Tag: coronavirus

Support Raising and The Pandemic: Tips for Dealing With Delta

~ Jenn Fortner ~ Leave a comment

I heard a phrase recently and it’s really stuck with me the past couple of weeks:

“There’s a lot of water in the water.”

Roll with me here. The phrase essentially means there is a lot going on. Let’s think about the phrase in the context of surfing. Somedays the ocean can be easy going and smooth. On those days, you can catch a wave with little effort (unless you’re me…cuz that’s never going to happen), get back on your board and repeat. Other times, the exact opposite is true and it’s a big ole struggle. Because there are currents coming from different directions, you can be in the exact same spot, with the exact same water, and what was an easy day yesterday becomes a very challenging one the next — making catching waves and paddling seem nearly impossible. All the sudden you’re expending at least double the energy to do what would have been so easy just the day prior. Hence, there’s a lotta water in the water.

Lately, reminding myself of this phrase has been a great way of slowing down and staying calm when there is a lot going on – whether that’s anxiety over something specific, general circumstances, or a day feeling more complicated than usual for whatever reason. I also feel like the phrase encapsulates the pandemic and what we are all going through right now: Yep, there’s a lotta water in the water on that one.

With that being said, I just wanted to touch base on support raising in the midst of the pandemic. Some of you may be navigating it all swimmingly (see what I did there?), but lately I have been coming across a few questions. Questions such as: How should I meet with people? What do I say to figure out if we are going to be wearing masks? What about meeting outside? What if I don’t want to meet with people right now because I am immune compromised or am unvaccinated? What if they don’t want to meet in person and they are being more careful than I am? Guys remember the good ole days when getting the place and time nailed down for an appointment was the easy part? THERE’S A LOTTA WATER IN THE WATER. That being said, here are a couple of tips that may be helpful no matter what your beliefs are on COVID and Delta etc.

1. Wherever you find yourself on the spectrum of handling the Coronavirus, as you ask for appointments it’s important to stay mindful that others may feel differently than you do as far as safety is concerned. Thus, try to respect those differences. As you ask for face to face appointments, it may be best to try to approach your potential partner by asking what makes them feel comfortable. Here’s a sample dialogue asking an individual for an appointment via phone: 

(after beginning conversation and briefly explaining your ministry assignment) “…I would love to grab some time with you sometime in the next few weeks to talk more specifically about the vision and goals of this ministry assignment and joining some aspect of my team, whether that’s in prayer or finances or both. I don’t know what you’re comfortable with right now as far as meeting — would it be best to mask at a coffee shop, stay outside, Zoom, or none of the above and your not worried about it — what are you doing to stay comfortable and how can I accommodate?”

Basically, it’s important not to jump to conclusions as to what your potential partner is comfortable with! Stay mindful and ministry minded. I wrote some posts early in the pandemic (this post and this one) that may serve as helpful guides that you can adapt.

2. It’s not time to pause completely or indefinitely. God still called you to ministry and that hasn’t changed because there is a pandemic. People need ministers now more than ever. It may be a teeny bit trickier, but that doesn’t mean that your asks or appointments need to come to a stop.

3. Build your online presence. Everyone is still online right now! Do you have a Facebook group? Set it up! Do you have Instagram or TikTok? (ok, I don’t have a TikTok YET) Set it up! Have you tried FacebookLive? Go for it.

4. Video conference / Zoom appointments are still working and remain a great option when needed. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been taking with many workers who have had (and are having) great appointments with individuals via Zoom. If you need to Zoom with someone go for it! 

5. Have your appointment outside! If it makes you or your potential partner feel more comfortable to meet outside – embrace Mother Nature with a smile! Find a patio, coffee shop with outdoor seating, backyard, or park to meet someone at. Go on a walk! A hike even! Take lunch to a nice park. Go get ice cream! Or heck, a hotdog I dunno. Bottom line: outside can be great! Just make sure you plan accordingly and bring what you need for yourself and your potential partner to make it comfortable (bug spray, sunscreen, water, etc.). Have a rain plan if need be as well – think through some outside spaces that are covered if you need to stay outside, or have a backup Zoom plan. 

