August, 2008
THANK YOU, AGAIN, GIVING FRIENDS!
We continue to bless God and thank each of you for your continued response to our missionaries’ needs which are supplied each month from the General Fund.
I CONTINUE TO RECEIVE CALLS FROM CHURCH PASTORS AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING FRIENDS THAT YOU ARE EITHER BEGINNING TO GIVE REGULAR MONTHLY OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND – OR ELSE THAT YOU ARE INCREASING YOUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS.
I assure you that your offerings not only supply the needs of the Lord’s saints, but they are also abounding in continual and increased THANKSGIVINGS to God for you – both by our missionaries and by us who administer their support.
[see 2 Corinthians 9.12-15 and Hebrews 6.10].
We need each of us to GIVE to meet this on-going challenge and make life-long commitments to faithfully give so our missionaries’ needs can be met.
THIS IS NOT A ONE-TIME NEED. A ‘BUMP’ WILL NOT SUFFICE TO MEET IT. The need is NOW...it is REAL...it is URGENT...and IT IS LONG-TERM.
“Now therefore, KNOW...and CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO...”
1 Samuel 25.17
Here is what we all need to do together: WE NEED TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY TO GIVE AT LEAST $37,000.00 MONTHLY TO THE GENERAL FUND.
This $37,000.00 General Fund Offering per month will come close to bringing our General Fund standard committed monthly disbursements to a point of solvency.
General Fund monthly standard disbursements are those commitments we have made to our missionaries to provide for their essential services: salary, expense accounts, hospitalization, home office overhead, etc. We make these disbursements every month. They are ‘the cost of doing the Lord’s business.’
There are other General Fund committed disbursements also – but they are not disbursed every month. They are more occasional: furlough expenses, hospitalization deductible reimbursement, 4-year auto allowances, etc. These disbursements are made throughout the year as needed, but we don’t make them every month. It still amounts to thousands of dollars each year.
OUR IMMEDIATE GOAL IS TO MAKE OUR GENERAL FUND STANDARD MONTHLY DISBURSEMENTS SOLVENT WITH OUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS – and then the other General Fund disbursements which we give our missionaries periodically throughout the year can be supplied by the funds from our THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
-_______________________-
$100,000.00 THANKSGIVING OFFERING GOAL
PRAY about our Thanksgiving Offering – and the part the Lord Jesus Christ is leading you to give to His mission.
PURPOSE in your heart what you would like to give.
PREPARE your offering ahead of time by laying up proportions of your offering over the year so you won’t have to make it up all at once.
And then – PRAY again...and some more – and ask the Lord to supply the funds to you so you can give it back to Him. [See 2 Corinthians 9.5-11]
Friday, August 8, 2008
BFM COUNCIL OF DIRECTORS
PRAY FOR YOUR BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS COUNCIL OF DIRECTORS
Terry Adkins
Glenn Archer, Vice President
Doug Armstrong, Assistant Treasurer
Bobby Creiglow
Art Donley
Bobby Greene
Randy Jones
Millard Mitchell
Jim Orrick, President
Edward Overbey, Assistant Secretary
Dave Parks, Executive Secretary
George Sledd, Treasurer
Marvin Summers
Steve Wainright
Wallace York
Terry Adkins
Glenn Archer, Vice President
Doug Armstrong, Assistant Treasurer
Bobby Creiglow
Art Donley
Bobby Greene
Randy Jones
Millard Mitchell
Jim Orrick, President
Edward Overbey, Assistant Secretary
Dave Parks, Executive Secretary
George Sledd, Treasurer
Marvin Summers
Steve Wainright
Wallace York
"MORE THAN ONE WAY TO___ _ ___"
CREATIVE MISSIONS GIVING
“THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO _____ ___ _____”
How would you complete that cliché? The most usual way would be with the words: “skin a cat”.
Frankly, I have never skinned a cat by even one method – and it has never crossed my mind to even inquire about how many different ways a cat can be skinned.
But, I do want you to think in terms of “THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO...GIVE TO MISSIONS!”
The most usual and customary method is to give PERSONAL OFFERINGS – either by adding them to our church’s regular offering to the BFM GENERAL FUND...or by giving directly to the BFM Treasurer.
But, our “TEXAS GIVING FRIENDS” [this is the way they list themselves in our monthly Contributions Report, page 3 of THE MISSION SHEETS] have been giving regular monthly offerings for several years now by another creative method of giving.
