The elderly woman’s joy faded into panic as she anxiously told us that she could not pay us for the healing she had just received. We had met her only moments before as she sold snacks to travelers at a rest stop. She was walking with difficulty, and we offered to pray for her. As…
Didn’t the Apostle Paul say, “All things work for good…”? This week has been difficult for a couple of new missionary families seeking to discover their financial support. Both couples have been challenged to evaluate their motives by family members who do not trust their reasons for leaving the U.S. Others are struggling with the…
My home church, Elmbrook Church, in Brookfield, WI, supports and works with over 80 missionaries, mission organizations, and apprentices around the world. It is truly a blessing to be a part of the Elmbrook family, and the almost 60-year history of a church with a heart and DNA for mission. Elmbrook is a non-denominational church…
I have been involved in missions for over three decades, and in that time I have personally found that one of the biggest hurdles for people raising support is the Ask. Most people are afraid to ask or don’t know how to ask for support. Unfortunately, a lot of times, we treat support raising “as…
You’ve already done the hard part. You made a good list of contacts, and you made some phone calls. You worked up all the bravery that you could muster, and you asked for an appointment, an opportunity to share what God is doing in your life. To your surprise, they agreed to meet over coffee,…
Our home church in WI, Elmbrook Church – Brookfield, has been a source of great support since they sent us out as part of their first Target Area Project to the Borana people of northern Kenya in 1984 (we were not with UWM at the time). Through these 30+ years we have hosted short-term teams, come home for…
When I first realized that God was calling me on a journey to minister overseas, my first thought was, “Oh, no, I’m going to have to raise financial support.” At that moment I had some very mixed feelings. Let’s just say I wasn’t the most excited about it. I saw my ministry overseas as the…
Our hearts long for joy, and we seek it out in the most peculiar places. As workers for God’s kingdom living in distant lands, the distractions are just as prevalent as anywhere else. Inwardly we are preoccupied through busyness, mindlessness, addiction and a preoccupation with television, sports, movies, shallow reading, Facebook, ministry, itself, and more. …
The Avance Missions Immersion program, based in Mexico City, mobilizes young adults in cross-cultural mission service for two months, a semester, a year or two years. All of our participants live with Mexican families, learn Spanish and serve under national leadership. Our passion is that our participants will gain perspective on what their role is in God’s…
The Lord sent Ananias to lay hands on Saul —could there have been a worse candidate for Christian missionary service? Ananias obeyed, prayed and appointed Saul to apostolic work in Eurasia. Immediately, the converted Paul set out on mission (without raising support!) and encountered life-threatening resistance. He had to be evacuated. Who was this lone ranger?…