Why is it so hard?

Call it what you want: support raising, partnership development, or cross cultural worker funds.  For most of us, the task of ‘raising our own support’ was not, and is not, something that we looked forward to doing.  Yet, the Lord was faithful and here we are serving Him cross culturally.

Jehovah Jireth, the God who provides, met our need through those whose hearts He touched to engage in God’s mission.

However, in recent days, I have heard ‘older’ and ‘younger’ workers state how hard it is to do and continue to do partnership development.  I won’t use the word ‘complain’; maybe more like ‘tiresome-ness’.  Many are looking at other ways to self-fund or to reduce the amount of support they need to raise. Many are asking the question as to the viability of the partnership development process.

It’s not my intent to argue one way or the other.  However, let’s not deprive people around us of ‘the God ask’; that is, giving them an opportunity to get involved in what God is doing in His mission around the world through sharing their resources (see Philippians 4:15-17).

Let’s not deprive ourselves, either, of the opportunity to learn, and learn again that God does provide for our needs. He will provide through the partnership of others, through a work opportunity, or through a multitude of other ways. Yet, this is His work, not our work.

When we worry, complain, or grow just plain tired of raising up and developing partners in the ministry, we are in a sense conveying that cross cultural missions is about us.  We know that God called us into this work.  We know that we must raise up partners and funding.  However, we can trust He will meet our needs and teach us through this process.