Choose to Lose

Get sponsored to lose what you love for Christians who have lost everything because of their faith in Jesus

Choose to Lose is a new fundraising challenge. The idea is simple: get sponsored to give up something you love for a short time to raise money and prayer for young Christians around the world who, in choosing Jesus, have lost nearly everything.

Choose to Lose in three simple steps…

1.Choose to lose: Sign up!

What do you love? Your x-Box, your bed, phone, chocolate, fast food, Instagram, listening to music, sport, playing guitar, watching telly? Could you get sponsored to give it up for a short time to stand with those who have to give up everything to follow Jesus? Sign up now and we’ll send you an awesome pack to help you lose what you love!

2.Raise money, prayer and awareness…

Set up a JustGiving page to raise money and support young Christians around the world who have lost family, home, friends, safety and freedom because of their love of Jesus. We’ll send you resources to help you raise money, and to also reflect, pray and tell others what you are doing and why!

3. Lose what you love…

Choose how long! Some have gone a day, 48 hours a week or even 6 weeks throughout Lent! Join with hundreds of others by giving up something you love to stand with those prepared to lose everything for their faith in Jesus. Get inspired to live out your faith with greater courage and conviction!

What your money could achieve…

By getting sponsored to lose something you love, you can help to raise money for projects around the world that are supporting young people who have lost much because of their faith in Jesus. Set a target and see what your money could achieve…

  • £30 could send a Christian young person at risk of persecution from North Africa to a youth camp, helping them to connect with God’s Word, grow in faith and find support and friendship with other young Christians.
  • £60 could provide school fees for a young person from Nigeria whose father has been killed for his Christian faith.
  • £160 could provide 20 young people from Central Asia with a Bible in their own language.
  • £420 could provide 6 months of protection, care and education for a Christian young person in Colombia at risk of abduction or threats from armed groups

Please note: Any excess funds will be used to help strengthen persecuted Christians around the world of all ages where there is urgent need.

Be a loser…

On your own…

Spend a short time going without something you love! Sign up now, kick-start your fundraising by setting up a Justgiving page and share it with your friends and family. Post the Choose to Lose image we send you to your social profiles and tell the world you’re a loser! Challenge three other people to lose what they love and join the challenge too (nominate them and tag them on your post). Your friends and family will be rallying around to support you in no time!

As a group…

It might seem a bit daunting to lose the one thing you love on your own, so why not encourage your youth group, CU, small group or even church to take on the Choose to Lose Challenge with you? We’re producing some special leader downloads so you can scale up the challenge. Set up a prayer room, run a prayer event and spend time together doing some fundraising activities (ideas are all in the pack we’ll send you). And of course, you can still get sponsored – set up a group Justgiving page and ask your friends, family and church to support you!

Why lose what you love?

Pradip*, a Hindu teenager from Nepal, mocked his sister for becoming a Christian. But then he visited a church with a friend, and that same night he saw a flash of intense light in his room. Confused, he started looking for answers, which he eventually found in Jesus.

For Pradip, it was a winning choice, even though it meant being disowned by his parents, kicked out of home and forced to leave their village. Pradip, like many others, knows that choosing Jesus means losing much. But he knows it also means gaining a future with Jesus, something so precious, it’s more than worth the cost.

Could you be inspired by young people like Pradip, and choose to lose something you love to raise money and prayer for Christians who have lost everything because of their faith in Jesus?

“Our youth group … were given an insight into how it feels to be denied something… they were really challenged by the stories of people who have given up everything for Jesus. They were left grateful, humbled and motivated to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ facing persecution around the world.”

Laura, leader at Mettle Youth Group, Lisburn Cathedral

Up for the Choose to Lose challenge?

Sign up today to lose what you love and we’ll send you an awesome Choose to Lose pack in the post featuring…

  • A Choose to Lose planning guide with simple steps to help you plan, prepare and promote your fundraiser
  • A reflection guide with stories to read and share, prayers to pray and actions to do during your challenge
  • An awesome Choose to Lose sticker set to wear or stick on what you’ve given up!

Plus you’ll also get access to a bunch of downloads to help you lose what you love including:

  • A bunch of images to post on your social profiles
  • Links to setting up an easy JustGiving page to help you get sponsors and raise money
  • A youth/small group session to help you introduce Choose to Lose to your group
  • Creative and interactive prayer ideas

We support people who are beaten, tortured,
imprisoned, falsely accused, and hated simply for following Jesus.