Most of us don’t like to ask people for money. 

But to be faithful to pursue God’s mission in the world, we’ll want to invite others to take part in that mission. Praying for you and giving to your work is an important way others can do that.

To help you with this very important yet stressful work, we’ve developed a free digital guide to raising funds for mission trips. Based on years of experience mobilizing financial partners for mission trips, this new guide will teach you how to:

• Become an expert on the destination of your mission trip so you can better engage others in your work.
• Make a list of people who can support your work through prayer and giving.
• Create compelling support letters that share your mission in a way that gets others involved in your trip.
• Develop a follow-up process that nurtures potential givers as they consider being a part of your mission trip.
• Complete the fundraising circle by sending a thank-you note that helps your givers understand the unique part of your mission they are playing and leaves them ready to join your effort next time.

Asking for funds doesn’t have to be a drag. It’s a great opportunity to help others get more involved in God’s work in your community and around the world.

Your Church Management System is likely costing you ministry opportunities.

Ministry in today’s complex environment requires a ChMS that’s powerful, people-focused, and flexible.

That’s MinistryPlatform, the most powerful ministry platform in existence.

You don’t want to drop the ball on your next mission trip. Summer mission trips give your congregation a unique opportunity to serve others as you grow spiritually as a team.

But they can also be a disaster. A poorly planned, poorly executed summer mission trip won’t just set your mission team back. More importantly, it will make it more difficult to help people who really need your service.

Our ACST team wants to help your next summer mission trip be your best yet. That’s why we put together this new guide detailing ten best summer mission trip practices.

Many capital campaigns fail, typically due to the lack of preparation.

In this article, discover the key components of the silent phase of a capital campaign. This is the phase that allows us to “stay under the radar” and do the critical assessments of our campaign readiness.

Learn about the steps in the quiet phase – from timing to developing a compelling ask – that will help you ensure your church is well-positioned to publicly launch a successful campaign.

Your church’s mission is anything but normal. You’ve been called to reach the lost, feed the hungry, and make disciples. You can’t leave that to just any tech partner. 

You need not normal. 

At ACST, we’ve kicked normal to the curb. Because most of us have experience serving on a local church staff, we get you. We’re passionate about helping churches like you do what God has called you to do.

In our new ministry guide we’ll break down exactly how ACST does this–and what makes us unique.

Capital campaigns fail. Avoid the common mistakes and ensure your church’s campaign success by preparing adequately.

This article provides the phases and tools you’ll need to fully prepare your church staff, key volunteers and donors for all that a campaign will entail. Discover the key steps you’ll need to undertake to be certain your church is well-positioned to launch a campaign that will meet its goal.

Unfortunately, givers to other charitable causes or organizations are often treated and thanked more effectively by them than by their own churches. 

No matter where you find yourself as a church in this season – from planning a capital campaign to thanking annual pledge donors –  the hands-on, simple  tools in this article will help you and your staff effectively acknowledge and engage your best givers.

Fundraising is part art and part science…and it can feel intimidating for pastors and ministry leaders suddenly charged with donor development.

This article provides answers to the six most commonly-asked questions about stewardship – from the pastor’s role in making an ask of a donor to how frequently we should be asking givers for support.

These easy-to-implement strategies get their inspiration from the models of generosity we find in scripture. Inspire your staff and your church’s donors by taking a look at best practices in leadership alongside some of the Bible’s most poignant lessons about giving as you freshen your stewardship plans.

Loyal church donors are usually generous to other organizations and charities, too. Those nonprofit causes often do a better job than the church of (1) valuing donors, (2) anticipating and answering their questions, and (3) demonstrating the impact of their giving.

The tools in this article will help you and your staff anticipate – and effectively answer – the questions donors have but aren’t likely to ask you. Explore the six things your givers MOST want to know today.