Missions & Support

What upsets me about it is the same people who will spend $30 for books like "The Purpose Driven Life," or $10 for a new T-Shirt to show support of the youth group, or $250 for that trip to the amusement park with the youth - won't spend $5 for the missionaries. :<

 

Oh that is the normal Christian life isn't it TS?

I was interium pastor in a church and they decided they couldn't pay me their small guest speaker amount but gave one or two hundred to missionary speakers that I invited in to bring up missions interest Didn't bother me, was excited that they would do that much for missions!!

Priorities are not something that many Christians consider necessary

 

This is why I get a little put out with some of these "church campuses" today. I mean if the church didn't have so many things like cafe's and workout centers etc.... they would have alot more money to get the Gospel around the world.
Sometimes I wonder if the American church couldn't be characterized like this:
"We are becoming richer yet becoming poorer all at the same time." Get my point?

I'm not totally put out with some of these things. I know they can be used to reach people but I think we have gotten to the point of overkill. Like at Saddleback they have all these different worship venues to cater to different people's style or taste of worship. Compare that to some small group of believers that have to share one Bible under a tree somewhere to worship on Sunday morning . Something is out of wack.
I'm not wanting to knock the PDL thing. That is not the purpose of what I'm saying. Just using them as an example.

 

I've always cracked up with the Christian publishing in America. Oh, we want to get the Word of God to the world ----- at 34.95 each.

Like your rich/poor comment, right on I am afraid.

Had a friend that was a missionary to South Africa and he was home on furlough. He and his wife were skipping around the country by greyhound visiting supporters. He told of one in CA that had a huge house, a television in every room, a stereo in near every room, cars and toys by the room full. The sad part is most Americans are that way and the couple were undersupported :-(

 

Here is a little somthing I wrote I while back. I never edited it, and there may be things that I would state differntly now, but I thinnk it may be pertinent to the discussion. This is adressed to IFB churches.

Rethinking Missions

Since the early beginnings of fundamentalism, we have been active in the blessed task of world evangelism. Thousands of missionaries have left the borders of this country to labor in steamy jungles of Africa, to endure the poverty of Third World, and to struggle for years in the back corners of the world so that others may know the great salvation offered through Christ our Lord.

The record books of Heaven are full of countless prayers offered for the heathen of this world, for the missionary on the field, and to the Lord of Harvest to send forth even more laborers into the great harvest fields of this earth. How many a dear brother and sister has bent their knees to earth, lifted their eyes toward Heaven, and poured out their hearts for the lost souls of men-- Men who they in this life will never meet, yet their tears flow in a river of compassion that reflects the very heart of Christ Jesus.

Our Bible colleges and seminaries have trained many young men and women who have as Isaiah of old said “Here am I send me.” Men and women have realized the importance of having an eternal view rather than a temporal, and have lain their lives down on the altar of missionary service.

Thousands of churches have been established across the world over and a greater number of people have come to the truth of the Gospel message. Many of these churches are thriving under the ministry of nationals trained by faithful missionaries demonstrating the spirit of 2 Timothy 2:2.

Many a believer has given beyond themselves in great sacrifice so that others can go and advance the Gospel. And it is evident that the Lord has blessed our efforts as Fundamentalists to fulfill the Great Commission. Yet as we step back and look across the vastness of this globe and realize that the percentage of true born again believers is so small compared to the immense population of the earth, we must ask ourselves this question: have we been doing everything we can to see the Cross of Christ lifted up around this world? True, we will not reach every person for Christ, but are we reaching everyone that we can?

The Mormons have 60,000 missionaries around the globe and each missionary wins an average of 2 converts a year: that is 120,000 new Mormons. Do those of us in true Biblical fundamental orthodoxy equal that number? Maybe or maybe not; nevertheless, the stark reality is that we can be doing more for the cause of Christ.

In light of this truth then, what can we do differently to better our efforts as Fundamentalists in the area of missions? Perhaps we need to rethink our missions strategy and examine what have been our strengths and what have been our weaknesses.
What follows are thoughts as suggestions that are not thoughts of just the author, but of other Fundamental Baptist believers as well. What follows are some practical changes that may be for the better.

