Green Days: New Staff Fall Follow-up Conference

Every Spring and Fall I get to be a part of these conferences that are a follow-up after our new CCC missionaries go through their initial training. I love these follow-up conferences. So much great stuff going on, but also a lot of tough stuff.

A week or so before the conference I set some specific support-raising goals with three of the staff who would be attending. After a few months out on the support trail I evaluate how they are doing and set up some realistic goals for each person. Usually the goals are intended for those struggling, but this time I set goals for those doing well and not so well.

Reyshawn is a huge football player joining staff to work at the University of Washington. Originally from Los Angeles, he's been developing his ministry prayer and support team in Montana. It's been a challenge with limited amounts of people to talk with. 5 days before the follow-up conference I asked him to come up with some realistic support goals for the next month. I suggested $100 a week, for a total of $400 by the end of the month. Reyshawn said no, he wanted to go for $800, $200 a week. And he wouldn't budge, even though I tried to talk him down! At the time he was at about 15% of his support goal...

So 5 days later at the conference he casually mentions to me that he is now at 35%. I thought he was joking! In 5 days he had seen over $600 in new monthly support come in! More than he had seen the whole 2 months before that.

Devin & Nikole have been working full-time jobs to make ends meet until their support comes in. They had been meeting goals well, but I still asked them to come up with some goals the week before the conference. Devin immediately said $1000 monthly, which threw his wife for a loop! She said $500. So we compromised on $750...

A week later at the conference, they had seen over $650 in new monthly support come in! I firmly believe that it is the Lord who brings in the support and ministry teams for each of us. And I believe that He wants us to pray specifically and ask Him for big things. I love seeing Him show up, and being a part of challenging others in their faith to believe Him for all things.