Money is the god of this world. Yet our faith in Jesus is revealed not by rejecting the worldly system but by giving it meaning from the perspective of the Kingdom of God. In order to work as a missionary one must consider as part of their calling the issue of support for the ministry. There are various methods and ideas of how this can be done in the New Testament. One of the ways that stands out is the community of believers sharing their finances with those dedicate their life to serve the Kingdom of God. Jesus lived on support; many of the teachers and preachers of the Word were being supported by the church; often the receiving church did not support the ministers who had raised support from other churches to do their mission. Paul the apostle states that it is God’s command that “those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14).

Either way, money was circulating in the NT church for the purpose of doing the work of the ministry: sharing the Word of God with those who God had called to eternal life and caring for the helpless and poor and needy (Acts 11:7ff).

One of the main obstacles for people to enter their call for minsitry is the lack or at least the scarcity of finances. The need for financial security is a decisive component of one’s decision to go or not to go. But the Lord has said: seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else will be added to you; ask and you will receive, knock and the will opened to you; and seek and you will find (Luke 11).

One of the most serious casues of fear or discomfort to Christian ministers and missionaries, who have to raise their own support in order to be able to go into the ministry, is the support-raising process. We all love the work God’s assigned to us; but we hate to raise the support needed to to do the work. And this attitude is wrong because we are limiting God. He has commanded us to ask and to seek and to be persistent in our pursuit of His will and His Kingdom. He has commanded us to be a body of believers who share not only their gifts, but their possessions as well. He also has told us to give especially to those who have devoted their life to the teaching of God’s word.

Why is it so difficult to ask then? Why is it so “unpsiritual?”

There is one major distinction that needs to be addressed by all missionaries and workers, who raise their support in order to serve the Lord. Is asking people to support the missonaries begging or a legitimate request?

Well, if  your perspective is that it is embarrassing to ask people to support your ministry then you have an issue of pirde that overshadows your calling and desire to obey God’s direction. I know this because I am struggling with similar thougts myself. If you think that people support you becuse of pity for you and your finanical situaion then maybe you should not be raising money to go into ministry.

It is not pity but conviction that moves God’s people to give. That’s what the purpose of support raising is–to make those in the body of Christ interdependent with the means of this world to achieve the goals of the world that is to come.

There is an opennes and vulnerablity that happens on both sides the giver and the receiver in support raising situations. The giver is vulnerable to the intent and motivation of the one he gives to. The receiver is vulnerable by showing his need and trusting it to the will and judgment of the giver. In this transaction however pity is not an emotion that is valid. It is the belief of both the giver that he is giving to a worthy person for a worthy cause, and of the one on the receiving end that he is called to humility and responsibility with what is entrusted to them, beacuse they represent a worthy cause, that are the right outlook on this almost covenant relationship. But pity? Who pities the ambassador of the United States for representing the nation? How much more so the ambassadors of the “kingdom that has no end?” However, when external circumstance of lack become the standard and faith is not, then the wonderful relationshihp of generosity in the body of Christ may turn into something it is not.

May God give us wisdom how to guard this precious relationship in the use of our worldly resources for adavncing the message of eternal life. 

This was part of Daniel and Mattias’ shool assignment on writing and composition. This is the perspective of a 11 and 10 year old.

“The life of a missionary is hard. The first thing you have to do is find a country where there are orphans or poor people. Next you need to choose a city to live in. The city where you live must be close to an orphanage. The last thing you need to know is how to teach them about God. It isn’t easy to live like a missionary.
–Written by Daniel V. Kostov

The life of a missionary is hard. People make fun of missionaries and tease them. They usually have very little money. People sometimes even threaten to kill them or their families. Sometimes missionaries are even murdered because of their beliefs. Missionaries don’t give up their work even if it costs them their life.
–Written by Mattias P.A. Kostov”

Amen to that.

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-18), at a closer reading, is not a wishful thinking. It is a command of the Lord. We participate in this endeavor accroding to our ability and calling. to whomever much is given much will be required from at the day of account. We cannot all be missionaries. We cannot all be apostles and prophets. We cannot all be businessmen. But we are all to be “commissionaries” with Christ for the glory of His name. Not all have the same calling yet the call is issued to all–Go and make disciples. We can be a part of this “salvation business” of the Kingdom of God as we put our trust in Him first and learn how to be dependent on God and interdependent on the community of the brothers. Some will go, some will give, and some will pray. But we all can come together in this most revolutionary and most wonderful enterpirse of all times: Living for Jesus and teaching all who are hungry for meaning and life the same.

This was the famous expression by Paul the apostle in the NT passage:

And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me–to keep me from exalting myself! (2Corinthians 12:7)

There are various interpretations as to what “thorn in the flesh” means exactly here – a person, a medical condition, or even a demonic harassment. Whichever it is I found that a thorn is an indeed a significant presence in ones life from a persoanl experience.

Several days ago I got a splinter in my index finger. It was so minsicule that I had no concerns about it – it did not affect my daily routine in any way. In a sense – it was no big deal. But the funny thing is that this little splinter was always reminding me of itself. I would type on the computer, play the guitar, or just hold a glass, I would feel a sharp pain in my index finger. Not a life threatening situaiton – but quite annoying and constantly present.

I imagine this was what Paul the apostle describes in his expereince. A thorn in the flesh can be the mercy of God so that we are alaways reminded, in a vigorous, but not impeding manner, of our limitations and of our need for Him. But after several days and after I got the spiritual lesson I asked Teresa to help me get the splinter out. I felt that I had learnt the lesson and was relieved to have the splinter removed.

I have read this passage from Isaiah numerous times. Today however it seemed to have a much deeper and personal meaning to me. I am realizing that the Spirit of God is encouaraging me to not stop looking to Jesus and to God for my inspiration for life and purpose. This passage is part of my callig as a servant of God. Although it originally describes the ministy of Christ, and I have been somewhat reluctant to apply it to myself, in an attempt of humility, I realized that God’s promises cannot make us proud. They humble us, if we would respond in the right way. And to be a bit more specific about the passage – I think that the ministry God’s called me to is indeed setting captives free, through the Word of God and through calling people to fall back on the basic need – to make right with God. I realize how incapable I am of this unless God really blesses me with His presence and guidance so I can do His will.

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

 This is one of my favorite photos of our third born son. He looks back but his mom is carrying him forward. He is full of peace and security because he knows he’s in good hands. This is how we often are in the hands of our heavenly Father. We can look back with peace and security, because He is lovingly carrying us forward. This photo was taken by someone on our ministry team during time in one of the orphan homes we serve.

Here I will update you with the latest events in our ministry and will post Bible studies and reflections on church, Christian mission and dealing with the fallen world around us. We will also post more photos Bible studies and reflections, and lessons and updates that we don’t post on our web site. We invite you to leave comments or write direct to us. God bless you in your effort to serve Him better!