AIM no longer exists, but it was an acronym for Advancing Indigenous Missions. In other words, we supported pastors and ministries all around the world.  Out of 45 countries, potentially hundreds of missionaries and pastors were supported. These missionaries primarily worked in their homes or surrounding countries. We, here in the United States, call them home missions, people working within their countries. Over a period of years, AIM gave millions of dollars into the mission field. In addition to money and literature, AIM was able to give bicycles, livestock, scooters, vehicles, clothing and meet numerous other needs. 

AIM was started in Texas by Jim Colley many years ago. As Jim got older he transferred the directorship to a friend of mine, Jeff Goldsberry. I was asked to be one of the board members at that time. Over the next 8 years we were able to work with missionaries all over the world.  We were in constant communication with the missionaries and donors of AIM through newsletters, phone calls and emails. As missionaries were able to come to the states, we would assist them by introducing them to different churches and organizations. While in the states the missionaries frequently stayed in Jeff & Elizabeth’s home which gave us the opportunity to both get to know them and their ministries. 

A couple of months ago at 5 a.m. the Lord woke me up and was talking to me about AIM and all the things that we had accomplished.  I felt impressed to call the director. As we spoke, he told me he had recently been in two automobile accidents. He felt like he was no longer able to keep up with all the many functions of the ministry and was in the process of closing AIM. Prior to leaving the board 6-8 years ago I felt the Lord impressed me that I would be taking over the ministry, but it would be in his time. I had forgotten about that until that morning. Over the next few weeks as Jeff and I met the decision was made that AIM would come under the umbrella of Destiny International Bible College. It is now one of the many ministries of DIBC and is part of our 501(c)(3).

The Lord has expanded the vision. DGF will continue to work with the indigenous ministries, and will also work with missionaries from the states going to foreign countries (foreign missionaries). We have found that the giving to missions over the years has drastically reduced. DGF’s goal is to redevelop and sustain a healthy donor base and we want to teach and help the ministries develop the ability to be more self-supporting when possible. DGF understands this is not a blanket statement for all parts of the world. We encourage donors to give into the fund that we recently set up which allows us to  provide international microloans and to assist ministries in developing small businesses. We also plan to provide small loans to Christians here in the United States to help develop their businesses. These will be interest bearing loans that will help bring funds into the ministry. These funds would allow DGF to provide assistance as various needs arise in ministries around the globe.  In a disaster or crisis situation these additional funds can give vital support. In time, we plan to develop programs to impact governments around the world who have turned a blind eye to Christian persecution. We will discuss this in future issues of the magazine. 

That is a very good question. The organizations that I am familiar with that assist with missionary funding often only serve as middlemen. They receive funds from their donor base and send the donation to missions in various parts of the world. I want to say this, what they do is good, but we live in a day and age when less people are donating.  I strongly believe that we need to show people how to fish if they want to be sustained long term. At DGF it is our goal to assist missionaries and ministries to be as self-sufficient as is possible in their part of the world. In some parts of the world, if you give a pastor two milk goats that will help support him and his family. Three to four milk goats may make him the richest man in the village. That sounds a little strange to us here in the United States, we obviously are not trying to make him rich, but now he has the means to barter for other items he and his family need. In another situation, the pastor's wife received a donated sewing machine. She was able to do sewing in her village to generate additional funds for their household. Within months she had developed a small business providing 4 or 5 ladies in her church with sewing machines. Now not only was the Pastor's wife supporting her family, but members of the church were able to help support their families. In turn, now their church was being supported. Teach them to fish! In a recent meeting I had with a missionary in South Africa, he mentioned that businesses there are often simple carts that are used  to sell items each day. He said the problem is many do not have the funds to purchase the cart and initial merchandise. This is where microloans would provide the needed funds to start their small business.                              

I believe communication is the key. What the statistics show is that based on their age people communicate differently.  We know from AIM that missionaries find it difficult to keep up with communication to their donor base. For a missionary to communicate in numerous ways usually is not feasible. Language, technology, funding and time are not available for most missionaries to do so. We have seen missionaries who contact churches directly for funding, but found that the funding ended within a short period due to lack of communication. We understand that Millenials communicate differently than Baby Boomers and Gen X communicate differently than the Greatest Generation. Understanding this difference, DGF’s goal is to keep the communication between missionaries and donors current utilizing email, direct mail,  Destiny Ablaze Magazine and  social media.

The goal of the Destiny Global Funding is to not only support the missionaries financially but to give them emotional support as well as teaching them.  As we teach them the word we are encouraging them and building their faith. Encouragement comes by knowing that others are praying for and supporting you and that they are uplifting you and helping to communicate with others who will pray for and support you. One thing I do want to say is that we need to look at the whole person. We all understand the need to address the spirit, but often overlook the soul and the body. Everyone needs to know that physically and emotionally someone is there to support them and that through prayer and communication their needs are met.

Through DIBC social media activities, direct mailing, emailing of newsletters and texts DGF can build a sustainable donor platform by reaching out to the masses and allowing online donations as well as more traditional types of giving. By pooling resources together and bringing the missionaries under our umbrella here at Destiny they are being provided with not only funding for today but the opportunity to become self-sufficient when feasible and it ensures communication with prayer partners and donors through DGF.