How do you decide which of a thousand good ministries to support?
Our leadership team recently participated in an international conference that focused on ways and means of helping orphans. Between meetings one day, I walked through the exhibition hall toward our Mission to Children booth. Byron, our COO, was manning our booth at the moment. When he saw me approaching, he waved me over to join in a conversation he was having with a man from India.
During the next few minutes I had the privilege of meeting Suresh Abraham. Pastor Suresh leads a church with multifaceted ministries in Coimbatore, India. Several years ago one of our Character Solutions team leaders in India brought our training and resource materials to his church.
Pastor Suresh saw our Mission to Children display, which featured the question “What kind of adults does God want your children to become?” It reminded him of that training. How surprised and delighted he was to discover that Character Solutions is a ministry of the Mission to Children!
Outcomes must relate to what that ministry does regarding what is most important to God.
As you’ll see in the accompanying video, Pastor Suresh got excited as he told us of the training, and its continuing importance as he trains others. I asked, “Do those who you train understand that their Christlike character is the best way they can demonstrate their love for God?” Listen to his reply when you view the video.
You and I are frequently asked to support a wide range of ministries locally and globally. A major factor in my decisions to support various ministries is their outcomes—not their processes. Outcomes, to me, must relate to what that ministry does regarding what is most important to God. And the Scriptures are very clear that cultivating Christlike character is close to His heart.
How encouraging it is to hear unsolicited testimonies about long-term outcomes from leaders such as Pastor Suresh, who—several years after one of our trainers presented Character Solutions to his team—continues to embrace this as a core part of his ministry strategy. Alleluia!