In closing, It’s true there are a few more hoops to jump through as you navigate support raising through a continuing pandemic. There’s a lotta water in the water. But it’s not impossible or too much to move forward with! Keep your eyes on Jesus, know He has called you, and keep moving forward! I hope some of these thoughts help everyone! Have questions? Ask them in the comments!

Appointment Kits and Pastor Packets

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 4 Comments

Do you want to set yourself apart from the crowd? (Shake your head and say yeeeesss) One great way to stand out is by creating quality appointment kits and pastor packets.

What’s the difference between the two? Let me explain briefly. Typically appointment kits are given out to an individual during a face to face appointment, though the use of them is not limited to that. The kit should be designed to give that financial partner what they need to start giving and further information on your ministry. Pastor’s packets are great for meetings with pastors, mailing prior to contacting a pastor/church, dropping off to a pastor/church, or made available for events and gatherings.

For the most part appointment kits and pastor packets have the same materials in them with a few exceptions (see below). Quality should be what you shoot for when creating the packets, whether those materials are made by professionals, yourself, or someone with a design background that wants to help.

During more normal, non-pandemic support raising times, having a great appointment kit and pastor packet is helpful in standing out and looking uber professional. During a pandemic I would almost call it crucial. Why? Well, several reasons, but particularly many in-person meetings and gatherings are being taken away as opportunities to connect with pastors and individuals. Situations pre-pandemic in which a worker would connect with pastors now may be happening virtually only or not happening at all. Pre-pandemic, a worker may have met with individuals at a church small group, and now that small group is happens virtually. Thus we need to be creative creating opportunities to share our stories.

For instance, take a denominational district gathering that happen virtually. What if you mailed out pastor packets to all of the pastors who “attended” the virtual gathering or sent it to a portion of the pastors whom you really enjoyed interacting with (depending on protocol within your organization for reaching out of course)? And the church small group that is now virtual: what if you mailed appointment kits out after (or prior) to meeting virtually? 

serban packet

PASTOR PACKETS

So let’s start with pastor packets — here are some items I recommend to have in yours:

  1. A nice envelope / folder to put everything into – something like these or these are just some examples
  2. Case Document
  3. Prayer Card
  4. Pastor Recommendation letter (see below)
  5. Any ministry pamphlets or print materials that are helpful from your specific organization / ministry
  6. Your organization’s commitment or pledge / commitment forms (may not be needed in all circumstances)
  7. **connect cards, Special note — you probably would not put these physically in the envelope / folder, but have ready to show the pastor if you plan on asking him/her if connect cards would be appropriate to use in his/her congregation
  8. ***videos of 1, 2, or 3 minute windows available for pastors who are doing online services only due to COVID-19, maybe on a thumb drive or not included in the actual packet — but given prior to giving pastor packet. here’s a link to further explanation see point #3b

serban packet 2

APPOINTMENT KITS

For appointment kits, I recommend gathering some of the following components:

  1. A nice envelope / folder to put everything into – something like these or these are just some examples
  2. Case Document (***special note, it’s helpful to create a version of this for individuals that DOES NOT outline your specific budget numbers but provides percentages reached instead — yes you’ll have to update them regularly – here’s why not to include budget details to individuals)
  3. Prayer Card
  4. Any ministry pamphlets or print materials that are helpful from your specific organization / ministry
  5. Giving Instructions: easily understood step by step instructions on how to give within your organization
  6. Your organization’s commitment or pledge / commitment forms
  7. Optional: Some type of visual/infographic on how much support you need to get to 100% – I call these LOG (Levels of Giving) charts (ie. 50 people at 50$, 15 people at 100$, 10 people at $150, 5 people at $200, etc.) Make it pretty!
  8. Optional but nice: A small gift or token for those who commit to support and/or pray
  9. Optional: fridge magnet so they can remember to pray for you.

Did you notice there are some items in the appointment kit that are not included in the pastor packet? Some reasoning for that is my preference for giving pastors less to sift through due to the lack of time they have. That being said, you may have something additional in your pastors packet because you’re likely brilliant and have thought of something genius I haven’t (if so tell me in the comments! I’m here for it!) — and I believe in most circumstances that is fine.

