This topic is something I myself struggled with even up until our Journey Training we attended in Missouri this past summer. Not sure what I mean by Journey Training? Check out our post about it here: https://livinglovingthailand.org/journey-training-springfield-mo/
When this article was shared with me, I thought it may be helpful to share with others, considering my own doubts and questions as a missionary.
Biblical Precedence
There is much biblical precedence for missionaries receiving support for their work from others. In Philippians chapter four, Paul thanks the Philippian Church for their ongoing support of him personally:
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 16 we see Paul asking churches to donate to a fund he is collecting to take for famine relief to Jerusalem:
Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned...
We know that from time to time, Paul would make tents to support himself as he ministered, but it also appears Paul was not against missionaries raising support from multiple sources for both personal support and for ministry events.
Why Don’t Churches Just Pay Missionaries?
Many people wonder why churches don’t simply cover the cost of sending their own missionaries. The answer is threefold:
Many Churches Simply Can’t
According to Lifeway Research, roughly 60% of churches average just 60–100 worshipers on a Sunday, and around 35% average 100–500. With a typical church budget in the $200,000–$250,000 range, fully supporting a missionary family at $60,000–$80,000 a year becomes financially unrealistic once you account for pastors’ salaries, building costs, local ministries, and community needs.
Some Churches Choose Not To
Even when churches have financial margin, missions is not always their highest priority. The Gospel Coalition reports that only about 6% of Christian giving goes to overseas missions, and less than 1% reaches unreached people groups. Churches tend to invest most heavily in programs that benefit their immediate congregation.
Missions DNA Is Unevenly Distributed
Nearly all churches “support” missions in a general sense—but only a small percentage send their own people. Churches with a strong missional DNA often send multiple workers, but they are the minority
Why Raising Support Matters
Unlike most careers, missionaries don’t have a salary waiting for them in the Field. The communities they serve—often facing economic hardship or spiritual crisis themselves—are not in a position to fund the work. By raising support, missionaries free themselves to serve full-time without burdening the very people they came to help.
Support-raising accomplishes three powerful things:
- It builds partnership, not just finances.
In Philippians 4, Paul speaks of the church’s giving as a “partnership in the Gospel.” Those who pray, give, and send are not spectators—they are coworkers in Kingdom work. - It multiplies the Body of Christ.
Support teams mobilize dozens—even hundreds—of believers who would never set foot on the mission field, yet whose investment impacts lives across the world. - It grows faith and dependence on God.
Missionaries learn to trust God as their provider, and supporters learn to trust Him with their generosity. Everybody’s faith gets stretched, not just the one who goes.
A Shared Calling
Missions is never a one-person assignment. God designed it so that some go, some send, and all participate. When missionaries raise support, they are not begging—they are inviting the Church to step into its global calling.
Together, we become part of a story larger than any one of us could write alone—a story of obedience, transformation, and the hope of Christ
Would you consider being a part of our journey as we serve alongside pastors & leaders in Chiang Mai, Thailand?
To those who are already a part of our team, thank you! We are so blessed by your partnership and friendship! We can't wait for the day when we begin to share our journey on the field.
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