Namestorm
Start by developing an initial list of potential ministry partners. As with brainstorming, in namestorming there is one cardinal rule – anything goes. No name is unqualified. Don’t decide for an individual whether or not he or she is interested. If you limit yourself to those you feel will or can give, you may prematurely disqualify those whom God wants to become ministry partners.
Later you will need to prioritize whom to contact first, but for now, don’t disqualify anyone. You may be thinking you could never generate more than a handful of names, but research has shown the average individual has a personal network of at least 400 friends and acquaintances. So, you should easily be able to develop a list of at least 50 potential ministry partners.
For instance, you’ve probably had at least a dozen teachers alone. At the church you regularly attend you probably know Sunday school teachers, elders, deacons, and other friends who attend church. If you’ve ever had a toothache or a cavity, you know a dentist. If you’ve ever been sick, you’ve probably been to a doctor. As you think about your hometown’s business district, no doubt the cleaners, the bakery, the hardware store, and numerous other sources of contacts come to mind.
As you namestorm, associate various professions, businesses, your church, and places, with any friends and acquaintances they bring to mind. To aid you, we have provided 93 thought-provokers in a PDF.
Take plenty of time – an hour or more – to mull over these
categories. Push yourself…see if you can come up with at least 200 names.
After taking an hour or so for free wheeling namestorming, label each contact either “T” for top priority, “M” for medium priority, or “L” for low priority. These designations refer to your evaluation of how likely they are to give. Start by contacting your top priority people first and then work through your medium and then your low priority people.