Charles Brammall on starting a niche ministry – not the easiest thing to do. He takes us behind the scenes of founding the Entertainment Bible Ministry (ENTER); starting with another niche ministry that gave him a leg up.
Vignette- Christians In The Media
In the year 2000 I was coming to the end of my six years as an Anglican Assistant Minister in Sydney (at Fairfield, Turramurra and Parramatta) and one or two churches had begun to consider me as their Senior Minister. I organised a weekend away for my church, St John’s Parramatta, and invited Dominic Steele from Christians in the Media (CIM) to come and preach on 1 Cor 12-14. He spoke literally life changing and radicalising for me in my understanding of those chapters.
As we chatted and got to know each other Dominic eventually invited me to join him as his colleague to head up a new “Entertainment Wing” of CIM. He was reaching many Media workers, journos and reporters, but didn’t have time to minister to the many film, TV, theatre, dance, and music people he was also coming across. Would I like to come on board and kick off this new entertainment arm of CIM, instead of becoming a Senior Minister at a church somewhere?
It was tempting- for several good reasons, and a couple of bad. It was a good match with my background, interests, and passion. Also it was a strategic industry to reach for God’s kingdom. We need to harness the great influence and power of Film, theatre, music, publishing, TV, and radio for God’s kingdom.
But the bad reasons I was tempted were twofold- it was nice for my ego and self worth to be asked by Dominic, a ministry “rockstar”, to join him in the niche ministry world. And I had a close friend who was ambitious for me, and ultimately controlling, and saw this as an opportunity to make a name for myself. So it was tempting. (Incidentally, the Director of another niche ministry in Sydney told me “A mission to entertainment would potentially be the most sexy niche ministry in Sydney.”!)
I eventually said yes to Dominic, and I’m glad that I did, but ashamed of the latter two reasons for doing so. I have apologised for this, and been forgiven.
So my wife and I and our three young children moved from St John Parramata’s Curate’s Cottage to a small rental in Abbotsford (CIM is in Annandale). I became the Senior Associate Minister at CIM Church, which met in Annandale Primary School library.
Our new mission to entertainment was on the cover of Southern Cross magazine (Sydney Anglicanism’s “Rolling Stone”!), with a picture of Dominic and me imbibing caffeine at Fox Studios. In CIM’s generosity my stipend was set at the same rate as an Anglican Assistant Minister, and while underwriting me, I still had to raise the necessary financial support. I set about approaching churches and individual Christians cap in hand, and the result was encouraging.
* * * * *
Getting ready.
As we started ENTER I went to see Anglican Archbishop Harry Goodhew to encourage and enthuse him about our vision. He was indeed inspired, but disappointed to be unable to offer us any financial support from the Diocese. This was frustrating for me, as Sydney Diocese at that time had expressed a new commitment to funding emerging ministries to unreached people groups in Sydney. And entertainment was certainly an unreached people group. But God is sovereign, and in His wisdom He chose to fund our annual budget not through the Diocese, but through the ongoing kindness of our financial supporters and some generous seeding finance from CIM. But I still needed to “answer our own prayers” and scramble to approach individual Christians and multiple churches, to offer myself as one of their “Link Missionaries”.
Several churches chose to join us, including Christ Church Gladesville, Northmead and Dundas Anglicans, Baulkham Hills Baptist, and Yarramalong Christian. I would visit to update them on the latest exciting opportunities for the Gospel in entertainment, and sometimes preach. Often they would give us a donation on the spot to fund the ministry. I was also asked to preach at a series of churches’ and university groups’ weekends away, and school camps, and was sometimes paid for these. Also I had a rolling programme of coffees or lunch with individual Christians to invite them to join us in the crucial role of being regular financial supporters and pray-ers.
In God’s kindness, the response was extraordinarily generous for pretty much the whole thirteen years of ENTER. Several people wrote out multiple cheques for ten thousand dollars when we had specific needs. Many people committed to joining us as regular givers as well. As the years went by and our small full and part time staff team grew, we had to raise a quarter of a million dollars per year, just for staff costs. In fact, we were pretty lean- we had very few other costs, apart from rent of venues, and bits of catering here and there.
We helped our MTS trainees (now called MAP- Ministry Apprenticeship Programme) t
to raise $12,000 per year from their own contacts, as a living allowance. And Student Ministers (full time at Bible college and one day a week with us) were encouraged to try and raise $6,000. We also helped them with this.
