Why Live On Support?

Living on Support is a lot like crowd surfing.

Why should you care about the reasons I live the way I live? 

 It's simple, really. I hope that by modeling a life that is uncommon and extraordinary, I will inspire others to change the world by living extraordinary lives as well. By explaining my reasons for living the way I do, it might inspire you to a life that is extraordinary but looks completely different than mine. Also, some of you might be considering being a part of the small army of people it takes to support me, and this might help you make sense of how this whole thing works. I'm doing a few posts about living on support and what that means.

I start talking about support, and invariably I get this look that communicates a few things. Namely, that I'm crazy. Also, that I'm selfish. Also, that I'm crazy. Seriously, seriously, crazy. I mean, who just stops working and asks other people who are working to support their lifestyle? How is that even possible? Why would that be okay?

To begin to answer the question of why I would live off of support, I first have to clarify just a bit. I'm not actually living off of supporters; technically, I'm living off the providence of God. I'm doing what I feel he's called me to, and I believe that he is the one giving me the means to do what he has asked me to. Ultimately, I do what I do whether people donate to me or not. Yes, the people who donate money to me are giving to me, but with the idea that they are doing it because they themselves are being obedient to what God has called them to do. By being obedient with the money God has given them, they are in effect giving it to God, who is giving it back to me. I realize that saying that when people give to me they give to God might sound a little arrogant, and I probably would agree that it does, if I didn't live in the same way. I am in the same boat as my supporters – meaning that I am obedient with the money that I receive. I will often give to worthy people and causes as God calls me to. I realize it's a fine point, but the distinction is important.

But why would I live that way? 

 Why not work and do ministry on the side? Wouldn't a legitimate missions organization pay their missionaries? Why not work at a church? These are all good questions, and usually pretty typical.

Essentially, it comes down to a few basics. 

1. I do what I do full time, usually more than 40 hours per week, and put everything I have into it. Getting a second job, even a part-time job, is something that could be done but is not a viable long-term solution. I've worked 60 plus hours per week before, and being so busy with so many things on my plate makes it nearly impossible to do any of them well.
2. I believe it's closer to a Biblical model than many other forms of employment today. If you examine the Bible, you will see that a basic theme is that we are to be interdependent on one another. We are not to be codependent, which is a form of validating unhealthy habits in one another. But neither are we designed to be independent, self-sustaining people who need nothing and give nothing. I think meeting each others physical and spiritual needs is the most basic tenet of Christian life.
3. I'm being obedient. If this is where God has called me, this is where I'll be. Whether or not there is money, I'm going to keep doing what I believe God has asked me until it's either impossible or I die trying. Now, obviously God hasn't asked me to close me eyes and cover my ears and just keep charging forward without understanding my surroundings, the pitfalls and opportunities. I think that when God calls people to something, he expects them to work as hard as they can to do the best they possibly can using every possible resource. In this case, fund-raising lets me continue being obedient longer than if I just did nothing.

So that's the basics of why I live off of support. There are more pointed questions, like why I work for someplace that doesn't pay a salary, why I don't “tent-make”, and how much I really need anyway. I will be answering those and more in an upcoming post.