We conducted an informal survey of numerous mission agencies at the most recent Urbana Missions Conference in Illinois. We went from booth to booth asking, “What is the average amount of time it takes your missionaries to raise their full support?” The results?

When I share that shocking figure in our Personal Support Raising Bootcamps around the country, I then ask the question: “Would you like to spend the next 23 months of your life raising support?” The answer is always a resounding NO.

Who’s responsible for creating these self imposed support raising marathons? It begins when the newly accepted missionary innocently asks their supervisor: “How long does it usually take someone to raise all their support?” The seasoned veteran then casually responds: “Oh, about 18 months.” With that time frame now cemented in their psyche, the rookie staffer sets out to pace themself, making sure they dare not deviate from “the norm.”

On the other hand, I shock a few when I instead suggest they could get to 100% in 100 days. That’s no gimmick. When Nehemiah asked King Artaxerxes how long it would take him to complete his Jerusalem rebuilding project, the trusted servant gave his boss a “definite time.” If Nehemiah had just said, “Oh, it will be finished whenever the Lord leads” I have a feeling the King would not have been impressed. (Note: Nehemiah pulled it off in 52 days).

But to set a support raising completion date in as little as 100 days, I must include five pre-requisites. The Christian worker must obtain the right training, the right perspective, the right approach, the right accountability, and they must be willing to work on it: FULL TIME. Mixed with a ton of hard work and the blessings of God I believe most can raise their support in 3-6 months.

Instead of them giving their $100, $200, $300 a month many should be willing to make a step of faith too by writing you a $1,000, $2500, or $4000 check. These kinds of gifts will buy you a “window of opportunity” to pray and work like you never have before, seeking to schedule 3-4-5 appointments a day—but at the same time still pay the bills and finance your support raising efforts. Utilizing this “sprint approach” will produce a UQ (Urgency Quotient) in you (and your donors!) that far surpasses the typical part time, slow moving, 18-23 month support raising walkathon.

I believe God wants every Christian worker to get to their assignment quickly—and fully funded. 100% in 100 days? Impossible you say? My Bible says nothing is impossible—with God.