How To Start A Traveling Ministry

How To Start A Traveling Ministry 

Do you want to start a traveling ministry?

If so, you are reading the right blog.

You need a game plan and I want to help you.

Unlike winning the lottery, building a traveling ministry doesn’t happen by chance.

You must do a few things if you want to succeed in making a career out of this.

In this blog, I will lay out four steps to starting your traveling ministry.

But let me upfront with you. Reading a blog is not going to make this happen overnight.

More than likely, you need to invest in a course and ministry coaching to work on your particular opportunities and challenges.

So, if you are serious about starting your traveling ministry, check out this link to my take The Leap Program.

Four Steps To Start A Traveling Ministry 

1. Define what your traveling ministry is about

If you are going to build a traveling ministry for the long haul where you can feed yourself and your family, you must have a crystal clear understanding of what your ministry is about.

It’s not enough to say I want to preach.

Here is an insider secret churches do not bring in traveling ministries to speak.

They ask them to come to their church to fill a void and solve a problem.

For instance, a church may look to invite someone to minister about:

– Growing in your walk with God

– Healing ministry 

– Training people in Evangelism

This list could go on, but I think you get the point.

You have to define what your traveling ministry is about.

In the business world, this is called your “value proposition.”

This is what sets your traveling ministry apart, and it’s the value that a church is going to receive from bringing you to speak.

2. Determine what opportunities are out there

In the business world, this would be called your “total addressable market.”

When starting a traveling ministry, it is crucial to understand how many potential places there are for you to travel to. Again it is not enough to say you want to speak. You need to know what you are speaking about and where you are going to minister.

I use this example in my coaching program. Imagine giving a 30-minute presentation about Cats to a group of people allergic to them. Not only will people not engage, but you will feel incredibly AWKWARD!

The reality is you need to determine what type of churches are looking for the type of traveling ministry you have.

An easy way to determine your total addressable market is to answer the question, “What type of churches does my message appeal to” or “Where are similar ministries speaking at.”

3. Form relationships

After you have a clear understanding of what your traveling ministry is about and what potential opportunities are out there, you need to begin to form relationships.

As someone who has traveled in ministry and now pastors a church, I can tell you the last thing a pastor wants to do is give the microphone to someone they don’t know.

You may read this and think well than “how in the world will I get started?”

The good news is that it is not as complicated as it sounds.

The truth is everyone is connected to someone.

And if you steward the opportunities that are closest to you, they will snowball into more opportunities.

The most natural way to make this happen is after you minister at a church, ask the pastor if they are willing to write you an endorsement, and offer recommendations. 

You will be surprised at how quickly new opportunities can open for you.

4. Build a financial support base

Trying to live off offerings and honorariums is a scary endeavor, especially when you are first starting. 

Even if you booked for the majority of the year, you will run into holidays (Christmas/Easter) where churches are not thinking about bringing in a traveling ministry.

So, to help handle the unpredictability of income, you must build a financial support base.

There is a right and wrong way to do this, so please do not rush into this too quickly.

I promise you will regret it.

The last thing you want to do is be like the little boy that cried wolf by asking everyone you know for money and, in doing so, burn the credibility that you have.

The best thing you can do is ask a small group of people that you are very close to partner with you as you begin to build your traveling ministry.

Please remember that you are building a financial support base. You are not just looking for quick dollars. 

Above all, building a successful traveling ministry is a journey, and it is going to take time. 

So, emphasize the relationship and really think about how you will stay connected to the people supporting you (monthly phone calls, newsletters, Christmas cards, etc.)

In conclusion, 

These are four practical steps to start a traveling ministry that you can take right now.

1. Define what your ministry is about

2. Determine what opportunities are out there

3. Form relationships

4. Build a financial support base

As I mentioned in the opening, if you are serious about starting your traveling ministry, check out this link to my take The Leap Program.

No single blog will give you all of the answers, and chances are you have some unique opportunities and challenges ahead of you.

If you would like to learn more about spiritual gifts or discover what spiritual gifts you have, take our free spiritual gift test.