As we raised support for the mission, I learnt several helpful ways (from my mistakes) to relate exciting new Kingdom opportunities and mission developments to our givers, and to express our needs. The first one was this- I would say something along the lines of:
“The staff and I are blessed to be able to do the coal face work of introducing entertainment people to Jesus, getting alongside them and reading the Bible and praying with them. But we’re not able to do the other crucial part– providing the financial support we need. Only you can do that.
We’d love it if you could
join our team in the crucial work of financing it. And crucially, commit to praying regularly and often for the work, because no amount of haranguing on our part can bring someone to repentance. Only the international, eternal, all-powerful Ruler can do that by His Spirit of holiness.”
We deliberately used the vocab of “becoming part of” and “joining” the mission rather than “supporting” or even “partnering with us”. We found this created a greater feeling of ownership for our givers. They were an integral part of the mission, doing something that our staff and members couldn’t do, so they were essential to the Gospel in this lost industry. We couldn’t do without them.
The second fruitful strategy I learnt (which I have continued using to this day, helping other niche ministries raise support) is this: once someone has become a generous and regular financial supporter, it signals they have the means and the commitment to continue being a big giver. So when we needed an increase in giving, these are the first people we needed to approach. Whether it was for a new Gospel project, or even new staff— in fact especially new staff.
Every fibre of my being would be screaming “No– surely this person won’t choose to increase their giving- they’re already giving so generously! Maybe my asking will even make them withdrawsupport?” But no, the very opposite was usually true. They are the ones with deep ownership and fond goodwill towards the mission. Mind you, it is still essential to keep approaching new potential givers at the same time, as part of an overall support-raising strategy to broaden the base of givers.
As time goes by, a certain degree of natural attrition begins to occur among givers, and support raising becomes more difficult. Looking after these beloved brothers and sisters pastorally, and encouraging them to continue giving, was time consuming and at times emotionally draining. This attrition was for several reasons, including sometimes, sadly, their deaths. There was also a degree of “donour fatigue” among some, as the number of new missions asking for financial support grew. (See John Sandeman’s article “Too Many Para Churches, Too Few Donors” on the “The Other Cheek” website, posted on 09/12/2023)
Some people had been financial partners in the mission for a long time and were looking for a change. Other Godly, worthy missions and ministries called, and some people liked to mix up their giving and have a change. A downturn in the economy or rise in inflation and cost of living could take their toll as well. Or a ministry might be weak in communicating exciting things God was doing, or new opportunities for Gospel work opening up. For a mission to communicate only its NEEDS and not its Gospel OPPORTUNITIES is less motivating and ineffective in my experience.
Another crucial part of niche ministries is “Donour Maintenance”. At one stage I believe Church Missionary Society (CMS) employed a lady to do this full time. She spent every day just visitingregular donours and having cups of tea with them. She didn’t even necessarily ask them to continue giving. Just the fact she spent time with them regularly meant they were more likely to stay financially committed. They felt cared for and appreciated by CMS, and had a high level of ownership. ENTER didn’t have the staff resources to do this much, but I wish we had. I believe it would have reduced attrition.
It can be tricky asking for money as a mission or ministry, because the “product” (the Gospel) you are “marketing” (sharing) can often seem to be bearing no visible fruit. Or at least the fruit is invisible, Mark 4:26-27:
“The kingdom of God is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; he sleeps and rises-night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows- he doesn’t know how.”
And in some quarters our product is even seen as insensitive, offensive, or even immoral or evil. But for those who understand and love the Gospel it is the most captivating and fruitful product ever- the preaching of the Word of Life into the hearts of those the LORD loves, who are perishing. No greater “product” could ever exist. It is like being
“… a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great price goes and sells all he has to buy it”, Mat 13:45-46.
It is the only treasure and only product that
“… moth and rust do not destroy, or thieves break in and steal.” Mat 6:19.
All we have to do is share with people the Gospel of Jesus’ death, sensitively, clearly, and relationally, and He will call out those who are His. The scales will fall off their eyes, and they will rise to spiritual life. It is His own work, in which we are generously caught up. And the passing on of the Gospel of grace is all that is needed. God’s grace in His Word is the only thing worth having in the end. In one of my three favourite verses in Scripture, Paul says in 2 Cor 12:9
“(God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you”.
