I have been meditating on the Lord’s prayer the last few days. Have you noticed that the Lord’s prayer is primarily asking? It contains six requests:

Our Father who is in heaven...

This week I received a note saying:

“I feel charged after a funding appointment, love it. BUT the management of database, emailing, texting, phone calling to get one appointment, drains me.”

Our friend is not alone. Many gospel-workers long to accomplish big things, but little administrative things kill their joy. I get it. That’s when Zechariah 4:10 helps me...

What if you live in a country where the economy is going downhill? Can you still fundraise while your countrymen suffer?

During economic downturns I am tempted to:

• Freeze in fear and hope things will improve
• Hide finances from my spouse. “Everything is fine.”
• Eat chocolate ice cream out of the carton(s) late at night
• Blame the other political party

Instead, how about taking three action steps?

I skyped this morning with a Missions Director who had a problem that is common to all ministries—it went like this....

Today I received a question from a missionary originally from Venezuela ministering in Mexico. He asks a practical question. How would you answer him? Here is what I said:

Q:  Can you explain please how do you use the Top 25 Worksheet for potential giving candidates. Step by step please!

You have a secret weapon in fundraising. It is available 24/7. It doesn’t have an expiration date like a carton of milk. It does wonders in bringing gospel-workers to full funding.

I’m not talking about prayer—though that is indispensable. (I wish I were better at it.) Nor is it your passion for ministry. And it is not your sparkling personality—though you might underestimate the simple fact that “people like you!” They do!

A few years ago I met a missionary who wanted to increase his support. “We don’t ask. We just minister to people and some of them give. God is taking care of us,” he said proudly....

May I speak to you frankly about a blind spot in leadership? It popped up last week, but the story I am about to tell occurs frequently.

My assistant and I met with a missionary couple (Joe and Vicki—not their real names) last Monday. They had been in town five weeks and they had a problem—they were only 50% supported. But Joe said, “That’s not the real problem. I am not afraid of fundraising, but I don’t have time to do it. The real problem is that my supervisor expects me to catch up on my fundraising while I open a local office here—now!”

Vicki chimed in. “How can we launch a new office and do major funding simultaneously! It feels like we are being set up for failure.”

1. A famous 3-step tip for improving your golf game goes like this. After playing a round of golf where you scored badly, resolve to do better! But do not go to the practice range! Instead:

2. Go to the clubhouse and order a cool drink.

3. As you relax take your scorecard and study it slowly. Discern specifically where mistakes…