Support Your Local Missionary

Still thinking about how I support missionaries and what I'll expect out of people to whom I go for support. I think that there are levels of support:

As ignorant as I know I am right now, I wouldn't be a true Parmenter if I didn't already have my own ideas.

Kitchen Magnet Brigade (Awareness Support):
It is always good to have an opportunity to share what's important with the community around you. So, some of our supporters may simply be the kitchen magnet brigade, and that's cool. I remember as a musician if some one said, "I've heard Sojourn before, their nice," that felt good. They might not even own a CD, but they were voicing a level of support. Even a small show of support is an encouragement, and God has equipped different people for different roles. I would expect that these people would like to hear from us a number of times per year, and will interested to hear of our progress whenever we are in the states.

Prayer Guard:
I'm just making up these names myself. I'm thinking of people that will pray for you sometimes, but don't feel compelled to make it a daily discipline. However, like guards, they are right there when there is a big problem or a major concern. They might like to hear from us at least once a month, and especially when we have a major prayer concern.

Prayer Partners: These are the people that commit to praying for you at least four times a week if not daily. If you have something to report each week, then they are the ones that get that communication.

There's also a launch team. A small group of people that are willing to help you with the nuts and bolts of scheduling visits and raising support. I didn't make up that one. Another missionary family did that. There were about six people that assisted them in the work of raising support.

I know the money part is important too, but it seems to me that the work of raising support is mostly about prayer. Also if I have an opportunity to encourage people to go into missions or get others excited about missions, I'll do that before I ask for cash. If nothing else, I don't want that to be central to my activities.

I've heard other successful missionaries say pretty much the same thing. I think it was Hudson Taylor that said, "God's work shall never lack God's supply." I would like to test that saying, and truly engage in faith missions.

I know that I'm ignorant and naive, and I look forward to gaining greater knowledge and a deeper God given wisdom.

Adam