Blog / Leaders

All of us have values; some good, some not so good. As a leader though, I can’t think of a higher value than this: I will not require or even ask another staff person to do something that I myself am not doing. Some call this “modeling”, and following this value builds respect, credibility, and morale. When a leader chooses to ignore this principle, arrogance and a sense of privilege can set in—eroding trust, sacrifice, and teamwork among the staff. Maybe it’s the difference between the war general who sits back on top of the hill directing his troops versus the […]

Maybe you ran into one of our dedicated staff women at the Urbana Missions Conference in St. Louis this past December. Anna Webb and Megan Corbett were there representing The BodyBuilders Ministry, but also spent several days diligently surveying over 100 different mission agencies who were exhibiting there. Just as the ministry leaders they questioned did not claim to have all knowledge, we are not presenting ourselves as “research scholars!” We’re simply trying to come up with some “pretty close” figures as to how Christian workers are currently doing in support raising. The survey included three basic questions: 1. What […]

I used to be a pastor, and I can still remember all the various demands and pressures put on me by so many. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interacting with thousands of different pastors —from almost every stripe. My respect for the shepherds of local churches is off the charts. But as it relates to the topic of support raising, I have noticed some who fit into these “less than encouraging” categories: 1. The “High Control” Pastors They create strict rules that no one can approach their members for financial support. Or they make a support raiser […]