Step 4 – Financial Support
Review of Chapter 4 of Serving as Senders, by Neal Pirolo, published by Emmaus Road, International
As I think about the variety of experiences fellow expatriate global partners had, they came from a wide spectrum of financial support arrangements. Some were fully supported by their home church while others were financially supported by a group of individuals and churches spread out in large or smaller geographical contexts. So when the planned home ministry assignment came around for an opportunity to update supporters, those with a single supporting church only had to meet with that one group. Others with a variety of supporters needed to build a plan to travel and see those individuals and churches participating in their support. Therefore, the agenda for each of these support structures required a marked difference in home ministry schedules.
Pirolo’s chapter dealing with the issue of financial support begins with a number of scriptural references building a platform for a healthy support building ministry.
Your financial support is an encouragement to the global partner who is learning to be content in all his circumstances. (Phillians 4:10-12)
Giving should not be forced but as each person purposes in his heart, because God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The willing mind in the giver will make the gift acceptable with the focus on what one has, not on what one does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:12-14)
It is wise to establish a healthy attitude towards the challenge of raising financial support and at the same time one needs to understand that there is no one right system for gaining financial support.
Pirolo also makes mention of the economic reality that the actual percentage of charitable giving is only 2.7 percent which is far less than the 10 percent that is usually identified with the biblical tithe.
Words like generous, cheerful, hilarious, freewill gift indicate what Pirolo uses to reflect how we should give for the support of a ministry. He goes on to say that “Giving is an act of intelligent worship.”
Pirolo offers several points to consider when thinking about supporting an organization:
- Is the money you are giving going where they say it is going to go?
- Is the project of missionary service really hitting a decisive point in the battle for souls?
- If your cross-cultural worker has gone out through a mission-based organization, what is the administrative/field use ratio of the mission’s funds?
There is an interesting discussion regarding the lifestyle a global partner choses to practice while serving in another culture. In actuality, many who come to serve live at a much higher standard of living than those whom he or she has come to serve. That’s an important choice one needs to make.
Building a ministry using “tent making” as a strategy is another option to consider. Another strategy that is being advocated is a bi-vocational method where the global partner chooses to seek employment in the arena that he wants to serve in.
A whole host of financial options for giving are discussed that can be evaluated which Pirolo explains in his book.
Financial support is an important component to the successful global partner’s ministry. As one can see, having sufficient funding is much more than just money in the bank.
Written by – Roger Reimer, retired missionary with HCJB, Reach Beyond, Quito, Ecuador
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