APPENDIX C
SUPPORT RAISING
BIBLE STUDIES 99
The thing that will make or break you will be whether or not you have
really studied the Scriptures and gained a rock-solid conviction that
continuing to personally ask others to invest in you and your ministry is
good, is right, and is biblical!
Have you put in the time to objectively, inductively, and thoroughly
study the Scriptures on this topic prior to forming your beliefs and
approaches? If not, you need to decide what is going to control you before
you embark on this adventure. Fear of rejection or failure? Other people’s
opinions? Past experiences? Or the Word of God? Here are four Bible
studies that will help you examine and understand what the Word has to
say about support raising.
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BIBLE STUDY #1
God: The Owner
and Supplier
Go through these passages carefully, recording your observations,
interpretations, and applications.
A. KING DAVID AND THE TEMPLE
Carefully study 1 Chronicles 29:1-20
1. What resources were set apart for the building of the temple
(v. 2-3)?
2. Beyond the physical, what kind of resources were the people asked
to contribute (v. 5)?
3. When the leaders gave, why did the people rejoice (v. 9)?
4. In verse 12, what did David say comes from God and is in His
hands? How do you think he developed this conviction?
5. In verse 14, Kind David asks a question. He answers it in verse 16.
What was the question and the answer?
6. What is the relationship between giving and integrity (v. 17)?
7. How should the truth in these verses influence a person’s giving?
8. How will this passage and knowing God is the source of everything
influence your personal support raising?
B. THE APOSTLE PAUL’S PERSPECTIVE
Carefully study 2 Corinthians 9:5-15
1. How should a person decide what they should give (v. 7)?
2. Why do you think God is pleased when someone gives cheerfully
(v. 7)?
3. First, find and list all the results of generosity in verses 6, 10-15.
Then, break the giving process down into what it produces for the
giver, the receiver, and God Himself.
4. What is the correlation between sowing and reaping?
5. Briefly describe a time you gave under compulsion. How did that
286 THE GOD ASK // Appendix C
make you feel? Briefly describe a time you gave cheerfully. How
did that make you feel? Briefly describe a time you gave reluctantly.
How did that make you feel?
6. Write out verse 8 in your own words. What parts are meaningful
to you? How will this truth affect your personal support raising?
C. MISCELLANEOUS PASSAGES
Carefully read each verse and record your response to: What is the key
thought in each passage related to God being the source and provider of
all things?
1. Leviticus 25:23
2. Deuteronomy 8:1-10
3. Deuteronomy 8:11-20
4. Psalm 24:1
5. Psalm 37:25-29
6. Proverbs 3:9
7. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
8. Haggai 2:6-9
9. Matthew 6:19-21, 24
10. Acts 17:24-28
11. Romans 8:32
12. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
Summarize
After studying all the passages on this worksheet, summarize your own
biblical convictions about God being your provider. How will this affect
the different aspects of your personal support raising?
Support Raising bible studies 287
BIBLE STUDY #2
Biblical Examples of
Funding Ministry
Go through these passages carefully, recording your observations,
interpretations, and applications. As you go, highlight your Bible with three
different colors when you observe: 1) God provide, 2) A donor give, or 3)
Someone receive a gift.
A. THE LEVITES
Carefully study Numbers 18
1. Describe the work of the Levites and how it differed from other tribes.
2. Describe how God intended to meet the needs of the Levites.
3. How does this passage affect your view of God and His desire to
provide for you today?
B. NEHEMIAH
Carefully study Nehemiah 1:1–2:9
1. Describe how Nehemiah felt about his mission.
2. How did Nehemiah prepare for his appointment with the king?
3. As support raisers, what can we learn from Nehemiah about
prayer, preparation, courage, and asking?
C. JESUS
Carefully study Luke 8:1-3
1. Describe how Jesus and His disciples were supported.
2. Out of all the ways Jesus could have funded both His and His
disciples’ personal and ministry expenses, why do you think He
chose this way?
3. How does knowing the Son of God chose to be supported by the
ongoing gifts of individuals affect your perspective on funding
your own life and ministry?
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D. THE DISCIPLES
Carefully study Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-9
1. What did Jesus model in Luke 8:1-3 that would be helpful to the
disciples as they were sent out in Luke 9 and 10?
2. Why do you think Jesus wanted the disciples to first find a host (to
provide them room and board) before they launched out to initiate
ministry in the city?
3. In Luke 10:7, Jesus told His disciples to live and minister from
the support and hospitality of their hosts. He then said that “the
worker is worthy of his wage.” What did He mean?
4. If Jesus believes you deserve to be fully supported, how should that
affect how you view yourself and support raising?
E. APOSTLE PAUL
Carefully study Acts 18:1-5; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14; Romans 15:20-24
1. Do you think Paul preferred to work and minister part time or to
live on support and preach daily? Why?
2. From 1 Corinthians 9, describe the rationale Paul used to explain
why Christian workers deserve to be supported by others.
3. How do you interpret the command from Jesus in 1 Corinthians
9:14? Why?
4. Why was Paul coming to visit the Romans in Romans 15:20-24?
What can we learn from the way Paul directly and personally
appealed to the Roman believers?
5. List some principles found in these passages that you can apply to
your support raising.
F. OTHERS
Carefully study these verses and record a key thought and application
next to each as it relates to your philosophy or practice in raising support.
