I am enabled, financially, to do campus ministry full-time through the generosity of many churches and individuals. Prior to being a 100% support-based campus minister, I was a 100% support-based missionary to Africa. All together, I’ve been doing the support raising thing for 11 years now.

I’ll go on record…I love being 100% support-based. I’ll admit though, I have my days when life is not so good, but that is usually because my focus is out of whack. When I view support raising the way it should be viewed, then all of life is well.

There are at least two traps into which we can fall.

Trap #1: Not viewing support raising as actual ministry.

Support raising is a very important part of my ministry, it is not something I do in addition to ministry. I am not only a minister to college students, but I am also a minister to many individuals, and a few churches, who support college ministry. Forgetting this truth leads frustration with the time spent on support raising.

Time and time again I have seen that the things that are happening on campus (or in the far away space of Turkana, Kenya) are inspiring for the people who support our service. They see, through us, how God is at work, and it encourages them and motivates them to live more fully for God. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this aspect of my ministry.

Trap #2: Not trusting God to do what He’s promised to do.

God is the one responsible for, and in control of, raising my support…not me. That being said, I do have to do my part.

I think I’m a pretty decent support raiser, though I need to be careful not to take any glory from God. He does it all! He raises up our support, daily! But I am willing to do my part. I work hard, I communicate vision, and I truly enjoy meeting new people and asking them to be a part of what God is doing through us.

Support raising is not for everyone. But, with the right attitude, and not lacking the call of God, we can find success through it.