I hope this helps! If you have questions comment below. Lastly, see below for a pastor recommendation letter template to help create your own. You all are awesome! Keep going. – JF

Pastor Recommendation Letter:

Theis recommendation letter

 

Partnership Development and the Coronavirus Part 3

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 3 Comments

Part 3: Thoughts After 5 Months of Support Raising During a Pandemic

It’s July and we have been in the midst of this pandemic for 5 months now. Whew! Guys, I know we’ve been through a lot already! It still remains that 1. YOU’VE GOT THIS and 2. God is still on the throne and knows the times and the seasons.

I wrote a post back in April on 7 Things I Am Learning About Support Raising During A Pandemic, and wanted to write some more recent thoughts now that we’ve been getting adjusted to our temporary-who-knows-how-long normal. Here we go:

  1. MINSTER. It still remains a go-to in your to-do-list to continually check in with existing members of your partnership team, people that are in your life (whether or not they are on your support team), and churches. Ask them how they are doing and how you can be praying. Many church communities and individuals are in the midst of spikes in their area and may be experiencing stress and need some additional prayers! Text. DM. Send a postcard. Send kid artwork (if you have kids). Call them. Email. Etc. – you get the idea – say hi! Being a minister starts now, not once you get into your assignment.
  2. ADAPT. Zoom appointments and outside social distance appointments still count! If you are in a community experiencing high exposure, it’s possible you will need to adapt (meaning meet outside instead of inside, mask up, meet via Zoom, etc.) to meet with some on your list. That’s okay, still go for it. Remember that not everyone’s level of comfortability is the same so be willing to meet people where they are at. If you have to meet outside in the heat, try to pick a place in the shade or someplace with fans and/or copious amounts of ice water. It may no be 100% ideal but don’t let it stop you from making progress!
  3. CHURCHES. Churches are still sort of a mixed bag. Some churches are back to regular meetings. Some churches were back to regular meetings, but are now meeting online only again. Some churches have only been meeting online for a long time now. It’s likely that whatever the case, most pastors are met with new normals that have them on their toes. When reaching out to pastors for services stay sensitive and begin conversations by asking the pastor how they are doing in the midst of the pandemic (see #3 in the link). If now is not a good time for that pastor, ask if you can circle back with them in a couple of months (throw that in your calendar with notes on the conversation and stay organized). Here’s a couple of more thoughts on churches:
    1. Here’s a link for overall tips on contacting pastors. Check it out if your wanting to brush up on connecting with churches.
    2. Consider creating videos that share your presentation in a 2, 3, and 5 minute version. You can send that video to the pastor in advance of reaching out, and if that pastor has taken things online only he/she can use the video time segment that works for that pastor for online services. Make sure the video is well done and your communication is clear. Take care to explain how God called you, what you will be doing during your assignment, and what your strategy is for reaching the lost. **More information on a good 3 minute presentation outline can be found in the FPD Workbook. **Videos / streaming can potentially work for workers that are going to sensitive countries. Simply talk about the area or region you are going to during the video instead of specific placement, do not share proper nouns within your ministry, no last names, and consider being masked for the video (with explanation – perhaps with humor – as to why).
  4. KEEP GOING: A STORY. Recently a couple I coach reached 80% fully funded, and they started raising their support IN MARCH (that’s right the beginning of this pandemic thing. Glup). On the phone last week I asked what their secret sauce was, and they said to me “We just kept going as if the pandemic wasn’t going to effect our support raising.” They had Zoom appointments during shelter in place and kept their focus on reaching out for appointments, and now on the heels of August are close to 100% fully funded. Morale of the story is KEEP GOING! I believe that if we are confident during this season others will be confident in us. The need in our world is great right now, and the Great Commission isn’t waiting. The truth is if you are raising your support during this season, God called you to ministry during this season. He knew you would be raising support during a pandemic. Let that encourage your heart and don’t let the pandemic stop you from what God has called you to do now!
  5. IF YOUR CLOSE AND IT’S CLOSED: COMMUNICATE. Many people are asking what happens if they are heading overseas and the country they are going to is closed due to travel restrictions. The answer is of course varied, and if you find yourself in that position you should connect with your mentor about what that scenario looks like. Whatever the case though, keep in mind that most supporters are going to be very understanding if you reach 100% and have to be delayed in your travels due to the virus, particularly if it’s only a span of several months. In most cases you need not worry if you will loose support or find your supporters angry with you for things beyond your control. If you do find yourself in the situation of being at or close to 100% and you cannot travel, I would simply take care to communicate that you will be going as soon as it is safe and the travel restrictions lift. Also, let them know what you will be doing in the meantime to stay active (depending on your situation). It doesn’t have to have every detail or possible scenario (and in fact sometimes too many details are not helpful) to communicate that you are still committed and going as soon as you can.
  6. PERSPECTIVE. Overall, I’m seeing workers continually add to their partnership bases during this season and am actually overwhelmingly encouraged by progress. In so many ways, I think this season has a way of lending itself to perspective. It’s typical to look for reasons why not to work on raising support — and a pandemic is a really good excuse — I get it. But what I’m seeing is for those who continually work on it even though conditions haven’t been ideal — they have been met with regular increases in their budgets and their efforts have not been wasted. It really is what you make it, and it always has been when it comes to raising support. It’s likely there will always be something inconvenient about raising support, and likely there will be something “more important” to work on or a reason not to do it. My point is to check any reasons you are giving yourself permission to coast when it comes to raising support, and if you find yourself making the pandemic an excuse… fight to snap out of that (see #4). Stay the course. God called you now. Let’s do this!

