everyone gets the privilege of fulfilling their role in God’s plan for redemption. Some will be givers, others will pray and support in different tangible ways, but all of us will be working together for the glory of the Lord!
Original article appeared in the MissionWorks magazine. Used by permission.
