What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Development Professional

By on July 20, 2021   /   Leaders   /   Leave a comment

I am not so dissimilar to other fundraising professionals of my baby boomer generation. Most of us fell into our fundraising positions because we had a huge heart for our organization’s mission, a deep call to serve God, and frankly, we did not have the heart to say no. When I look back at my progressive fundraising and marketing career, I can honestly say I would have been ahead of the game if I had known several fundamental realities before jumping in. I wish I knew . . . 1.     A biblical mandate exists for fundraising activities.  “Command […]

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How We Train Our People for Ministry Partnership Matters

By on June 14, 2021   /   Leaders, Training   /   Leave a comment

As we seek to help our new and veteran ministry workers become and remain spiritually healthy, vision-driven, and fully funded, how we train our people for ministry partnership matters. Every year, organizations of all kinds spend millions of dollars on training experiences for their personnel. Sadly, research suggests that the results of much of that training fail to live up to what was hoped for from the investment of such time and money. So what makes for effective training? Carissa Potter’s blog article, Learning that Connects, from March 15th makes three important points about adult learning: Adult Learners are motivated […]

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MPD and Non-MPD Staff: A Clear Call and United Front

By on May 18, 2021   /   Culture, Leaders   /   Leave a comment

This is us! Not only is this a popular TV show but it also depicts the unity within a family in who they are and what they do. We all want a “this is us” mentality among staff. But when it comes to staff funding among those on MPD, those who aren’t, and some sort of hybrid of the two, the atmosphere of our organizations can easily turn from “this is us” to “us vs them.” In a mixed funding model, it takes intentionality and care to cultivate a healthy culture that produces a united front in fulfilling your organization’s […]

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Learning that Connects

By on March 15, 2021   /   Communication and Relationships, Training   /   Leave a comment

As children, we are expected to learn. Our parents, teachers, and coaches dictate the things we need to know, often with a “you’ll need this in the future” caveat. We observed and listened. After all, learning was our primary responsibility as children.  All of that changes in adulthood. Learning becomes a choice, and with that choice comes the authority to dictate what we will learn, when we will learn it, and whom we want to learn it from. Adult education includes unique factors that impact the learning experience.  As support-raising trainers, we want to effectively equip staff within our organization […]

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Five Essential Anchors for MPD

By on February 15, 2021   /   Culture, Infrastructure, Leaders, Training   /   Leave a comment

My father was a ship fitter at the US’s first Naval Shipyard, that included everything for the fabrication and repairs for our country’s fleet of ships. At its height during World War II, 40,000 people worked there. During that time they built 53 ships and repaired 574. While I never got to see the complexity of what my father did at work, I did see his creativity and his amazing abilities at home. He could make or fix anything. He could visualize, draw what he envisioned and then craft it. Later in life he left the Navy Yard, went into […]

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Lifetime Service Award – Scott Morton

By on January 21, 2021   /   Leaders   /   Leave a comment

During each Support Raising Leaders Conference, we recognize champions of personal support raising who have given decades to the service of others in this critical area of ministry. The body of Christ has been blessed by these pioneers who have gone ahead and paved the way for others to mobilize needed resources for ministry. It was our honor to recognize Scott Morton, International Funding Coach for the Navigators, with the Lifetime Service Award for Championing Biblical Fundraising at the Support Raising Leaders Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona October 21, 2019. Watch the recap video of the award ceremony! Morton has been on staff with the Navigators over 50 […]

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How Getting to Full Support Changed Me as a Coach

By on January 19, 2021   /   Coaching, Leaders, Preparation and Tools, Training   /   Leave a comment

Ready for a challenge? It is stated in three simple words – get fully funded. You are a leader, a coach, a trainer, and, as such, you are an example for the supported staff in your organization. Yes, you’ve been at your role for many years, and you are good at what you do. Once upon a time, you were fully funded. You know what it’s like to raise support; you just haven’t done it for a while. Let me share how taking time out to make this a priority not only helped us reach full support but changed me […]

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Millennials and MPD: What I Have Learned Coaching New Staff in Support Raising

By on November 17, 2020   /   Appointments and Asking, Communication and Relationships, Culture, Follow-Through/Obstacles, Leadership, Preparation and Tools, Special Asks, Strategy and Planning   /   Leave a comment

Lysa, a young capable woman who loves Jesus and wants to serve Him overseas, joined our staff several years ago after college. She had never raised support, but was trained well. She plodded along among her college friends and home church with 3-5 appointments per week for several months, but was still only at about 10% of her goal. We had a deadline coming up in less than two weeks that required her to be at 80% of her actual (not pledged) support goal. If she did not make this, none of the rest of the team would launch and […]

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Ethnic Minority Support Raising is an Untapped Goldmine for Your MPD!

By on October 20, 2020   /   Communication and Relationships, Ethnic and Gender, Fear and Perspective, Non-Westerners, Training   /   Leave a comment

Support Raising for ethnic minorities usually conjures up words like shame and honor. But no longer are these terms relegated to ethnic minorities. Honor and shame categories are more relevant than ever and apply to all missionaries regardless of ethnic or cultural background. Consider the shame dynamics brought on by the onslaught of social media, articles like Christianity Today’s “The Return of Shame” and the popularity of best-selling author and shame researcher Brené Brown. Smartphones and Facebook have put honor-shame dynamics into everyone’s pocket, especially Gen Z, the first digitally native generation and the incoming missionary force. This current pandemic […]

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When to Say “No” to Raising Support

By on September 15, 2020   /   Infrastructure, Leaders, Leadership, Preparation and Tools   /   Leave a comment

When I met Jessie, everything indicated he would be a star in his ministry. The ministry he was aiming for was at the center of his passions.  It was in worship and his creativity came alive in the church context. His church body loved his contribution and his family was all for it.  It wasn’t long before Jessie was avoiding me and donor phone calls; paralysis had set in.  The situation surprised me. Each coaching call increased my own sense of anxiety as I perceived the situation was eroding his well-being rather than building him for the future. Ultimately, Jessie […]

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