I hope you find this helpful. 2020 is not at all what we expected, that’s to be sure, but praying in the midst of this season God fills your heart with strength and purpose. – JF

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

What To Do If A Financial Partner Stops Giving

~ Jenn Fortner ~ Leave a comment

What happens if you are months into your assignment and you notice that the support of one of your financial partners has come to a screeching halt? Would contacting them be awkward? How would you word such a conversation? Here are some tips on how to deal when giving drops off:

  • If someone’s support drops off, try to deal with it relatively quickly. Don’t wait 4 or 5 months (or yikes…even longer) to reach out. I think waiting until the second month is okay, but I probably wouldn’t go beyond that if you can help it.
  • If someone stops their giving don’t assume that they don’t want to give any more. It could likely be a credit card expiration situation.
  • If someone’s support drops off contact that financial partner! Personally I would use email or phone call to connect, and I would stay away from less personal spaces like Facebook Messenger or text. Here’s a sample email or phone conversation:
    • “Hey Paul! Hope you are doing well! Things here are going great even in the midst of COVID-19. We have gone out of shelter in place and have been able to connect more with the local church as well as resume our English teaching with ease – which is great. It’s also lead to a lot of really great ministry moments recently that I’ll be sharing more in depth in my newsletter coming up next week. Excited to share more! How are you all doing in the midst of COVID? Everything ok with you and your family? Would love to hear more. // I want to reach out because I noticed in May that your monthly support did not come in. I’m wondering if that is a credit card issue / expiration or if there are other circumstances? Let me know if you could either way. I would love to be praying if you have any specific prayer requests and thank you for the continued support in ministry, it has and does mean more than words can say. I’ll be attaching instructions to the bottom of this email if indeed it is a credit card change. Thank you Paul!” (*include giving information, instructions on credit card changes that are extremely user friendly, and your contact information)
  • If they don’t happen to answer, don’t give up, try to reach out in another way. And/or if you are emailing and don’t get a response, wait a week or so and pop in with a quick email that says something like “Hey Paul, just checking in. Did you happen to get the email I sent you on a couple of weeks ago in the beginning of June?”
  • If they answer back and let you know it’s a credit card expiration, I would respond by providing them again with the needed information to make the change. Do as much of the work as you possibly can for them, and make it AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE for them to complete the task.
  • If they answer that they won’t be continuing and their financial abilities have changed say something along the lines of:
    • “Hey Paul, thanks for letting me know about the situation that lead to a pause on the giving. It truly helps me. Thank you so much as well for your giving over X amount of time, words cannot say enough how grateful I am. If it’s okay I would love to touch base with you later on down the road and see if jumping back on would make sense after the challenges you are facing pass – and will be praying for you in the midst of it. I’m sure it’s a challenging time and I’m so sorry you have to walk through that (*or whatever helpful language works here based on relationship and challenge they are facing*). I’ll continue sending newsletters and thank you for your continued prayers. If you would like to not get those any longer let me know and I can take you off the list. Again, appreciate you and your family and will stay in touch.” 
    • If you send this back to them set yourself a calendar reminder to email or text them in a month or two just to simply check in and ask how they are doing. There should be no other agenda for that touch point unless they initiate it. Tell them you have been praying for them (and indeed – pray for them!) and let them know you were thinking of them.
  • Just as a reminder, stay relational with your partnership team! According to Bill Dillon’s statistics in his book People Raising, 66% of people stop giving because they don’t think that you care about them or their giving. Don’t be that worker that goes off to their assignment and forgets the team beyond you and behind you that makes it possible! If that is the case, you will likely have people drop off.
  • In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, I don’t think these tips or steps change. It may be that someone on your team falls on hard times and drop offs due to the economy, and staying ministry minded will serve you well. Still reach out using the following the tips above.

