Missionaries have been support raising in some form or another since Paul and Barnabas were sent off from Antioch.  But God leads different missionaries to go about this in different ways.  Below are some of the unique ways that I believe God has led me to go about this process. 

1) I have raised 24/7 prayer support.  To my knowledge, I am the first American missionary to have this.  I am very grateful to the Lord for how He has provided this so miraculously, and to all those who have been a part of this miracle.  I have divided a week into 336 half-hour slots, and have 336 individuals who have committed to praying for me for half an hour a week at given times for the next five years. 

2) I have raised my support interdenominationally.  I want to have supporting churches from every major Christian denomination, so that my support network will (in a small way) represent the universal body of Christ that we all affirm in the Apostles' Creed.  So far I have supporters that are Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Independant, Evangelical Free, Redeemed Church of God, Methodist, and Non-denominational - to name a few.

3) I am trying to raise most of my support in Chicago.  I am doing this for two reasons.  First, as a missionary kid I know how hectic furloughs can be for missionaries if they have their supporting churches spread out over a large area.  I am hoping to have my furloughs based mostly in one area.  Secondly, in the Apostle Paul's letters I see a concept of "the church of a city".  He writes to the "church of Ephesus", to the "Church of God in Corinth", etc.  Though many of these cities had numerous house churches, Paul thought of them as being (at least in some ways) one entity.  So I am trying to raise my support from the church of God in Chicago, as fractured as it may be.

4) I believe that support raising is a two way street.  I believe that it is not only about me gaining partners who will pray for me and/or give financially to the work God has entrusted to me.  It is also about my ministering to the churches where I share.  I hope to encourage the believers in each church, to inspire them to think globally, and to dream big dreams of what God can do.  If I do not get any prayer or financial support from some of the churches that I share at, I am OK with that so long as I am able to minister to them effectively.

5) I believe that prayer support is actually more important than financial support.  Really.  I need financial supporters, but I need prayer partners even more.  I believe that prayer is absolutely crucial to effective ministry because it is through prayer that we learn dependence upon God.  And without Him, we can do absolutely nothing!