Periodically, they contribute a number of blue-chip stock certificates to BFM. Those stocks are deposited into an interest-bearing investment account. Every month, an offering amount is disbursed from that account to the BFM Treasurer. When the value of the last contribution of stock certificates is depleted, they just send some more.
These dear “TEXAS GIVING FRIENDS” wish to remain anonymous – and we will respect their wishes. But, they would also like to inspire others by their example to do as they have done. They have been faithfully giving offerings to BFM for over 40 years.
Other Giving Friends have given properties to BFM.
Still other Giving Friends have contributed personal investment accounts and even retirement accounts to meet the on-going needs of our missionaries.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart...”
THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS YOU – TO ALL OF OUR BELOVED AND GENEROUS GIVING FRIENDS!
“THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO _____ ___ _____”
How would you complete that cliché? The most usual way would be with the words: “skin a cat”.
Frankly, I have never skinned a cat by even one method – and it has never crossed my mind to even inquire about how many different ways a cat can be skinned.
But, I do want you to think in terms of “THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO...GIVE TO MISSIONS!”
The most usual and customary method is to give PERSONAL OFFERINGS – either by adding them to our church’s regular offering to the BFM GENERAL FUND...or by giving directly to the BFM Treasurer.
But, our “TEXAS GIVING FRIENDS” [this is the way they list themselves in our monthly Contributions Report, page 3 of THE MISSION SHEETS] have been giving regular monthly offerings for several years now by another creative method of giving.
Periodically, they contribute a number of blue-chip stock certificates to BFM. Those stocks are deposited into an interest-bearing investment account. Every month, an offering amount is disbursed from that account to the BFM Treasurer. When the value of the last contribution of stock certificates is depleted, they just send some more.
These dear “TEXAS GIVING FRIENDS” wish to remain anonymous – and we will respect their wishes. But, they would also like to inspire others by their example to do as they have done. They have been faithfully giving offerings to BFM for over 40 years.
Other Giving Friends have given properties to BFM.
Still other Giving Friends have contributed personal investment accounts and even retirement accounts to meet the on-going needs of our missionaries.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart...”
THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS YOU – TO ALL OF OUR BELOVED AND GENEROUS GIVING FRIENDS!
JULY 2008 UPDATE
July, 2008
JUNE GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS
Thank You, Giving Friends! for responding to our recent appeals for sustained, regular, long-term, increased offerings to our GENERAL FUND. You will notice on this month’s MISSION SHEETS OFFERING REPORT on page 3, we gave $35,846.79 to the GENERAL FUND. The GENERAL FUND is the source of all the standard commitments we have made to our missionaries to maintain their regular living expenses.
WE NEED TO REITERATE THAT WE MUST STRIVE FOR THE GOAL OF MAINTAINING SOLVENCY MONTH-BY-MONTH IN OUR GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS. That way, we can use our Thanksgiving Offering for the extraordinary and periodic benefits we have committed to give our missionaries – like 4-Year Auto Allowances, Furlough Transportation, etc.
THANK YOU to our long-time faithful Giving Friends – and THANK YOU to you who have either begun to give regular offerings to the General Fund, or who have increased your personal offerings.
THANK YOU to the churches who have increased your monthly commitments to the General Fund – some of you have done so AGAIN after already increasing your monthly offerings in recent previous months.
WE ARE STILL ASKING THAT ALL OF US GIVE TOGETHER TO HELP US REACH THE IMMEDIATE GOAL OF AT LEAST $37,000.00 IN OUR CONSISTENT MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR PART!
-______________________-
2007-2008 THANKSGIVING OFFERING
I promised you I would keep you updated on the Thanksgiving Offering Total. I also told you that we would keep the Thanksgiving Offering open indefinitely as long as you are giving to it. Well, some of you did continue to give to the Thanksgiving Offering right on up through the middle of this year. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS! THE TOTAL THANKSGIVING OFFERING IS: $64,650.57.
-______________________-
2008-09 THANKSGIVING OFFERING: $100,000.00 GOAL
Begin planning right now – if you haven’t already purposed – to give a very generous offering to our 2008-09 THANKSGIVING OFFERING. PLAN AHEAD. And then WORK YOUR PLAN methodically and systematically between now and then to help us reach our goal of $100,000.00 for our THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
JUNE GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS
Thank You, Giving Friends! for responding to our recent appeals for sustained, regular, long-term, increased offerings to our GENERAL FUND. You will notice on this month’s MISSION SHEETS OFFERING REPORT on page 3, we gave $35,846.79 to the GENERAL FUND. The GENERAL FUND is the source of all the standard commitments we have made to our missionaries to maintain their regular living expenses.
