Do I need to raise my own support?
In most cases, you will have to raise support to become a missionary. Support raising as you become a missionary is the process of inviting others to partner with you in this great adventure! You will reach out to individuals and churches to support the missionary work.
How much missionary support do I need?
(Percentages represent an average monthly support budget for a family serving overseas with SIM USA.)
The level of support needed for each worker or family differs significantly and takes into account several key factors:
- Cost of living in chosen location (this varies greatly)
- Family size (single, couple, children, etc.)
- Ministry costs (similar to business costs in the corporate world)
Creating a budget for missionary support.
The first thing in considering your missionary support is to create customized monthly and one-time needs budgets. These budgets will include the estimated monthly expenses based on your chosen location, including housing, expenses, etc. SIM USA also helps workers draft a one-time needs budget. These costs include travel to your chosen location, equipment, etc. Then, a missionary support fundraising plan is crafted to address the budgets.
Building the Plan to raise support for missionary work.
SIM USA workers receive prayer and financial support from churches, friends, family and others passionate about their ministry. The idea of building and maintaining a full and engaged prayer and financial support team can seem daunting. That’s why at SIM USA, we journey with new and veteran workers by providing online classes and a three-day boot camp that:
- Explores various ways God funds His ministries and His workers, both in the past and present.
- Examines our role as a God-asker when, by prayer, we invite others to partner in ministry.
- Provides active support raising learning experiences with peers and veteran workers.
- Uses proven curriculum through SIM’s network membership with ViaGenerosity.
Other ways to raise missionary support.
There are many ways to raise support for cross-cultural ministry. Some people may have funding through alternate pathways such as income from missional businesses, prior employment, or inheritance. Your unique situation will be reviewed by your chosen missions-sending agency.
God provides!
Training is important, but ultimately, it’s God who provides. If He is leading you to this work, He will provide. There is power when we pray, ask, and trust Him. Historically here at SIM USA, over 90% of the people who have gone through training and committed to a journey of trusting God for support have been launched into cross-cultural ministry work.
Talk to one of our staff today and find out more about SIM USA and how to become a missionary. Connect with us here.
Doug C.
Director of RDM
Doug helps SIM workers to build and maintain a full and engaged prayer and financial support team. He manages missionary support budgets and related benefits and expense reimbursements. Doug’s 35 years of service with SIM utilizes skills and past experiences as a former CPA/CGMA, missions pastor, and overseas missionary and church planter among the Quechua people.
What SIM workers say about the training:
“I am so grateful for this training and all its practicality. Throughout the past week of training at SIM, I had the privilege of experiencing many challenging and stretching training sessions and practice, especially with RDM Bootcamp (relationship development ministry). This month, I have been pushed to pursue the unknown. But I am not alone. The Lord goes before me. The Lord is with me. The Lord will never leave me. I can take the next steps in faith and courage, holding onto these promises.”
“What an incredible opportunity for growth. This course has given me a new perspective on support raising. It has given me a biblical foundation and the practical tools which I may base our support raising upon.”