Asking for money is a humbling task. I am well aware that when we put our selves out there (in front of family, friends, co-workers and their circles of influence) it goes against the natural inclination of most church planters. Church Planters have an independent streak. They are a bunch of cowboys shooting off their guns, making a bunch of noise. As a group, church planters tend to be incredibly self-reliant. So when we are forced to ask for help, ask for support it goes against our nature.
Over the years, I have walked a lot of planters through the support raising process. In this time I have made a few observations:
- Planters will always be seen as the CFO of the church they plant. They will, year after year need to raise funds for all kinds of things (additional equipment, staff, land and buildings). This becomes a very important training ground.
- Planters who are able to raise the necessary capital have an enormous leg up. They don’t have the same pressures as their counter parts who neglect this step. Each month they have assurance that their spouse will be able to sleep well and there will likely be food on the table. Also, more of the launch team funds go into start up costs.
- Month after month the pay check screams the assurance that others who are sending their sacrificial gifts for the planters support have. They believe in the support worthiness of the planter, the vision and the Kingdom potential of the plant. This is important money because (beyond other things), it reflects just how much others believe in them. It is an amaizng thing to know you are well supported and the emotional, and spiritual benefits are amazing.
- As an additional bonus, the planter is teaching their circle of influence the value of Kingdom generosity. In today’s Church Leaders Intelligence Report it said,
Americans donate $295 billion a year to charity, with just under a third of it ($97 bn.) going to religious organizations. On average, Christians are giving about 2.5% of their income to churches.
CBS News 3/5/08
That means that we have an incredible opportunity to help other learn to love giving as they invest in church planting. Most of the “Christians” that we encounter in our churches are not giving “generously”. But as they give to a planter they are learning to value sacrificial giving. Here is an often unanticipated truth: Greater generosity results in a happier life. That Kingdom principle has recently been reviled in a new study that was just released in an article, “How to Buy Happiness”.