1. Churches can rethink the way they support missionaries.

Many churches have not kept up with the inflation of not only our country, but of the countries of the missionaries they support. I have talked to several missionaries whose average support is $50.00 a month; to be blunt, that is too low. For many missionaries, $50.00 a month equals 1% or less of their needed support. No wonder it takes some missionaries years to complete their deputation.

What can be done? Churches must pray about supporting fewer missionaries for more money (without dropping their current missionaries) -- Perhaps supporting based on a percentile rather than on a dollar amount. Say a church decides to support all missionaries for 5% of their support; a missionary that needs $3,500 a month will receive $175 a month, while a missionary that needs $4,000 monthly support will receive $200 a month. This will accomplish several things: it will speed up the deputation process and will allow for missionaries to have fewer supporting churches, hence making furlough times easier. Missionaries will be able to spend more time than just a Sunday evening service with a church, and the church will better understand the heart of the missionary and his burden.

It has been suggested by some that a missionary have only ten supporting churches. His home church supports him for 20%, and then nine others support him for 10%, giving a total of 110%. This gives him a good buffer in times of emergency, as well as allows him to spend a month at each church during furlough. Of course, this is an idealistic situation and may never come to pass; however, the point is that churches need to support missionaries differently than they have in the past. Not all churches are financially able to support missionaries on a percentage basis, but they at least need to try to support them for more than $50.00 a month.

2. Christian’s can rethink the way they give.

If there ever is a topic that is hard to preach and teach on, it is the area of giving. One’s money is something that is very dear to his heart even in good fundamental Baptist churches: that is why statistics say that only 20% of the average fundamental Baptist church even tithes, let alone gives to the missions program.

Many pastors are struggling financially because churches have failed to take care of their “first missionary” properly. How then can they even think of supporting missionaries? Something must change. Christians must be willing to rethink the way they are giving to their local church. If you ask a child how much of his money belongs to God more than likely he will say all of it, but if you ask an adult the same question he may say 10% or 20%. What has happened in our churches!

Many churches believe they have reached there limit when it comes to supporting missionaries, no doubt this may be true. But the question must be asked are the people pleading with God to enable them to expand there missions program? It seems that many Christians have lost hope that they can do more. It seems that the have lost faith in the enablement of God to fulfill their sacred duty. Does not William Carey’s charge to “Attempt great things for God and Expect great things from God” ring down through the ages to this generation?

People must be taught that they can make a difference for Christ in this world, now matter how small the amount they give financially may be. What we need to see is not a few believers giving more, but everybody giving what the Lord has laid on there heart to give.

If a congregation of 50 could each give $20.00 a week to missions (and what is $20.00 to most people?) that would be a total of $1,000.00 a week, which amounts to $52,000 a year given to missions. We do have the resources to get missionaries to the field quicker: we simply must rethink the way we are using God’s money.

3. Missionaries must rethink the ministry of deputation.

Deputation is a ministry, yet those of us who are in the midst of it or have been through it tend to forget that at times. It is easy to become cold and mechanical as we travel from church to church: no wonder people fail to see our burden and have a renewed vision for broadcasting the Gospel to this world.

It has been said by some that one should not think about raising support but rather about being a blessing to the churches he visits. This is partly true: missionaries must seek to be a servant and a blessing, yet deputation would not be called deputation if support was not being sought after.

Missionaries should not be “beggars” that is true, but God’s work requires God’s money and He has seen fit in this dispensation to have local churches be the ones responsible for providing it. It is not wrong for missionaries to present their needs to the church: after all, that is one of the reasons they are there. Part of deputation is raising support.

Deputation is a time to be a servant to local churches. As a missionary on deputation one has a very unique and important ministry-- a ministry he will have only once. What an opportunity to challenge churches to take their part in the Great Commission! A missionary will have the opportunity to exhort thousands of people to surrender their lives to the mission field and may have the blessing of seeing some do so. Missionaries must challenge the people both young and old to consider how God would use them. The best “recruiter” for new missionaries is a missionary on deputation or furlough.

