Examples of what not to write

1. “Please continue to pray that the last 25% of my support comes in soon.”
2. “Please continue praying for the development of my ministry team.”
3. “I want to thank you for your wonderful support over the past year.”
4. “Thanks again so much for your financial gifts and prayers.”
5. “…and has also raised up one third of my necessary support.”
6. “My prayer is that…my financial support base would…”
7. “Thank you for all your prayers, thoughts…and financial contributions.”
8. “…will quickly raise up my ministry team so I can get back to campus.”
9. “I am at 45% of my funds raised.”
10. “I need a team of ministry partners who will support me with monthly gifts and prayers.”
11. “Thanks for making our ministry possible here at…[XYZ] State University.”
12. “As you know, 100% of our salary comes from the generous donations of people to Reliant’s work here at…[XYZ] University.” (This may sound OK, but #12 below would be a better way to state it.)

How to reword these phrases

Here’s how you can rewrite the same sentences shown above:

1. “Please continue to pray the last 25% of the support I need to raise for Reliant comes in soon.”
2. “Please continue praying for the Reliant ministry team I’m responsible to develop.”
3. “I want to thank you for your wonderful support of Reliant and its missionaries, like myself, over the past year.”
4. “Thanks again so much for your prayers and financial gifts to Reliant.”
5. “God has blessed me with many prayer partners and has also raised up one third of the support I need to raise for Reliant.”
6. “My prayer is that…the financial support base I’ve raised for Reliant would…”
7. “Thank you for all your prayers, thoughts…and financial contributions to Reliant.”
8. “Please pray that God…will quickly raise up a ministry team for Reliant so I can get back to campus.”
9. “I am at 45% of the support I need to raise for Reliant.”
10. “I need a team of ministry partners who will support Reliant with monthly gifts and prayers.”
11. “Thanks for making Reliant’s outreach here at… [XYZ] State University possible.”
12. “As you know, 100% of our salary comes from Reliant and is made possible through the generous donations of people who support Reliant’s work here at... [XYZ] University.”

As you can see, these are not major changes. But they correctly communicate that the donor is supporting Reliant, not the staff member personally. 

Some good examples written by staff members

• “Through your faithful support and prayers of Reliant’s work here, He continues to bless…”
• “Currently, Reliant needs $500 more in monthly support to bring us to…”
• “I am asking folks who are already supporting Reliant financially to consider increasing…”
• “Together with Reliant we are bringing meaning to many hopeless and hurting students.”
• “Currently I am trusting the Lord to provide financial prayer partners for Reliant so I can work full-time on campus.”
• “Pray also for God to provide a large number of special gifts so that Reliant will have funds for these start-up costs.”
• “I appreciate your steadfastness in both prayer and financial gifts to Reliant.”
• “Thanks for supporting Reliant and allowing us to do ministry here at…”
• “I’m grateful to you for allowing Reliant both to build a bridge to these young people and to…”
• “It will cost Reliant about $1,200 for me to attend this conference.”
• “Thank you for your support of Reliant's college ministry.”
• “I’m also excited about how your generous gifts to Reliant make all this possible. Your ministry partnership with Reliant is truly having a global effect.”

Do I have to mention Reliant in every prayer letter?

Yes. To understand this, it might help you to think about how Reliant deputized you to raise funds for its ministries. A deputy is defined as a person empowered to act for another. Reliant has empowered you to act on its behalf in raising funds so that Reliant can carry on its ministries. A deputy does not act on his or her own behalf but in representation of another. Thus your prayer letters should reflect your deputation by the way you represent Reliant.

Do I need to put the name Reliant somewhere on every prayer letter?

Yes, you are presently required to do this. This can be in the letterhead, address line or somewhere else on the page. You could possibly put it in the return address on your envelopes. Also, you can use the Reliant logo on your letterhead or envelope if you want.