Finding Ministry in Support Development

 "And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases your credit."

Philippians 4:15-17

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It has been a very crazy month to say the least.

Balancing support development, seminary, and ministry responsibilities can be tricky, especially for a procrastinator who is still learning the in's and out's of time management. Yet for whatever reason, God believes I can handle it, and I believe that He will never give me more than I can handle. That's the beauty of grace. It gives me room to stumble as I navigate learning to be more like Christ.


Support development, as always, is at the forefront of my radar. As much as I would like to, I cannot avoid it. It is necessary for me to continue to live. It pays my rent, my food, my gas, my bills. It will free me up to be able to devote myself solely to collegiate ministry and to someday be able to be on campus sharing with the gospel with students daily. If this wasn't motivating enough, I have a team of people who personally hold me accountable as I continue to strive for that elusive 105% support mark.

So, in short, I'm locked in. Whether I like it or not, this is the life that God has called me to.

It is tempting to say that support development is a "necessary evil." So many people, even the ones that do it, see it as such. It is seen as nothing more than an obstacle to overcome before you can begin the "real work" of ministry. Once you arrive at full support, then you have made it, then you can begin, then you can start walking out God's call for your life.

Others get wrapped up in the numbers. Support raising pays the bills. Support raising pays for ministry expenses. Support raising pays my salary. Support raising just allows me to survive until God calls me home.

But I think there is danger in viewing support as such. When you view it as an obstacle or a way to pay the bills, you miss out on kingdom work God wants to accomplish. I believe that there is ministry in support raising that we can miss out on if we're not careful.



Paul lived off the gifts he received from the people he ministered to. He was only a "tentmaker" at specific points in his ministry for intentional purposes. Otherwise, he received his wages from those who joyfully wanted to give to him. He believed that "the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:14).

In particular, Paul praises the Philippians for their generosity towards him. But his thankfulness is not for the gifts in of themselves. Paul does not care about the money. He has learned to be content in whatever he has:

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"...for I have learned in whatever situation, I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:11-13

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Paul didn't desire their gifts. It didn't matter if he was full or hungry. It didn't matter if he was out preaching the gospel or writing to churches in prison. In whatever situation, plenty or nothing, praise or persecution, he was content. He learned to be joyful in all circumstances through the power of the cross.

So then why is he thankful? If his concern wasn't wages or gifts, then what was it?

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"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit."

Philippians 4:17

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He doesn't seek the gift. He seeks the evidence of people growing in their love for the Lord. He seeks the fruit that indicates that true disciples of Jesus Christ are being made. His desire is to see change happen in people's hearts.

Paul is not saying that the Philippians are earning their salvation by giving. Far from it. People are saved by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Salvation is never earned. It is given.

But the generosity of the Philippians indicates that their faith is genuine. It is evidence that they are "working out their salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). They were saved by grace, and their works are simply external evidence of an internal heart change.

This is the ministry of support development. When you invite someone to partner with you in your ministry, you challenge them to step out in faith to give beyond what they believe they are able. You encourage them to freely give as they have freely received from God. You give them an opportunity to cultivate a spirit of generosity in their hearts. You give them a chance to invest in God's eternal kingdom. And if they respond, you get to see people change and become more like Christ right before your very eyes.

Jesus sacrificed everything in dying on the cross for us. He gave His life to see ours made new. He did not withhold anything but instead completely poured Himself out to save us from eternal separation from God. In His death, Jesus gave.

Every time you give, you display the gospel. Giving your time, money, gifts, and talents to another is a sacrifice that points to the cross. You sacrifice because Christ sacrificed. You give everything because Christ gave everything. You do not withhold because Christ did not withhold anything from you.

Yes, God has called me to collegiate ministry, and someday, I will be able to do that fully and completely. But as I continue to run the race towards full support, I realize that I have an additional calling, another incredibly important ministry.

God has called me to challenge His children to give. He has called me to encourage His people to live by faith and trust that He will honor their sacrifice. He has called me to remind His people that He is the Provider, and if they trust Him, He will meet all of their needs.

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"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19

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You would think the Philippians would have written those words to Paul, but the opposite is true. Paul, the one who has needs and lives off the gifts of others, reminds the givers that God will supply their needs. We should always give, even beyond what we believe we are able, because God will provide more than we can ever ask or think. We need to give and discover that God always provides for His children. Always.

Every time I gain a new supporter, I won't rejoice in the gift. I am not near full support, and yet, each month, I have seen God provide for all of my needs. There is no joy in the gifts in of themselves.

Instead, every time I gain a new supporter, I will rejoice in the fruit being produced in that person's life. I will praise God that His people are becoming more like His Son. I will praise Him because genuine disciples of Jesus are being made.

I have already seen this happening in my support team.

The most profound support appointment I have had to date was with a woman from my church. I had no idea what her financial situation was, but I knew that she had kind and cheerful spirit. I chose to call her because she seemed like she would at least say yes to an appointment.

She agreed to meet with me, and as soon as we got talking, we couldn't stop. Our stories resonated with one another. We both grew up with strong Catholic backgrounds, both became believers at older ages, and both have huge hearts for young women to come to know the redeeming love of Christ.

I shared my testimony of coming to know the Lord while in college, and my calling to reach young women who are lost on campus just like I once was. It was then I noticed a shift in the mood of the room. I felt something in her heart start to change.

We reached a point where it was finally time for me to make the ask, to see if she would want to partner with me in the my ministry to lost women at ASU. And as I asked, tears started to pour down her face.

It was then that I learned that she was currently living off of disability, and recently, the money being sent to her had been dramatically reduced. She was living off the bare minimum to survive. In fact, she had just had to ask her parents pay for her electricity because the checks were not enough to cover all of her expenses.

"But I believe in what you are doing, Madison," she said, tears still welling up in her eyes. "I wonder how things would have been different for me if someone like you had been reaching out to me when I was in college. I know it's not much, but I would like to support you at $10 a month."

My heart broke. Here is a woman who has very little, but God's work in my life stirred her heart and challenged her to sacrificially give to see His kingdom come. I saw the fruit of her faith ripen in front of my very eyes. Seeing that fruit grow was the greatest gift I could have received.

This is why I raise support. I get to watch people grow before my very eyes. I get to watch as people step out in faith to give as I step out in faith to ask. I get to watch as disciples are born and made - both on campus and on my support team.

This is the ministry of support development: discipleship.

It is hard work, yes. But every time a soul gives their life to Christ, every time people choose God over sin, every time a person steps out in faith to give, every time fruit is produced, we are but one step closer to God's kingdom coming.

And I would say, that makes it all worth it.

Blessings,

Maddie