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The God Ask highlights

by Taylor Tollison

Area Director, Campus Outreach, University of Tennessee

January 30, 2017
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Steve Shadrach has been a major influence on my Christian life. He has lately become a great friend as well.

Below I want to share a few of my favorite thoughts from his book on support raising, “The God Ask.”

I hope that these thoughts will encourage you and, if they do, pick up a copy of this formative book.

Each of these points highlights some lesson Steve taught in the book. If any of them challenge, confuse, or encourage you, then dig deeper into that and ask God what it is he is teaching you.

  • Among a list of character qualities necessary for starting a ministry and raising your support, he mentions faithfulness and tenacity. In the midst of the support raising, these two qualities stood out as necessities in my life.
  • If I don’t believe my support can be raised, I am simply not believing God can provide.
  • Support raising is harder in the midst of impurity. So, repent!
  • Support raising and my relationship with God are unavoidably tied to together. I need to talk with God about His money!
  • Quoting Victor Hugo, he says that there are 3 kinds of views on the future.
    • The lazy see that future as impossible.
    • The fearful as unknown.
    • The courageous see the future as their challenge.
  • Support raising is essentially connecting God’s resources and His people with His plan.
  • “If the size of your vision isn’t intimidating to you, there is a good chance it is insulting to God.” – Steven Furtrick
  • A husband must communicate to his wife that he will “give it his all” in support raising and providing for their family.
  • He encourages us to ask for support face to face and wait on the potential supporter to answer you.
  • He told a story about a young soldier asking for an island that was just conquered by Napoleon’s army. After agreeing to give the young man, the island Napoleon said, “he honored me by the magnitude of his request.” Shadrach beautifully connects this to our prayer life.
  • Don’t break out your budget or your needs at a support meeting. Break out your vision.
  • We must have and cast inspiring vision about our ministry.
  • Support raising is a ministry of relationships with people. It is not merely about money.
  • “Raise enough support to maximize fruitfulness for your family and your ministry.” – Scott Morton
  • You ought to give at least 2-3 weeks a year to seeing supporters face to face.

For more information on support raising go to supportraisingsolutions.org