We love churches. We love the local body. There is nothing quite like standing in a pulpit, opening the Word, and sharing what God is doing in the nations.
But recently, we’ve been analyzing the “math” of modern missions, and it’s more abundantly clear than ever: the game has changed.
The “Good Old Days”?
Twenty years ago, the path to the mission field was fairly linear. According to Ken Lorow, the Prefield Ministries Director at ABWE, about 80% of a missionary’s support came from churches.
The model was simple: A missionary would visit a church, the pastor would hand over the entire Sunday evening service to them, and the church would vote to take on a massive chunk of their support. You only needed a handful of churches, maybe 15 or 20, to get to the field, along with a handful (15-20%) of influential individuals.
The Rise of the “SMO” Model
But the landscape has quietly shifted. Over the last two decades, churches have become busier, yet their gathering times have shrunk. Many churches have discontinued their mid-week prayer services. Sunday night services, once the “missionary’s hour”, are becoming rare.
We call it the SMO Model: Sunday Morning Only.
For a pastor, this is a distinct challenge. They have gone from having 156+ opportunities a year to shepherd their flock (Sunday AM, PM, and Wednesday) to just 52 Sunday mornings.
Think about that pressure. If you are a pastor, you have 52 hours a year to disciple your people: to influence them, encourage them, and inspire them toward godliness. Naturally, you are going to be much more protective of that pulpit time. You have to be.
For the missionary, this means the days of the “full hour presentation” are largely gone. It is far more common now for us to drive four hours to an event, only to be given 5-8 minutes of platform time and a folding table in the lobby.
The New Math: The Power of Individuals
And yet, despite how few speaking opporunities churches are giving missionaries today… God is still sending people. Missionaries are completing their deputation and departing for the field. The Gospel is still moving. How?
Individuals.
Ken Lorow’s data shows a complete flip: Today, at least 75% of missionary support comes from individuals, while only a handful of churches (8-12 on average) come alongside as major partners.
The mission field isn’t being funded by institutional line items anymore; it’s being funded by families. It’s being funded by the couple who invites us over for spaghetti. It’s being funded by the young professional who decides to give $50 a month, or the retiree who pledges $100.
Why I Love This Shift
At first glance, this sounds harder. It takes a lot more meetings to raise the same amount of funds. But honestly? I love it.
I would rather sit across a table from you, hear your story, and tell you what God is doing in Durban, than stand on a stage 50 feet away.
When I’m on stage, I’m a presenter.
When we’re getting coffee, we’re partners.
An Invitation (and a Challenge)
We are currently looking to raise an additional $720/month every month (through July 2026) to hit our 100% Goal.
That could be one church voting us onto their budget (and we would love that!)… or it could be six people deciding to skip one Starbucks run a week to help grow the trustworthy, vibrant, accountable, committed churches in South Africa.
So, here is my open invitation: Let’s have coffee.
I’m not looking for a donation; I’m looking for a connection:
- Who do you know that loves missions, and even if they can’t partner financially, you know they’d love to pray for us?
- Who is the business owner in your circle who wants their profits to have an eternal ROI?
- Who is the small group leader looking for a project to rally around?
Send me an email introducing us. I will happily take them to lunch, coffee, or dinner (my treat). No pressure, no PowerPoint presentation, no “hard sell”—just an honest conversation about where we are going and how you or they can be a part of it.
The pulpit is powerful, but the coffee shop is personal. Let’s meet there.