Dear Grace Ministries Family,
I am excited to be contacting you at this pivotal point in the life of Grace Ministries International. We are looking at fundamentally changing the way GMI functions financially and I would like to ask you to be a part of this new vision for the ministry. This change will empower and position us to pursue our mission of transforming the world through Christ formed believers.
For over 27 years I have seen lives transformed, marriages healed, churches blessed and the message of Christ as LIFE travel around the world. If you have gone through any of our counseling or training you will remember how life transforming it was for you. We have trained leaders and helped develop approximately 30 ministries around the Atlanta area alone, including First Baptist Atlanta's counseling center and North Point Church's Hope Ministry. We've planted ministries in Washington DC, Charlotte, NC and Nashville, TN and trained countless others around the nation.
We've also helped establish international ministries in Hungary, Croatia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, England and Colombia. Our team is reaching new territory in Nigeria, the Philippines, Brazil, South Korea and Chile. Overall, we've trained individuals from at least 40 different countries. I stand in awe at what God has done through GMI and our supporters. Without you, GMI would not be able to do the work that God calls each one of us to do.
Each staff member raises their own support. This has allowed us in thirty years of ministry to never turn away a hurting individual because of their financial situation. It has also given us the opportunity to reach out internationally to pastors who cannot give anything for the training we provide. This commitment to live and to love others by living on support shows the strong faith of the GMI team. I have watched my team become living sacrifices in order to share their passion for Christ as Life.
Raising support isn't without its difficulties though. The challenge is that the harder the staff works helping others, the less time they have to raise support. In order to maintain support at consistent levels, the team should typically spend 20% of their time working on support, so when ministry opportunities increase they have less opportunity to raise support and so staff income suffers.
We are developing a team of people who would support Grace Ministries International, the organization. We are forming what we call the President's Team. This team's support for the overhead of the ministry organization will allow the ministry to give 70% of the income from the staff's labor into their support. The more counseling and conferences the staff does the more income will go into their support account. ("You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing" 1 Cor. 9:9, 1 Tim. 5:18). This will not eliminate the need for a support team for the staff person. However, this new system will give a support base that will provide more stability to staff income. This will also allow us to bring on additional staff with greater ease.
Here is how you can help:
- First, if you are already a supporter of a staff person, Thank YOU! We only want you to consider this President's Team if you can continue to support the staff person.
- Second, would you consider becoming a member of the President's Team? God has put on my heart to find 50 to 60 people who would give $100 per month to support GMI, the organization. Your donation will be tax deductible. Anyone can be on this team regardless of the amount they can give per month. In fact you may wish to give more than $100/month. Please prayerfully consider what God would have you give.
Benefits of joining the President’s Team and giving to GMI, the organization:
- Supporters at any level will receive a monthly newsletter with updates, future events, prayer items and video testimonies. It's our way to invite you into more of the life and adventure of Grace Ministries.
- Those who can give $50 a month will have the benefit of coming to any conference GMI offers free of charge (Grace Life Conference, Marriage Conference, Parenting Conference or other conferences). (You may send someone in your place if you can’t attend. It is your way of sponsoring someone to a conference.)
- Those who join the President's Team at $100 or more a month will have the benefit of bringing your spouse or guest to any conference GMI offers free of charge. (A great way to introduce others to the Grace message. You may sponsor 2 people if you choose not to attend yourself.)
- President Team members will also have the opportunity to interact with each other and the GMI leadership team at periodic dinners.
I believe the President's Team will allow us to progress to a higher level of ministry as we pursue our mission of transforming the world through Christ formed believers. I am honored to have you consider this opportunity to help us fundamentally change how GMI functions and participate with us in serving the nations.
Please seek God to see if you are called to be one of the 50 to 60 people who will give $100 a month to support the President's Team. You can write checks to GMI and send it to our office, simply note that it is for the President's Team. You can also donate online at www.gmint.org. You can donate monthly or give a onetime gift for the entire year.
Participating together with God,
Scott Brittin and the GMI Staff
"The Harvest is plentiful and the workers are few." Mat. 9:37