Biblical Financial Partnership

Many of us hear the term "support raising," "financial partnership" or "living on support" from various veins of ministry today. Most of today's large modern missions organizations are staffed by missionaries who rely on the financial support of their friends and family in order to do their ministry. But where is this model found in scripture?

One of the earliest Biblical examples of ministers who were financially supported by members of the church were the musicians of David's tabernacle. David established a tabernacle that was filled with night and day worship, which was crucial to David's government. In 1 Chronicles 23:4-5, David establishes a breathtaking 4000 musicians whose sole purpose was to maintain the worship in the temple, as well as 24,000 supervisors and intercessors to fill and manage the temple. For David, the house of prayer was at the center of his government. These who filled the temple were labeled "ministers before the Lord." Obviously, Solomon carried on this tradition with the building of the temple.

What about in the New Testament? Paul outlines his financial plan in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. While Paul also had a profession of tent-maker to decrease his financial burden, his ministry would have been impossible without the financial aid of individuals in the church. Paul outlines the correct mindset about giving in this passage:

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. . . Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

Paul outlines a very special partnership that God designed to take place between those who sow financially and those who minister under their support. When we sow financially to a ministry, we become partakers in the fruit of that ministry and we receive the blessing of that fruit (not only in heaven, but also now). Paul says that because we give and make the ministry possible, we receive a special blessing AND we demonstrate thanksgiving to God that actually builds our righteousness.

Paul takes the opportunity to give and describes it as a blessed opportunity given by the Lord so that we might receive blessing for our gift (so that we can give again - cyclical principle). We worship God with where we send our funds. So support raising is just as much an opportunity for the financial giver as it is for the ministry. For that reason, Paul writes: You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Financial support is about ministry partnership because both receive the blessing for their ministry. In God's economy, the richest are those who give generously. This presents a challenge for me and for most of American culture because this is counter American-dream mentality, but as Paul said,

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Hopefully this helps to expand our understand of financial support and God's economy.

Today Only Happens Once

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. - Ephesians 5:15-17

We have such a wonderful opportunity as Christians born into this time in history. I love to think about how God put me on earth during this time in history on purpose. You, too, were born into this time of history very strategically by the Lord. We've found ourselves in the midst of an all-out war in the Spirit for the salvation of our generation. Although you and I didn't choose to live in such a day, God is watching how we respond.

Every Spring, I come across dozens of Christian High School students who are filled with regret (especially Seniors). Every May, I hear sentences like "I wish I would have done more for God," or "I wish we would have prayed for my school," or "I wish I hadn't just coasted through the year." Many of the students who lead the Christian campus ministry at their school come out wishing they had taken their group more seriously.

Be encouraged to hold nothing back. Ephesians 5:15-17 is a glorious example of Scripture encouraging us to make the best of every opportunity. Every morning you wake up to pray at your school is another opportunity. Don't give up, and don't grow weary.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. - Galatians 6:9

Don't be found wishing you had done more when your days in High School are over. Give these years to the Lord and sow into the mission field of your school. You are in one of the greatest missions fields on the earth today, so don't hold back. Do that fast, pray the prayers, love the lost, and serve like it's your last chance because it will be over before you know it.

Of this I speak from experience. In the end, be able to say you gave it your all and you'll be ready to transform a college campus.

A Heavenly Opportunity: 21 Days of Fasting

On November 1st, we're launching daily prayer in many high schools across the Kansas City area. We will have daily prayer for revival returned to our schools for an entire month (and beyond)! This is an amazing shift, not only because of what will happen in our schools but because of what will take place in the heavens. When God's people give themselves to the place of prayer, the heavens are moved! While we consecrate ourselves to prayer for this month of November, I want to offer up a further opportunity that we have to move the heavens during this time.

Read Daniel 10. Daniel gave himself to the place of fasting, and his fasting effected the heavens. Daniel set his face to fast until the breakthrough came (which ended up being 21 days) and while the answer had been given since day one, it took 21 days of contending to receive it. Not only that, but the angel appears to Daniel, the man of fasting, and calls him "highly esteemed" of heaven (3 times)! If we want to think in a heavenly mindset and we want to see a real shift, we need to give ourselves to this place of fasting.

Isaiah 58 speaks so well of fasting. Read it, and understand the heart of fasting. Giving ourselves to this place brings us to Isaiah 58:8-9:

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Joel 2 is another prime example where the people of God are called to fasting and to the repentance of their apathy. We are at such a moment in our day during this month of consecrated prayer. I want to encourage you to take up a fast starting on November 1st. Maybe you do it for 21 days, maybe you do it for the entire month. Maybe you fast one meal a day, or you fast meats and sweets, or Dr. Pepper (I'm talking to myself). It is up to you. All I ask is that we give ourselves to a concentrated time of contending for breakthrough.

Many students will not only start daily prayer in their school this November, but they'll launch a school-wide fast. Join with us during this time of consecration and contend in fasting for the breakthrough of salvation in our schools.

Visit www.kcstudentmissions.com/30daysofprayer and click on "Resources" for practical wisdom regarding fasting.

New 456 Video!!!

Check out this long awaited promo video for the 30 Days of Prayer. This is a great encouragement for students to get involved in the campus ministries in their school and we're sending this out to every church in KC that will have it!