SUMMARY

The Betsey Stockton Foundation was founded to fund ethnic minority mobilizers, missionaries and church planters to reach the nations with the gospel. Our vision is to deploy capital to ethnic minorities who want to make disciples among the nations and see churches reproduced. The foundation is named after the first female African-American missionary, Betsey Stockton.  She was one of the first ambassadors to bring the gospel to Hawaii, and though she lacked the funds to go and do the work of God, it was through the blessings of those partnering with her, that God used her in powerful ways over the course of her life.  She and many others throughout history represent the individuals that we are seeking to bless through this foundation. 

 

Historically, the vast majority of cross-cultural missionaries sent from the United States are ethnically white. The reasons for this are very complex, and would require more than just this webpage to unpack. But the most recent statistic taken from Barna Group showed that 96% of missionaries sent from the United States are white. As personal investigations were undertaken to explore the reasons for this imbalance, it was found that one of the major factors contributing to this gap is the traditional system for raising funds. Over the past 150 years, the primary method for sending cross-cultural missionaries overseas has been to ask the individual to raise funds from friends and family in order to go to the field. 

 

Although this has been the primary method for funding missionaries, we believe that it puts systematic boundaries on a labor force of potential missionaries that God is wanting to raise up. We began to ask the following question; “What happens when God calls someone to the mission field, but they lack the resources, networks and connections to get there?”  As we have walked on this journey, we began to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly among ethnic minorities, who were not able to go to the mission field due to a lack of financial provision. There have been many conversations with people who feel defeated and are even questioning their call from God.

 

 Unfortunately, as we have networked and sought solutions to this issue, we have not found many who are seeking to help solve it. Over the past 10 years, there has been a wave and push to think outside of the box when it comes to funding missionaries, especially as the Global South is being raised up to be cross-cultural workers. Many workers around the world do not have the privilege of raising funds from friends and family (for more detail on this, see New Funding Models for Global Missions).

 

Although great alternatives exist (i.e. Business as Mission or working for a corporation), we seek to be a resource that can provide supplemental funds for those in need, particularly ethnic minorities. We feel a call to stand in the gap for those whose family and friends are unable or unwilling to fund them, and whose living circumstances have not allowed them access to the connections and networks that they require in order to follow the call that the Lord has placed on their hearts.  

 

But we are one family, one body in Christ.  As the Israelites in the Old testament pooled their resources to build the temple; as the early church in the New testament pooled their resources for the good of the church and to spread the gospel, so are we who are in the body of Christ today called to share of our time, talents and treasures for the benefit of all. As men and women are called to give months or even years of their lives for the Great Commission as well as utilize their talents overseas to evangelize, church plant and make disciples, those of us who remain at home are called to give of our treasures to enable our brothers and sisters to do the work. Whether those treasures are financial, or connections that can be leveraged for their benefit.  This is an investment that pays off in the unreached among the nations coming to know our Lord and savior. 

 

As the foundation exists currently, our desire is to focus in deep rather than stretch wide. The primary deployment of the foundation's funds will go towards ethnic minorities being sent from the United States. The Lord is bringing the nations to the U.S. and we want to play a role in sending them, well-resourced, back to the nations to see churches planted amongst the least reached people of the world. It is beneficial and strategic to be able to send missionaries who already understand the culture and are able to bridge relational gaps easier. 

 

Although we have considered engaging with the Mobilization process, we have decided to focus on raising funds and deploying the capital strategically to have a multiplicative impact. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 we are also hoping to launch a financial coaching program for the grant candidates. We desire to help these men and women steward their resources well and give them a Biblical foundation for money that will hopefully bless generations. 

 

Below is a summary that outlines how our process works as a foundation: 

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1. A team raises money from friends, family, referrals, businesses, etc. to the foundation.  

2. We partner with mobilization and mission organizations to determine who in their pipeline needs financial support (this gives authenticity to the vetting of candidates as well). 

3. We ask that candidates fill out a grant application through our foundation. 

4. Two members of our team interview the potential candidate. 

5. We make a decision as a board as to if we should give a grant (currently the grants are $2,500, but we are working toward creating a fund deployment strategy). 

6. The foundation makes a grant to the mobilization or missions organization on behalf of the individual. 

7. We ask the individual to give monthly updates, as well as film a testimony video to be shared, upon permission.

 

The ultimate goal of this foundation is that it will serve as a platform to bless ethnic minorities who are mobilizing and going to the mission field for generations to come. This year, we are seeking to raise $1,000,000. This goal sounds impossible, but we are seeking and asking the Lord to move in powerful ways. Would you consider partnering with us in prayer, helping us get connected to the right people, and investing a portion of your finances into the building of the kingdom of God?