I have experienced this existentially myself. There was a time in my life when the Lord took EVERYTHING away from me except my His grace, my salvation. He took my job, income, treasured possessions, reputation, marriage, children, health, home and furniture, car, beloved dog, and many friends. If it wasn’t for dear friends and family, I would literally have had to sleep rough.
This verse came into wonderfully sharp focus for me at that time. God’s grace really was sufficient for me. It was all I needed. I didn’t have anything else anymore, and ultimately I didn’t needanything else. I was deeply traumatised, but inexpressibly reassured that I still had the one thing I really needed- His grace manifest in Jesus’ death and resurrection for me. It was sufficient for me, even if He had taken away everything else away, John 6:68:
“Simon Peter answered (Jesus), ‘Where else have we to go, because You alone have the Words of eternal life.’”
Vignette- Support Raising Business Breakfasts
Another one of our main strategies for raising support was quarterly Business Breakfasts in large hotels and other venues in town, including the Museum of Modern Art at The Quay. They were short and sweet – an hour and a quarter, with a keynote profile Christian speaker who was supportive of our mission. These included Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, and Golden Guitar Award winning musician and Playskool presenter Colin Buchanan. Also Script Writer Tony Morphett (“Dynasty”, “Blue Heelers”, “Water Rats”), Dr John Best (ex Wallabies Doctor), and Mark Scott (then Managing Director of the ABC). And one of our non speaking guests was actor Jack Thomson (“Star Wars Episode 2”, “Man from Snowy River”, “Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith”).
A delicious breakfast was catered by the venue, then a Christian entertainer sang, danced, acted or performed puppetry. I would then speak for eight minutes about exciting new advances for the Kingdom in ENTER. Then we screened the latest short support raising film we had made. Many profile industry people were happy to be interviewed on camera for this, Christian and non, talking about their support for an industry Chaplain. These included Colin Buchanan, broadcaster Geraldine Doogue, actors Steve Bisley and Tony LLewellyn-Jones, ABC newsreader Juanita Phillips, The Bill”’s Russell Boulter (DC John Bolton), and Channel 9 CEO David Gyngell.
Steve Bisley shot an hilarious closing title for one of our films, in which he said “I’m Steve Bisley- and I’ve played a lot of tough guys in my time- If you don’t support Charles financially, I’m coming for ya- you’ve got me to deal with!” To see one of our very early support raising films, search “Entertainment Bible Ministry” on Youtube.
Finally at the business breakfasts I would present the financial appeal and ask people to fill in a card on the spot pledging support. For a time these breakfasts were highly successful in raising the support we needed. But as with all giving, there was eventually natural attrition, attendance numbers crept lower, and we struggled to balance the books for catering and hire of the venue.
Vignette- Non Financial Giving
Support also came in the form of donations for our physical needs, and the skills and services we required. At the old Channel 7 at Epping I got to know lovely Christian fashion stylist and hair and makeup artist Sonja Downie (“Home and Away”, “All Saints”, etc, and Melissa Doyle’s stylist). She was part of our lunchtime group there, and for years, her husband Andrew Nobbs generously donated his graphic designs for our printed material. He is a dear friend, and still helps friends of mine in other niche ministries to this day.
The Tinyow family helped us with many stylish cushions from their factory, for our church services. Richard and Kathy Hawkins often made their large home available for evangelistic and Christmas dinners, combined Bible studies, and other events. The Lee family helped us many times with appliances we needed. Many of the friendships forged in the ENTER years have great longevity, closeness and warmth. It’s lovely.
Also donating many designs for us was a plethora of gracious and talented Christian designers: Newtown Performing Arts High School student Daisy Knight (part of our lunchtime group there), her mum, and “The Print Shop” Artarmon (owned by Jim, a fine Christian chap). Also Helen Kottler, whose close relative I cared for pastorally as they became sick and subsequently passed away, and Hannah Allen, daughter of another minister.
At the end of a fruitful year with Dominic, it became obvious to both of us that we were reaching two very different demographics. Me, people in film, TV, theatre, music, and dance. But also hospitality, fashion, Sydney Motor Show, elite sport and the adult industry! In Dominic’s case, media people, journos, reporters, researchers, presenters, print and digital media etc. There was some overlap, but our target audiences were still quite distinct.