Fund Your Way To Seoul-Incheon

When you know the total amount needed, you may feel overwhelmed. But this amount is not too much for God ‘who owns the cattle on a thousand hills’ (Psalm 50:10). Before you speak to anyone about this project, commit the total amount in prayer before the Lord.

“One of the biggest obstacles to fundraising is not knowing exactly how much you must raise. Be specific! Having a specific goal serves you and your giving partners.” – Scott Morton

Do you have a mentor or someone who can be your funding partner or coach? Speak to them and ask them for advice, particularly if they have previous experience in raising support. Ask them to pray for you as you raise the amount you have identified for Seoul-Incheon 2024.

In addition, identify a potential prayer team who can pray for you as you raise financial support. This might include family members, previous supporters, ministry partners or leaders, mentors, or friends.

Once you have identified a potential prayer team, invite these friends to pray over the following action steps:

• Make a list of people who you know and have a close relationship with. You will want to contact these individuals personally and invite them to partner with you.
• Make a list of people you can invite to partner with you that you do not have a personal relationship with (Facebook, cell phone contact list, networks, etc).
• Identify potential anchor donors (donors who could give larger gifts).
• Commit to responding to potential donors and those who donate within 48 hours.
• Spend time praying over the list of contacts you will identify and ask God to prepare the hearts of potential giving partners.

Set aside time each week that will be devoted to raising support. Begin this time in prayer each week. You will need time to review your budget, send invitations, and respond to or meet with supporters. 

If you feel overwhelmed or hopeless about raising the amount you set for your Seoul 2024 budget, take heart that you are not alone. Fundraising, like evangelism, or other forms of ministry can be emotionally draining.

• Specifically identifying your emotions, obstacles, and fears is the first step toward overcoming them. 
• Talk to a mentor or experienced leader who can help and encourage you.
• Remember that God has given people financial resources and he may be wanting to use those resources for his kingdom in this way.
• Ask the prayer team you identified in step one to pray for favour and courage as you embark on this deeply spiritual exercise.
• Devote some time to the Scriptures in the FAQ section in order to develop deep convictions about what the Bible teaches about fundraising. This is an investment in your ministry—even beyond Seoul 2024.

Connect with ministry partners, family, and friends who can potentially form part of your support base. Let God multiply the impact of Seoul 2024 as you invite others to be a part of how God is using L4 to impact the world.

One of the biggest mistakes people make in raising financial support is limiting invitations for support to only a few friends. In some rare instances this may be wise, but generally you should aim to invite as many friends and acquaintances as possible. Why not give many people an opportunity to give?

Start building a broad list of contacts from your cell phone directory or friends on social media. Don’t be concerned if they are not ready to give today. Your invitation can stir their interest and in time you can appeal to them.

If you have difficulty coming up with names for your mailing list, the following categories of friends and acquaintances may be helpful to think through:

• Acquaintances from church
• Acquaintances from your church small group
• Coworkers/business associates
• Neighbours or former neighbours
• Friends from other churches, ministries, or jobs
• Friends from university
• Relatives and family friends
• Friends from athletic/social/service clubs or organisations
• People you are discipling or reaching out to
• Mentors or previous mentors
• Your church leadership may be willing to help support you

The purpose of your funding letter is to invite everyone on your mailing list to give a special gift to help you journey to Seoul 2024. Your appeal must be authentic, and it is a good idea to include the following:

• Purpose—Why are you writing? Come directly to the point. Give the dates and purpose of the Seoul 2024 Congress.
• Amount—How much total money are you trying to raise, and how will it be used?
• Deadline—By what date do you need to have the money in hand?
• Why—How will attending the Seoul 2024 Congress advance global mission? How will it be impactful to your ministry and you personally? This is the place to share your vision.
• Personal—How can you appeal to the heart of your readers? Can you share a personal testimony? A compelling verse?
• Action Steps—How can readers make a gift? Be clear on where and how to give money.
• Ask—Don’t assume that readers will pray about making a gift unless you ask them to.
• Specific amount or range—People appreciate it when you suggest an amount or range to give. This helps them consider what amount to pray about giving.
• Postscript (PS)—Include a PS repeating the deadline and an encouragement to give. Readers always read a PS, but sometimes they skim the letter itself.
• Response—Give your readers a way to respond easily if they want to give. 

Feel free to download and personalise the following template. By using the template your potential partners can also read more about the Lausanne Movement and why attending the Congress is important.

Ask your support base for help in reaching your goal of participating in Seoul 2024. Cast your vision for why you want to participate in the congress and how you hope it will impact your life and ministry. 

Identify your top potential giving partners. A range we recommend is 15-25 individuals. These are people who have received your appeal letter, but whom you also intend to appeal to personally. Set up a meeting with each one and don’t try to hide why you want to meet with them.

Too many times fundraising ends in receiving the money, but this reflects poorly in how it is a spiritual exercise. The Scriptures clearly express how supporting ministry workers financially is a ministry itself and shouldn’t be taken lightly. How can you express thanks to your supporters for their partnership to the Seoul 2024 Congress?

• As soon as you hear of a partner’s gift arriving, say thank you immediately to that individual. Don’t wait to say thanks in a newsletter generally to all your partners. Express thanks one by one as each gift comes in.
• A day or two before you depart for Seoul, send an email to all your giving partners thanking them and asking them to pray for a few specific prayer items.
• During your time in Seoul make time to send a brief text message, Facebook post, or email to a few of your partners to report on the conference. Include a photo of yourself in action—a ‘selfie’! Your partners want to see you more than the main speaker!
• Give feedback on any particular answered prayers.

An essential aspect of raising funds is feedback to your partners. Take the time to reflect on what you learned personally at Seoul 2024 and share that in an informal report letter to your supporters.

As you think about what to include in your feedback, reflect on the following questions:

• What did God do in your personal life at Seoul 2024?
• What did God do in others’ lives at Seoul 2024?
• What did you sense from the gathering that God is doing in the world? 
• What is happening worldwide in missions?
• How did the gathering impact your view of ministry? What ministry changes in strategy or outlook will you now apply?

Try to make the feedback personal. Include a photo of yourself at the Congress, or share some humour. Share what surprised you or what your experience was like. Share about the connections you made or the networks you plan on joining. 

It isn’t necessary to recall the entire programme. Share highlights from the programme or specific messages that struck you. 

Send the letter to everyone you invited to partner with you, including those you asked to pray for you, not only those who supported you financially. Sincerely thank them all again.