Building a Solid Foundation in MPD

By Michele Davis

Look, I get it. You have finally wrapped your mind around the idea that you will be raising monthly support in order to get your ongoing paychecks. You are compelled by the ministry, and are taking a step of faith because God is great, able, and good.

But then they tell you that you also need to raise a giant lump sum to pay for the training! The same training where they teach you to raise the support! Like, before they tell you how!

This moment, right here, puts that new resolve to trust God with your finances in ministry to the test. What you do next builds a response habit that you will take into the rest of your MPD. Your step of faith or your retreat from defeat will be your very first MPD memory.

You are not alone at this moment. And you are not the first to face this task. Here are some perspectives that can help you build a good MPD habit that will be the foundation of your support raising journey:

1. The God who will provide through his people for your ongoing support can and will also provide for this first MPD goal.
2. Have you ever raised support for a mission trip? Start thinking about this goal like that one. This is an important experience in your ministry journey that will train and equip you for the future, just like that mission trip did.
3. Getting people on board to give to your MPD training will actually help set the stage for when you want to ask them for ongoing support. They are with you right from the beginning, with vested interest in your success in this endeavor.
4. You will need a prayer team as you enter this process of MPD! The people who give to your MPD training will be the most natural group to do this.

Now, for some practical tips:

1. For this MPD goal, you will do well to use a letter/telephone strategy. Your agency most likely will offer you a sample letter; if not, ask them if you can connect with another missionary in your organization to get a sample letter from them. This letter will briefly highlight your call to ministry and be the first introduction to your organization and ongoing work.
2. You will also want to include a self-addressed stamped envelope, clear instructions for who to make the check to, AND a link for online giving. People like options, and the process being as easy as possible.
3. Yes, you can send this to people you will ask later for ongoing support! For many people, a one-time gift like this and an ongoing gift commitment are two different lines on the budget (this is especially true for churches!).
4. Keep this letter brief; you are hoping to talk to these people later to invite them to partner monthly! 
5. This line can help preview that: “There is so much more I am excited to tell you about this ministry after I return from the training! I will be in touch via email during the training, and then connect personally afterwards.”
6. If you say that, actually do send an email from the training! It can be short, don’t worry! Include a picture of you with your training group, a couple of highlights that God is teaching you personally, and some prayer requests.
7. After you send the letter, you will want to follow up with a phone call about a week after it is sent. In this call, you will catch up, ask if they got your letter, and say, “I was just calling to see if you were in a position to give towards my upcoming training?”
8. Be ready to explain giving over the phone! Have an email already written that includes the giving link so that they can just click and give straight from their computer.
9. If they don’t answer, it is ok to send a brief text message letting them know who it is and asking if they can talk later. Some people do not answer the phone if they don’t have the number saved already in their contacts.
10. Similarly, if you cannot get a hold of them by phone, send them an email explaining briefly why you were calling: you were following up your letter about your upcoming training. Attach the letter to that email (there is a chance they didn’t get it) and have the giving link in your email signature. Also mention that you would love to talk more to catch up and answer any questions that they have.

Remember: We serve a God who is capable of immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. He can handle this. All of MPD will involve taking steps of faith and trusting God with the results. Good work getting off to a good start!

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This article is submitted by Lily Casteel of Support Raising Solutions.  Support Raising Solutions is a Missio Nexus member.  Member organizations can provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.