1. Deuteronomy 12:10-12 4. Galatians 6:6
2. 1 Samuel 30:7-10, 21-25 5. 1 Timothy 5:17-18
3. 1 Corinthians 15:58 6. 3 John 1:5-8
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The Lord funds His ministers in different ways. On this chart, list a key
observation from each of the examples you have studied and then draw
an application from it that can help you in your support raising.
Example Key Observation Possible Application
Levites
Nehemiah
Jesus
Disciples
Paul
Others
Summarize
As a result of studying all the passages on this worksheet, what are the
specific next “action steps” you will definitely take in the preparation or
implementation of your support raising?
1.
2.
3.
4.
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BIBLE STUDY #3
Understanding Your
Ministry Partners
Create a separate document and go through these passages carefully,
recording your observations, interpretations, and applications. As you go,
highlight your Bible with three different colors when you observe: 1) God
provide, 2) A donor give, or 3) Someone receive a gift.
A. THE POOR WIDOW
Carefully study 1 Kings 17:1-16
1. What are the different ways God provided in this passage?
2. Do you think it was difficult for Elijah to ask this woman for food?
Why do you think God told Elijah to ask her?
3. What do you think Elijah, the woman, and her son learned through
this experience?
4. What can we learn about trusting God, approaching lower income
people for support?
B. THE WEALTHY KING
Carefully study Nehemiah 2:1-9
1. List the questions the king asked Nehemiah. Note why you think
the king asked each particular question.
2. Nehemiah made his requests one at a time, waiting for the king to
respond each time. Why do you think he used this approach?
3. Who was sitting next to the king? Do you think this person had any
bearing on the king’s attitude or decision?
4. Why do you think the king gave him everything he requested
(and more)?
5. What can we learn from this passage about approaching
potential donors?
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C. THE EXTRAVAGANT WOMAN
Carefully study Mark 14:1-9
1. What did the woman in this passage do? Why do you think this
woman gave so lavishly?
2. Instead of condemning her like the others did, why did Jesus honor
her for the way she chose to use her money?
3. To Jesus, the woman’s extravagant deed was an act of worship. How
could asking our supporters to give sacrificially actually be helping
them grow in worship?
4. How can we help our supporters understand that when they give, it
is not to us, or even to our ministry, but to God Himself?
D. THE STRUGGLING CHURCH
Carefully study 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
1. What was the financial condition of the churches in Macedonia
(v. 1-4)?
2. Why did Paul ask these churches to give?
3. What are some reasons for giving that Paul lists in verses 7-15?
4. How does this passage affect who you approach for support? How
should it affect how much you request?
E. THE GENEROUS FRIENDS
Carefully study Philippians 4:10-20
1. In verse 10, the Philippians were concerned for Paul, but they had
not given yet. Why not?
2. In verses 15-16, we discover the Philippian believers gave to Paul
more than once so that he could minister in other cities. What
implications does this have for workers who raise support in a
particular city or country in order to go minister elsewhere?
3. Paul claims in this passage not to have any needs, and yet he asked
the Philippians to give. Why?
4. How are we benefiting our supporters by asking them to invest in
the work of God through us (v. 17)?
5.
In verse 19, how could Paul confidently promise God would
provide for the Philippians?
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6. How should this passage affect how support raisers ask? How
should it affect one’s giving?
F. OTHERS
Carefully study these verses. What do they teach about supporters and how
they can partner through giving?
1. Acts 20:35
2. Romans 12:1-13
3. 2 Corinthians 1:15-16
4. Philippians 1:1-7
Summarize
After studying all the passages on this worksheet, write a short paragraph
reflecting on what you’ve learned. Has your view of your supporters
changed? How will you treat your supporters as true ministry partners
given to you by God?
Support Raising bible studies 293
BIBLE STUDY #4
Christlikeness in
Support Raising
“God’s work done in God’s way never lacks God’s supplies.”
—Hudson Taylor, missionary to China
Create a separate document and go through these passages carefully, record
1) a summary or key thought from the passage and 2) an observation of
what these verses can teach you regarding your calling into ministry.
A. OBEYING YOUR CALLING
Carefully study these passages:
1. Exodus 3:1-15; 4:1-8
2. Isaiah 6:1-10
3. Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-5
4. John 14:10-14
5. Acts 13:1-5
6. 1 Timothy 4:9-16
7. 1 Peter 4:7-11
• What is your ministry calling, and what biblical basis do you have
to support it?
B. CONQUERING YOUR FEARS
Carefully study these passages and write down two things: 1) a key
thought from the passage and 2) what these verses can teach you about
facing your fears and walking toward them in the power of God.
1. Joshua 1:1-9
2. 1 Samuel 17
3. Isaiah 41:10
4. Matthew 6:25-34
5. Matthew 14:22-33
6. 2 Timothy 1:5-14
7. Hebrews 12:1-3
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• What kind of fears do you anticipate facing while raising support?
How can you look to the Lord and His Word to help you walk
toward those fears in the power of God?
C. STEWARDING YOUR SUPPORT
Carefully study these passages and write down two things: 1) a summary
or key thought from the passage and 2) an observation about how God
wants believers to steward the finances He provides them.
1. Psalm 37:21-26
2. Psalm 112
3. Proverbs 6:6-11
4. Proverbs 10:2-5
5. Proverbs 14:23
6. Proverbs 22:7-9
7. Ecclesiastes 4:8-10
8. Matthew 6:19-24
9. 2 Corinthians 9:5-15
10. 1 Timothy 6:6-12; 17-19
11. 1 Peter 5:2-4
Summarize
• Personalize it. Write down the biblical principles you will
operate by in regard to giving, spending, saving, debt, and other
financial dealings.
