Properly representing GCM in your monthly prayer letters

Greetings fellow staff member! We want to update you on some important matters regarding the monthly prayer letters you send to GCM ministry partners. With representing GCM in your letters, most of you are doing a great job. But we still notice prayer letters that use taboo phrases such as “my ministry support team.” Other controversial phrases are also appearing in prayer letters.

In order to aid you, we have compiled the following real excerpts from some of your prayer letters and leaving pieces. Then in Part B, we have reworded them. Notice the difference.

Examples of what not to write

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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 State University.”
12. “As you know, 100% of our salary comes from the generous donations of people to GCM’s Reliant’s work here at…[XYZ] …UniversityUniversity.” (This may sound OK, but #12 below would be a better way to state it.)

How

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to reword these phrases

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

As you can see, these are not major changes. But they correctly communicate that the donor is supporting GCMReliant, not the staff member personally. Again, most of you are doing a good job at correctly wording your prayer letters. But for those who feel they need to make some revisions, we would strongly encourage you to adopt these types of changes with you next prayer letter. 

Some good examples written by staff members

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

Do I have to mention

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Reliant in every prayer letter?

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

Do I need to put the name

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Reliant somewhere on every prayer letter?

Yes, you are presently required to do this. Many staff members already include this somewhere on their letters either 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 could even can use the GCM Reliant logo on your letterhead or envelope if you want.

We hope this helps you get a better picture of how to represent GCM in your monthly prayer letters. Your hard work and sacrifice for the advancement of the gospel is sincerely appreciated.