How To Approach Face to Face Appointments During a Pandemic

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 3 Comments

As I write this many cities across the US have gone to lifting restrictions of a stay at home orders or will do so in the upcoming weeks. We have yet to see how this will effect America in the wake of a virus without a vaccine. In the past few weeks, we have also seen Americans polarized by the politicizing of the virus and their beliefs. Some people believe that COVID-19 is a hoax, others believe it is deadly and dangerous and wear masks while still others don’t, others are grappling with how to reenter their workplaces and remain safe, some people are trying to figure out how to continue work and take care of children who are still not attending school, and others are just 100% over it all together.

Wherever you find yourself on the spectrum of Coronavirus belief (is there a better term? Let me know!) as you ask individuals for appointments in the upcoming months I believe it’s important to stay mindful that others may feel differently than you as far as safety is concerned. Thus, try to respect those differences. As you may be moving into asking for actual face to face appointments, it may be best to try to approach your potential partner by asking what makes them feel comfortable. Here’s a sample dialogue asking an individual for an appointment via phone:

(after beginning conversation and briefly explaining your ministry assignment…)

“…I would love to grab some time with you sometime in the next few weeks to talk more specifically about the vision and goals of this ministry assignment and joining some aspect of my team, whether that’s in prayer or finances or both. I don’t know what you’re comfortable with right now as far as meeting — would it be best to social distance on a porch at my or you’re home, we could use Zoom and meet virtually, or perhaps meet at a coffee shop if you’re comfortable.”

Basically, it’s important to not jump to conclusions as to what your potential partner is comfortable with! Stay mindful and ministry minded. If you need a review of how to approach individuals and churches during this time, this post and this one may serve as helpful guides.

If you have been struggling to make progress in the past few months, remember that God has called YOU to your assignment. He is still on the throne and He knows the times and the seasons. He actually knew this would go down in the midst of your support raising season. Stay focused and stay reminded of your calling. I have personally been so encouraged as I have dialogued with the workers I coach, seeing so many of them add numerous new partners to their team. You’ve got this. He’s got this!

I hope these thoughts help! Reach out if you have questions!

 

 

7 Things I Am Learning About Support Raising During A Pandemic

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 3 Comments

What day is it of whatever this is? If you’re like me, you’ve lost count somewhere along the way. As our groundhog days have gone on I have been busy coaching workers who are on the front lines of raising their support, many for the first time. I’ve been carefully listening and dialing into what is working and what is not. Thus, I wanted to take a moment to share some tips I have learned from coaching numerous workers raising their support during the Coronavirus. Here we go:

