DOGE, But for Western Church Funds: Where’s the ROI on Ministry to Muslims?
Every year, the Western Church collectively manages a $50 billion budget—a staggering amount that could fuel massive gospel impact. Yet, much of it is spent in ways that produce little to no fruit. Conferences, meetings, mission trips, and book deals dominate the landscape, often doing more to sustain ministries than to advance the gospel. In some cases, funds are even invested in initiatives that hinder the image of Christ rather than reflect His heart.
This isn't just about wasteful spending; it's about misplaced priorities. When it comes to ministry to Muslims, the imbalance is staggering. Billions are funneled into initiatives that rarely bear fruit—weekend retreats, strategy sessions, and mission trips that serve more as adventure tourism than gospel-driven work. Meanwhile, God is literally sending Muslims to our very doors, yet many churches and ministries remain blind to the opportunity.
How Much is Actually Spent on Reaching Muslims?
Let’s talk numbers. How much of that $50 billion church budget goes toward reaching the Muslim world? Most research suggests that less than 2% of global mission funding is directed toward reaching the 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide. And of that 2%, a significant portion isn’t actually spent on evangelism but rather on:
✅ Conferences where Western Christians talk about reaching Muslims but rarely do it.
✅ Books and curriculum that get read by believers but don’t engage Muslims.
✅ Mission trips that offer powerful "experiences" but often lack long-term impact.
✅ Programs that are more about the churches funding them than about transforming lives.
And while all of this is happening, Muslims—many of whom are actively seeking spiritual truth—are ignored, or worse, misrepresented by ministries that have no real connection with them.
A Hard Question: Are We Funding Fruitlessness?
Jesus said:
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last." (John 15:16)
Fruitfulness is not optional. If you’re spending money, time, and effort on ministry, but there is no fruit, then you need to stop and ask: Are we funding the right people?
The truth is, many missionaries to the Muslim world are either:
Not truly engaged in effective ministry, or
Not equipped to reach Muslims effectively.
Meanwhile, former Muslims who have encountered Christ—those who deeply understand the spiritual barriers—struggle to get the support they need to bear even more fruit. The arrogance of many Western ministries is that they insist on being the ones leading, even when the Spirit is clearly using others.
Funding Those Who Actually Bring Fruit
The Great Commission is not a branding exercise. It’s not about maintaining the status quo of mission structures. It’s about making disciples. If the resources God has entrusted to the Church are not resulting in real, life-changing gospel impact, then the funding must go elsewhere.
If your church or ministry is funding a mission to Muslims but sees no salvations, no baptisms, no discipleship, and no multiplication, it’s time for an uncomfortable but necessary conversation. Ask yourself:
🔥 Is this money serving God's kingdom, or just our church’s brand?
🔥 Are we equipping real disciple-makers, or just financing good intentions?
🔥 Who in our circle is actually seeing fruit? And why aren’t we supporting them more?
The Call to Action: Stop the Cycle
If we treated Kingdom investment the way we treat financial investment, we would demand ROI. Not in a corporate way, but in a biblical way. Jesus promises that when the gospel is rightly proclaimed, fruit will follow. If it’s not, we need to stop throwing money at dead-end ministries and start resourcing those whom God is clearly using.
God is already moving. The question is, are we funding what He is blessing, or are we funding what makes us feel better?