Deputation is a time of balanced service and raising support.

4. Pastors and missionaries must rethink their relationship.

If we ever lived in a time of unethical behavior it is now. That is no more evident at times than in the relationship of pastors and missionaries. It is true that pastors are often overwhelmed by the amount of correspondence and requests from missionaries to present their work. Their response, though, must still be ethical. Perhaps the most frequent lie told is on answering machines and voicemail boxes: “Leave a message and I will be glad to return your call.”

Pastors need to be upfront with missionaries concerning their chances of gaining new support. Some pastors seem to schedule a missionary every month even though they know that there is little to no chance of supporting any of those missionaries; yet, it is a tradition to have a missionary in, so they schedule them anyway without mentioning to the missionary that they will receive no support. Many missionaries will come to the church anyway if they were told the truth, but when they are not, it can be very discouraging to have a schedule full of churches that have no chance of supporting him. It would be better to let missionaries know ahead of time if the church can support new missionaries or not. This is the ethical thing to do.

Pastors though are not the only ones guilty of being unethical at times. I personally have seen missionaries be very unethical whether it be in the pulpit or elsewhere. It is easy for a missionary to be a “businessman” and a “politician” in the pulpit. He can say just the right thing if he knows the church he is in and get a response from the people, but he not being honest to them. He must be transparent and not try to be some one he is not. Be honest when questioned what you believe, even if it means you may not receive support.

Sometimes a disgruntled church member will privately approach a visiting missionary about something he doesn’t like with the way the church is being led. Missionaries must always avoid getting into a conversation with some one like this, yet again I have seen missionaries become ensnared by these type of peoples’ questions and give a long a drawn out response to what they believe about the issue. It would be better to direct the person to talk to his pastor about the matter.

These are just a few areas that have been stumbling blocks in our missions endeavor. No doubt there are many more that could be addressed. Thankfully, there has been a great deal of good done for the cause of Christ in Fundamentalist missions as well. Praise the Lord for the great things that He has done through broken vessels, but let us ever be vigilant in trying to improve our missionary efforts. Let us resolve to fix our weaknesses and be faithful in our strengths to the glory of God our Father. May the truth of the Gospel continue to conquer the darkness of this world.

 

Okay, so what is your excuse for not getting it spiffed up and sent off to a publisher as an article?

You are right on.

When we were out we did not in the five years go to a church where there was any possibility of support financially. All were up front with me on the phone for which I was very pleased, but I do know pastors are less than ethical about it at times and this is a real problem.

I got a phone message that was very upfront went something like this. "Please leave your name and phone number and a brief message and if it is important I will return your call.

 

Well I don't have any excuses really. My wife is an excellent proof reader, plus my mission agency does editing. I don't know where I should possibly send it for publication, and it is rather short.

 

Meant to put a smiley face after that question, not getting on your case

Short is good Does your mission put out a magazine, or maybe your fellowship put out a mag?

At least print it up in a pamphlet and pass it out as you go Your mission might like to make it available for other missionaries to give out as well.

Just some sleepy thoughts from the old guy

 

Well maybe I will look in to it. I have had a lot on my plate lately.

Nah you weren't getting on my case at all. My wife has encouraged me to get it published somewhre too, she also tells me to write more.

 

you made some good insights. You also put forth some good ideas such as the one about percentage support of missionaries. I have run into churches that are doing that. It is a pretty good way to do things IMO.

 

A couple of my supporting churches do so on a precentage basis. It seems to make sense, for several reasons.

1. It should eventually speed up deputation
2. Missionaries will have less supporters to report to on furlough.
3. It will allow churches to keep up with changing finacial needs.

 

Speaking of supporting a precentage rather than a set dollar ammount, a church will be voting this Sunday to support us for 5%. This is wonderful because it cust down the number of supporters I will need. So know I am at 60% with 22 supporting churches.