  1. If you have not done a newsletter in awhile (or you did recently, just pre-Coronavirus), NOW is the time to do one. I’ve been hearing workers mention that the number one question they are getting from their supporters and potential supporters is “are you still going to do your ministry assignment?” Stave off any doubt your supporters have by sending out a short newsletter that shares the following:
    • Reassure them you are feeling your call to ministry now more than ever! Remind them there are amazing opportunities to minister as people are searching for meaning and faith right now, and you’re excited to get on the front lines.
    • Yes, you are still called! Yes, you are still going to the field / on staff / your assignment! Let them know you are working as you are able to minister during this time, continue to raise support, and pray.
    • Ask them if they have any specific prayer requests.
    • Write a hearty thank you for their continued giving during this season. Let them how grateful you are. It’s huge they are committed to giving.
    • Don’t be afraid to keep it short and to the point.
  2. Video conference appointments are working. I have been taking with many workers who are having great appointments with individuals and are adding to their support teams during this time, Thus, don’t think of it as a time to stand still and do nothing! Reach for Zoom appointments using a mixture of discernment, wisdom, common sense, and prayer. When you do ask for an appointment, follow the guidelines found in this post and develop your own scripts.
  3. I coach a couple who shared this idea I thought was brilliant: for local appointments, think about having “porch picnics” with those who are comfortable. Their instructions:
    •  Get a Signup Genius ready (www.signupgenius.com)
    • Send link to potential supporters after you have called and asked for a appointment (or those already on your team that you want to build relationship with and see) to schedule appointments
    • “Take them” to dinner/lunch/coffee. (go pick something up with washed and sanitized hands or use UberEats or GrubHub or DoorDash)
    • Hang on porch at a distance
  4. Staying spiritually healthy matters. I talked with a couple yesterday who mentioned they are praying together for a different church every day, and are viewing this time as an opportunity to dial into their prayer life separately and together as a couple. They feel blessed to have extra time to bulk up spiritually. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine that this couple won’t be lead into great opportunities as a result of their heart and prayer life. Go and do likewise.
  5. Facebook / Instagram Live Q&As can be a good way to stay active and are FUN! As we all know, there are a lot of people online right now. Why not utilize that opportunity by doing a Facebook Live Q&A or Instagram Live and talk about your upcoming assignment? The main content of a FB Live Q&A should be comprised of giveaways, trivia / info on your assignment, questions for the audience, and time to let them ask you questions. Make it simple and fun, and promote it however you can before hand.  This post outlines some details on the subject.  (*sensitive workers — this is doable for you too with some extra precautions and permissions!)
  6. Continue having ministry moments. Ask pastors if you can help serve their congregation (if you have technical skills they could probably really use you)! Ask friends and family members how they are doing, just because. If someone comes to mind take a moment and reach out. What you sow you will also reap, so continue to sow into your relationships.
  7. Having a good attitude and staying empathetic matters. Remember, your ministry doesn’t start when you get to your assignment – it starts now! And hey, I totally get it, of course this time is challenging! I SEE YOU. But here’s a wild thought: God knew about the pandemic and still chose YOU for this time. Knowing that, choose to be the inspiration of courage and hope to someone else, as chances are they need it. Chances are you will be inspired by being an inspiration. You will be blessed by being a blessing. Stick with a good attitude. Stay empathetic and serve those around you in everyday small ways. One worker I know realized she is getting a lot of joy from having flowers on her kitchen table and tending to her plant babies. She is now driving around to her existing partnership team (who are local) and putting small plants on their porches with a short note of encouragement. What a great idea!

Friends, I hope some of these tips help or get the wheels turning on ideas of your own. What has been working for you? Post it in the comments! – JF

Partnership Development and The Coronavirus: Part 2

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 4 Comments

Many of you are faced with questions as to what should I do during this early time of the coronavirus. From the workers I connect with weekly, I’ve heard everything from “I’ve been having appointments this week on Zoom and they have been great”, to “we don’t know if best to wait and not ask for appointments this early into the pandemic.” I wanted to write a synopsis of what I have been thinking through this past week as we are navigating together. Here’s an update on some of thoughts (or just think of it as an expansion) since last week when I wrote Partnership Development and the Coronavirus Part 1:

1. This is not the time to do nothing! This is a great time to:

  • Build your online presence. Everyone is online right now! Do you have a Facebook group? Set it up! Do you have Instagram or TikTok? (guys, I don’t have a TikTok yet but I’m thinking about it) Set it up! Have you tried FacebookLive? Go for it.
  • Reach out to existing partners or just friends and family and ask how they are doing, and be an encouragement. Many of them will remember the times you reached out without asking for anything. Look for opportunities to serve and stay ministry minded:
    • send postcards (with washed hands)
    • send texts
    • send cards from your kids (with washed hands)
    • send videos from your kids
    • put a bag of coffee or a chocolate bar or something from a small business on their doorstep if local. if you don’t want to spend money go pick some flowers…there will be some in the next several weeks!
    • update your team with a newsletter

2. When thinking of continuing to reach out to individuals here are some thoughts:

  • It’s not time to pause completely or indefinitely. God still called you to ministry and that hasn’t changed because there is a pandemic. People need ministers now more than ever. It may be time to be sensitive and loving while thinking through your asks, and it may not be the right time to ask for some people in your contact list, but that doesn’t mean that your asks need to come to a full stop.
  • When going through your list it may not be business as usual. Use a mix of prayer, discernment, and common sense while thinking of who to reach out to in the next 2 weeks (or more). Do your homework and think critically: Are they a small business owner? (you may table reaching out to them for the time being) Are they someone you would have reached out to for a distance video call anyhow? Are they ministry minded?
  • When you do ask for a social distance video appointment with an individual here’s some specific thoughts on how to proceed:
    • Always start your phone call with 3 questions: “Hey, how are you doing? How are you doing in the wake of coronavirus? How can I be praying for you?” 
      • Take your time with their response and really listen with attuned ears. Ask follow up questions and don’t be afraid to get into the weeds. Let this be a ministry moment.
    • After you have listened, tailor your response to asking for a video appointment depending on their answer:
      • OPTION A: They said they are “fine” (sheltered in place / social distancing / but fine). If they say this you respond with:

“That’s great. I know it’s been a challenge and if their are any prayer needs that stand out let us know. We are calling because we feel our call to ministry now more than ever (to X – maybe a brief summary of your ministry assignment is needed) and are still raising up a team of financial and prayer support partners. You definitely came to mind as someone we would like to be a part of that. Realizing that this is a crazy time, we are wondering if we could schedule a video call sometime this week or next to tell you more about our ministry vision and goals and see if you could join some aspect of our team?” (proceed from there…)

      • OPTION B: They said they are struggling (financially, emotionally, etc.). If they say this respond with:

“We will absolutely be praying with you during this time with your prayer needs (insert here several of the things they mentioned that are challenging). Here in a minute if it’s cool we would love to pray with you, and would love to maybe follow up with a text or phone call in the next couple of weeks just to see how it’s going. We really want to pray with you. We were originally calling because we are feeling our ministry call now more than ever (to X – maybe a brief summary is needed), but let’s table that for now because there are so many things going on. Maybe at some point in a couple of months we could tell you more about that if that’s okay? (response) For now let’s pray…” 

    • If you are responding to OPTION B it may feel inappropriate to let them know about your ministry and why you were originally calling, though I think in a lot of circumstances that would be fine. Stay sensitive and use discernment.
    • Write scripts out for OPTION A and OPTION B and don’t be afraid to use them on live phone calls.
    • Stay organized. If you say you will reach out again, actually reach out again. If you say you’ll be praying, you need to actually pray.
    • Check in with your coach (or if you don’t have one, reach out to veterans within your organization or others who are also support raising that you trust) on a regular basis. If you are running into nuanced situations, ask for thoughts.

