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The Local Church & Missions

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by idonthavetimeforthis, Feb 8, 2011.

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  1. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Thanks for confirming what I thought to be true. So both my church and yours are providing support to missionaries, but other churches are helping, as well. The difference apparently how the mission effort is organized and coordinated.

    In independent Baptist churches and the SBC, there is a degree of accountability. Again, different organizational structure.
     
    #21 Tom Butler, Feb 9, 2011
  2. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    You are essentially right. The difference, as I understand it, is that in the SBC you all send your money to a central fund, where the money is allocated to missionaries by board functionaries, whereas IFB churches choose the missionaries they want to support, then send the funds through the board to their chosen missionary. This is a big plus in my book.

    The minus of this is that many churches don't support by very much. We have 48 churches that support an average of about $100/month. I would much rather have 15 churches that support a goodly amount. Then I could spend more time with each church on furlough.

    The downside of having one church supply all of the support is that the church may then try to exert control over the missionary's ministry. I know of one case where a church supports $500/month, but then requires the missionaries to account for every single yen of their spending! What a drag. :tonofbricks:
     
    #22 John of Japan, Feb 10, 2011
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    John - That's terrible. I know with our church, we give the money for the missionary to use as they see fit. If they spend it needlessly, they will find themselves needing additional monies above what was told to us that would be sufficient and thus they would need to get an outside job. We do go over with the missionary just what they reasonably need each month and that is what we provide with no strings other than we keep in contact with each other and that we are kept updated with things that are going on - much like you would with a friend anyway. We don't ask for "reports" but a regular phone call with "Hey! Let me tell you how things are going here!" I know those missionaries that we are able to support full time greatly appreciate the release of having to fund-raise for their money.

    A few missionaries we do support full time but go through a support organization because they can better get the monies to them. A few other missionaries actually work for an organization so we give the money to the organization that is then given to the missionary (thinking of a young couple working for Evangelism Explosion - but they were our own people so we fully support them).

    What's nice is that we have one of our pastors as our missionary pastor and it's his job to keep up with the missionaries and be sure that their needs are met both financially and spiritually. If they need a construction crew to do something, he'll put a trip together with construction guys to go do the work. If they need help with children's ministry, he puts together a team to do the work. The only two standing missions trips we have are a yearly one to Nicaragua and a yearly one to Cuba. Otherwise, trips are done on an 'as needed' basis.
     
    #23 annsni, Feb 10, 2011
  4. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    This sounds like a good plan for a church with your missions philosophy. Concerning the danger of a church trying to control a missionary's ministry, when Paul and Barnabas were sent out from the Antioch church, the Greek word used in Acts 13:3 for "sent them away" is apoluo, used also for divorce! So the church voluntarily relinquished control while sending them out. And of course the Holy Spirit sent them out in v. 4 with the normal word for sending.


    Again, sounds like a good plan.

    Side note: I hope your missions pastor keeps up with address changes. We still have churches sending mail to our address from three years ago. We've moved twice since then to cheaper places to beat the weak exchange rate. Doesn't seem to matter how many times we put the new address in the bulletin! :BangHead:
     
    #24 John of Japan, Feb 10, 2011
  5. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Oh my goodness!! I'm sure he does because, as I said, he's in contact with them pretty much weekly. I doubt that would slip by him. :)
     
    #25 annsni, Feb 10, 2011
  6. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    Good for him! :thumbsup:
     
    #26 John of Japan, Feb 10, 2011
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