One of the great things about the first steps of your mission effort is trusting in God to provide the funds. You might have to take a few steps of faith in the process. This involves making personal sacrifices as well as raising funds necessary to go. Each team member will be responsible for developing his or her own support team. The support team consists of both prayer supporters and financial contributors. The goal is to develop a team—not just to raise funds.

Once a team member has registered for a trip, paid the deposit, and submitted his or her application, he or she should begin building a support team.

Prayer Support

Prayer support is the most important need each team member has—both before and during the trip. Each person needs to enlist 3-10 people to pray for the team, the team member, the area the team is traveling to, and the ministry on the ground. This is a great opportunity to involve small groups and those who are unable to go on the trip.

Support Letters

One of the most effective, proven methods to raise individual support is to write a letter or email for distribution to family, friends, and co-workers. Potential contributors are happy to have the opportunity to invest in someone they know personally. It is suggested that each team member send support letters to 40-50 people. In general, the more letters you send, the more funds will be raised. The body of the letter can be the same for each letter sent out, but it will seem more personal to your potential supporters if you address them by name, add a personal statement to the beginning or end of the letter, and sign your name by hand.

Support letters should be no more than 2 pages and should include the following information:

  • Why the team member feels led to participate in missions and this trip in particular. (Matthew 28:18-20)
  • Information about where you are going and when. Keep security in mind, and give general, non-country specific information (i.e. North Africa) along with the month you're going instead of exact dates.
  • Information about the sending organization you will be serving with (i.e. The Church at Brook Hills).
  • Description about the people group you will be serving and ways in which you hope to serve them (i.e. engaging and establishing relationships in order to share the good news of Jesus).
  • The total cost of the trip and when the money is due (the first financial deadline).
  • How the reader can be involved (through prayer, giving, etc.).
  • A few specific ways people can be praying for you (i.e. for God to prepare the way, for our paths to cross with those He wants us to meet, and/or the lostness of the people group).
  • You MUST include the statement below in your letter requesting financial support for any Brook Hills approved trips:

Please make checks payable to The Church at Brook Hills. The memo line on your check should include, “appealed by (team member’s name, trip location and date).” Please mail the check directly to me at (include your address here). Your check will provide TCABH with all necessary information for them to send you a receipt for your tax records after the end of the year. They request that you send all donations by (insert date, 90 days prior to departure of the trip). TCABH is registered with the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Donors will receive receipts for their gifts with the understanding that the disbursement of those gifts lies completely at the discretion of TCABH and that the gifts are non-refundable and non-transferable, per IRS regulations. Gifts may be tax deductible; please consult a tax advisor.

Once you receive checks:

  • Double check that the checks were filled out correctly per the requirements listed above.
  • Turn them in to the Global kiosk in the BH lobby on Sunday mornings to a Global team member, drop them off to Liz during business hours Mon-Fri, or mail them to:

    The Church at Brook Hills
    Attn: Liz W.
    3145 Brook Highland Pkwy
    Birmingham, AL 35242

  • Any checks filled out incorrectly and turned in will be returned.
  • Make sure to send a Thank You note to your prayer and financial supporters. Also, after you return from the trip, make sure you give them details about all that God did on the trip!