3. When reaching out to churches here are some thoughts:

  • If you are reaching out to a pastor during this time, always start by asking the pastor “Hey, how are you and your congregation doing during COVID-19? What are some things we can be praying with you about?” 
  • Same conversation applies with OPTION A and OPTION B above, just tailor it to the church. Stay sensitive. Realize now may not be the time to ask them for anything but prayer requests and that’s fine.
  • Do your homework. Does the church have a strong online presence? Does it look like they haven’t got everything online yet? Great places to check are the church’s website, social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram, etc. If it looks like the church hasn’t posted several services online yet you may want to wait until it looks like they have made progress.
  • A lot of churches have seen reductions in their offerings and now may not be the best time to reach out to some churches, and that’s okay!
  • If you are close to a church(es) that you live near, ask if they need help with food distribution or assistance in setting up their on-line services (if you already have this expertise).
  • Stay sensitive and ministry minded. Always ask the pastor what works best for them and if now is a good time.

I hope some of these tips help! In closing, remember you are called and that God is still on the throne! You’ve got this. Go back and read the scriptures and stay spiritually healthy during this time. – JF 

Partnership Development and the Coronavirus

~ Jenn Fortner ~ 5 Comments

Many of you in the middle of raising support may be wondering what to do during this unprecedented time. Today there are more school closings, limitations on gatherings of more than 10 people, more chaos at airports, overall social distancing, and the like. We don’t know yet how the coronavirus will affect ministry workers raising support. Dave Dickens of CRU recently offered some brilliant thoughts on his email newsletter list that I wanted to share with you at explaining some helpful things to help you navigate this chaotic season (some of it is slightly adapted to serve this blog’s audience):

    • Let’s be prayerful. Pray for those affected by the pandemic, for ministry leaders who need to make tough decisions, for people’s financial situations, and for open hearts and gospel conversations as people are confronted with a broken world.
    • Reach out to ministry partners to ask how this is affecting them. Create meaningful conversations (via text, phone calls, FaceTime, etc.) and have a ministry mindset when connecting. Send your partnership team texts, emails, or phone calls. Be ready to see your inbox fill up! If you have kids at home from school, maybe have the kids do artwork and write handwritten notes of appreciation and love to your team.
    •  Here’s a sample text reaching out: “I know we are all navigating uncertain times, and was thinking of you today. How are you doing, and how is the coronavirus affecting you? I’m taking some time to pray for you today. Let me know if there are specific things I can be praying for!”
    • Send a coronavirus update prayer letter with specific prayer requests related to your assignment.
    • Because everyone is social distancing and at home, over the next few weeks it may be easier to reach people, and people are definitely wanting to talk. People are more likely to be on social media as well. Think about ways to add value in those spaces and reach out.

Here are some thoughts to expound upon what Dave writes:

  • Have you had a hard time staying organized? Are you caught up on thank you cards? This may be a good time to clean up your organization for financial partnership development. It also may be a good time to upgrade branding, overall materials, or if you don’t have an active presence on Facebook or other social media platforms to start.
  • It probably goes without saying at this point, but meeting face-to-face in person will likely be off the table for a bit (at the very least for some people). Think of partners to reach out to via video appointments. It may be wise to change course of action and instead of reaching out to your “A” list, reach out to those who would be long distance appointments anyhow.
  • It also may be a couple of weeks of relative pause on some people (maybe not all, but some) you were wanting to reach out to – that’s okay and understandable. That also doesn’t mean it’s time to do nothing. Pray, use discernment and common sense before asking for an appointment. If you have a coach, reach out to ask their thoughts on nuance situations – that’s what they are there for!
  • Many churches are not able to congregate during this time, so if you do reach out to a pastor ask for prayer needs. If you are asking for support from the church, suggest possibly doing a window online with them (especially in checking up for a already scheduled service) and be creative. It also may be good to hold off on connecting with some churches for a few weeks while they think of how to shepherd their own flock during this time.
  • One worker sent me an idea of scheduling a face to face via video conferencing, and going the extra mile to send that family some food or a snack and have it placed at their door for the appointment. Creative, thoughtful, and ministry minded!

I hope some of these thoughts at least get the wheels turning as to what to do for the next couple of weeks. It’s definitely not cut and dry. As Dave writes, “in the midst let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and remember His words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 New International Version). Wisdom to be sure.

Also remember, ministry doesn’t start when you get into your full time assignment, it starts now! Ask God how you can serve those around you during this season.

What are your thoughts or questions during this interesting season?