Last week, I asked my prayer and financial partners three quick questions about how I could help them feel better connected and invested in my work, particularly my emails and Facebook group. I received 12 responses and am very grateful for their feedback.
Apart from those who are happy with how things are, I'm delighted to engage with some of your very welcome and constructive feedback and ideas.
1. FEWER EMAILS (1 response)
"I receive quite a few missionary emails. The fewer I get the more likely I am to read them."
When I first began in this role, I had my secular marketing hat on and knew that I needed to stay front-of-mind to keep my supporters connected and hopefully invested in my work. I quickly learned that building ministry partnerships is a long journey together with fellow Christians and is not meant to be a quick persistent marketing pitch. I learned that I need to be intentional about my communication and not flood email inboxes with appeal after appeal. As a result, my strategy shifted. You may expect a max of 1-2 emails from me a month and a seasonal financial investor's newsletter.
2. STAY ON TOPIC (2 responses)
"We are supporting your work with young adults and campus ministry not to be swayed by an agenda."
I hear you loud and clear. You are supporting my work, not an agenda. Thank you for raising this. I can see how my interest in the issues surrounding women in the church and serving in ministry can overpower the conversation and will attempt to strike a good balance.
And I hope you will bear with me when I do delve into this world as it is particularly relevant to my role in many ways. As the only senior staff member in a ministry who is a woman, I am aware that I am an example to our students and other men and women in our ministry networks. The student leaders I oversee in my department are both young women and men and I want them to be aware of the issues that will effect them should they move into leadership roles in the church or move on to theological college and ministry work.
3. STORIES AND IMAGES (7 responses)
"Stories of students coming to faith, Scripture you are working through with your students, accounts of student leading well."
Yes! You've spoken and I have listened. More stories. More images. I can do this. With increased investment and more hours available to me over the months and years of working in this space the more stories I will have to share.
4. VIDEOS (4 responses)
"30 seconds - 2 minutes videos are good to give us a view of what's happening on the ground. Featuring students and other staff, too."
I love it. I wasn't entirely sure that you were loving my videos I was posting but several of you wanted more shorter videos, feautring different people and day to day accounts. I can do this.
5. DON'T INVEST TOO MUCH TIME IN US (2 responses)
"I don’t want to see you invest too much time in supporters! Focus on the students."
When I was a girl I remember reading the biography of Lottie Moon, a 19th century American Southern Baptist missionary to China. I remember reading with dismay as she left her important work in China to return to the United States to raise the necessary financial investment to continue her work. Her letters back to churches in the United States pleading for their ongoing financial partnership and to not forget her and the work she was doing pre-internet and before air travel. She had to pack, take a ship across the Pacific Ocean, a train from San Francisco to the east coast to travel from church to church to re-ignite their passion for God's work overseas.
Southern Baptists since have shifted their funding model and all churches in the denomination contribute to the funding of missionaries, releasing the missionaries to just get on with the work. This is the church I grew up in. But now here I am, like Lottie Moon working at building connection to my work and making the appeal to financial investment to cover the woman-hours necessary to accomplish the work.
Lottie Moon, like the apostle Paul wrote letters to the saints abroad to connect them to her work, thank them for sending prayers, resources, funds and people to assist in her work.
My work in building you up in your faith, your ministry, your connection with God's work on campus, thanking you for your support is all a part of a long legacy of Christian missionary work. As I get on with my work and share more in-the-moment stories and videos, you will hopefully feel more connected, value the gospel work I do, and some may feel compelled to financially invest in my work, from the $10 a month from a stay at home mum to the $1000 tax return from a recent graduate.
6. VISIT CHURCHES (1 response)
"We often get visiting speakers come to our church from University Fellowship of Christians. I feel connected in this way."
I love being able to share with local churches and missions groups. Please, let your church leadership know that I am very happy to come and share and I am available to be used as a ministry resource to build up and encourage the women in their congregation.
One way that you can encourage me when I come to visit is to come and talk to me afterwards. Bring over a friend who may not know about my work to talk to me, too. I often don't know many people in the church and may be left awkwardly standing alone next to our University Fellowship of Christians display.
7. IN-PERSON CONNECTION (1 response)
"Have coffee with me!"
Yes, when are you free? This is an important part of our work. Connecting face to face and building partnerships in an intimate conversation. Within the next year I also aim to build face to face connections through partnership-building events.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Reply to ministry emails. Find 1-2 things that you really connected with. Pray about them and hit "Reply" and send me a quick message to let me know. Tell me your stories of ministry and mission so that I can be praying for you. My husband will let you know that each time a reply email comes through I am FLOATING on air.
Comment in the Facebook group Christine: Behind the Scenes
Consider if it's time to move from connecting to investing in my work. christinejolly.com/support