If my funding dries up, is this God’s sign that I should leave the mission field? Pastor John suggests three options to consider. If my ministry funding dries up, is this God’s sign that I should leave the ministry? Wow. It’s a good and important question from an anonymous missionary couple. Here’s what they ask. “Pastor John, my wife and I are in our early sixties and have responded to the call of God we both sensed and confirmed together in his word (via Isaiah 61 Chapter 61 1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening `of the prison' to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers. 6 But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 Instead of your shame `ye shall have' double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8 For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth bringeth forth its bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. ). We have now been on the field in the battle of human trafficking for almost three years. Our work seems effective in programs that lead to prevention while building the localized reputation of the local indigenous church. Pastors, once marginalized in non-Christian villages, are now sought for wisdom and guidance and viewed as important messengers. The word is being preached and heard. That is the good part. “We are donor-supported missionaries, and we use every means available from day one to remain connected with our support base — blogs, newsletters, email, prayer cards, etc. All has gone well for two years. Then, in 2017, our support dropped like a rock. We cannot sustain the work we do and have never ‘pressed for funds.’ We have always believed we would describe our mission and let God do the compelling. Should we respond to the lack of provision with the view that God is lifting his call for us here and now?” Episode 1255: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/my-funding-dried-up-is-this-my-sign-to-leave-the-ministry Related Resources: “Is the Great Commission for Every Individual Christian?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cy_c1qN99o “Did Paul and Moses Prioritize Mission over Joy in God?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_CWO_0aMEA “Do Paul’s Missions Leave Us with a Geographic Pattern to Follow?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_CWO_0aMEA “My Parents Say Missions Is a Waste of American Blessings” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFK38mPhOwM Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes, http://desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john