A NEW KIND OF MISSIONARY
By Joy Junction (01/12/06)
I was reminded yet again that I'm a mailbox missionary.
While we didn't start off the way, many of us who stay working for non- profits very long turn into mailbox missionaries – which can be conveniently shortened to the letters MBM. But what, you may ask, is an MBM?
Well, an MBM was once defined as someone who goes to the mail every day knowing that the continuance or otherwise of the work that he or she does, for the most part depends on the funds that arrive (or not) in the mailbox. (I'm not negating the Lord's provision. It's just that God's Supply is often delivered through the United States Postal Service). No mail means no money. No money and the bills soon pile up. Continue that to its logical extension and you're soon out of business.
Because Joy Junction doesn't receive any government money, for us to take care of between 180 and 200 needy homeless people every night means that we have no other recourse but to directly and indirectly ask the community in which we operate (through print, broadcast media and the Internet) for money.
Sometimes that has interesting results when community members don't always understand that just like death and taxes, the poor and the consequent bills that come with running a large homeless shelter, are always with us.
One time a few years ago someone who I was with asked if that's "the guy who's always on TV asking for money." Well, what do they expect? Joy Junction has a $1.2 million annual budget, all of which must be privately raised.
While I strongly believe in the Lord's provision – Joy Junction is now almost 20 years old - – He also expects us to let the need be known. After all, how can people give unless they know what situation we're facing?
I say unashamedly that there have been a few times in the past few years when I was more than a little nervous. One week in particular still stands out. It had been an extremely busy time for guests asking us for assistance, but like now an equally slow period for revenue where donations had fallen well below budgetary projections.
Being responsible for about 35 staff and as many as 200 people I felt compelled to make the urgency of the need known and what could happen to Joy Junction if the needed funds (necessary to meet payroll) didn't arrive in time.
Should I have been as strident as I was? In reflection, I still believe that it was the right move. The staff had worked hard that week and had every right to expect their paycheck. As head of Joy Junction, I believe the Lord expected me to do everything I could to ensure that my staff received what was rightfully theirs.
I operate on the Biblical principle of "having done all, stand." While praying and thanking God for His provision, I still do everything I can within my power to ensure that the needs are met for Joy Junction. Then I eventually arrive at a point where I can honestly tell the Lord, "I've done everything I can. Now we need some supernatural financial provision." (Of course, while I'm still doing everything that's in my power I'm not discounting supernatural provision at that point).
I look at this issue in the same way as I would dealing with a loved one suffering from a terminal disease. You take them to the doctor and get the best medical treatment that's available to you. But at the same time you pray, believing in faith that maybe God is going to supernaturally heal them.
Using the doctor doesn't show a lack of faith, and a supernatural healing doesn't demonstrate a superior spirituality or walk with the Lord. It's two sides of the same coin, and either way the Lord gets the glory.
But that's not to say I don't face an ongoing battle with how much I should say about our financial needs. Meeting the financial needs at Joy Junction is always an ongoing problem and I challenge any other honest ministry head to say otherwise! Many years ago when I never envisioned Joy Junction even being at a fraction of its current budget, an executive from another non profit told me, "You'll always have money problems."
Now almost 23 years later, I can say unequivocally that he was right. Making sure the needs are met for Joy Junction is something that's always on my mind, especially when we're not meeting our fiscally conservative budget. But when things aren't going well, how much do you reveal of what you're feeling?
During previous years I've shared about the chest pains I woke up with at night when concerned about that potential payroll shortfall. I've used phrases like being in the midst of a "black depression," and been criticized for doing so. A few have taken it on themselves to say I should just trust God and one local radio personality accused me of "always poor mouthing it." (I'm still waiting for his check!)
While some people may have concerns that I'm telling our donors and other community members too much, I feel differently. Although the stories I tell about issues occurring at Joy Junction are designed to evoke emotion, they are not designed to be manipulative (Joy Junction will never offer you splinters off preaching platforms or anointed healing gloves in return for donations!) The stories are, however, a true reflection of how I feel and current needs at Joy Junction. With that in mind, am I not doing our donors a disservice if I fail to tell them what's going on?
After all, the last thing that I would ever want would be for us not to tell the need, have to close the doors and have a chorus of dismayed voices ring out, "Why didn't you tell us?"
And now with the giving season over, we're back to living on a day- to- day basis. We have no large grants we can look forward to at Joy Junction and no source of guaranteed revenue – other than the Lord speaking to people to allow us to keep the doors open.
With that in mind, as you go about your activities the next few days and weeks, will you please keep us in mind? About 200 people nightly are depending on it.
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