WE NEED TO REITERATE THAT WE MUST STRIVE FOR THE GOAL OF MAINTAINING SOLVENCY MONTH-BY-MONTH IN OUR GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS. That way, we can use our Thanksgiving Offering for the extraordinary and periodic benefits we have committed to give our missionaries – like 4-Year Auto Allowances, Furlough Transportation, etc.
THANK YOU to our long-time faithful Giving Friends – and THANK YOU to you who have either begun to give regular offerings to the General Fund, or who have increased your personal offerings.
THANK YOU to the churches who have increased your monthly commitments to the General Fund – some of you have done so AGAIN after already increasing your monthly offerings in recent previous months.
WE ARE STILL ASKING THAT ALL OF US GIVE TOGETHER TO HELP US REACH THE IMMEDIATE GOAL OF AT LEAST $37,000.00 IN OUR CONSISTENT MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR PART!
-______________________-
2007-2008 THANKSGIVING OFFERING
I promised you I would keep you updated on the Thanksgiving Offering Total. I also told you that we would keep the Thanksgiving Offering open indefinitely as long as you are giving to it. Well, some of you did continue to give to the Thanksgiving Offering right on up through the middle of this year. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS! THE TOTAL THANKSGIVING OFFERING IS: $64,650.57.
-______________________-
2008-09 THANKSGIVING OFFERING: $100,000.00 GOAL
Begin planning right now – if you haven’t already purposed – to give a very generous offering to our 2008-09 THANKSGIVING OFFERING. PLAN AHEAD. And then WORK YOUR PLAN methodically and systematically between now and then to help us reach our goal of $100,000.00 for our THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
JUNE 2008 UPDATE
DID YOU READ THE URGENT APPEAL FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN LAST MONTH’S MISSION SHEETS INSERT?
I hope you did, and I urge you to ask the Lord how you should respond.
We need long-term, lifetime commitments from every one of our missionaries’ Giving Friends. THAT IS THE KIND OF COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONARIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND. And the only way we can fulfill those financial commitments is for each one of us to do our personal giving to missions.
We are only in the middle of the year, and we must begin this month to meet our monthly disbursement commitments from the General Fund with our monthly offerings to the General Fund.
Our immediate goal is to increase our consistent monthly GENERAL FUND offerings to $37,000.00 per month.
IF YOU MISSED THE APPEAL, YOU MAY FIND IT ON www.faith-works.blogspot.com.
EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS TO RESPOND THIS MONTH.
Many have already responded by increasing their personal monthly giving commitments.
Some have increased the offerings they give BFM through their church’s offerings – others have begun sending their personal offerings directly to Brother Sledd, BFM’s Treasurer.
Pastors have led their churches to increase their monthly offerings to the General Fund.
GOD BLESS YOU EACH ONE!
I hope you did, and I urge you to ask the Lord how you should respond.
We need long-term, lifetime commitments from every one of our missionaries’ Giving Friends. THAT IS THE KIND OF COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONARIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND. And the only way we can fulfill those financial commitments is for each one of us to do our personal giving to missions.
We are only in the middle of the year, and we must begin this month to meet our monthly disbursement commitments from the General Fund with our monthly offerings to the General Fund.
Our immediate goal is to increase our consistent monthly GENERAL FUND offerings to $37,000.00 per month.
IF YOU MISSED THE APPEAL, YOU MAY FIND IT ON www.faith-works.blogspot.com.
EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS TO RESPOND THIS MONTH.
Many have already responded by increasing their personal monthly giving commitments.
Some have increased the offerings they give BFM through their church’s offerings – others have begun sending their personal offerings directly to Brother Sledd, BFM’s Treasurer.
Pastors have led their churches to increase their monthly offerings to the General Fund.
GOD BLESS YOU EACH ONE!
PASTOR TERRY ADKINS APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR
MAY, 2008
PASTOR TERRY ADKINS: BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS DIRECTOR
Pastor Terry Adkins has consented to serve as a Director of Baptist Faith Missions. Pastor Adkins is pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights MI. New Hope church is also the long-time host church for our Thanksgiving Conference.
Each Director serves with the consent and authority of the church where he is a member and where he serves the Lord.
Each Director agrees without reservation to our Doctrinal Statement of beliefs and practices. That same Doctrinal Statement expresses the convictions and distinctives of the churches who partner together to support our missionaries.
Each Director also agrees with the missionary purpose of Baptist Faith Missions and commits to promote our missionaries’ needs.
We welcome Pastor Adkins and look forward to many years of partnership in the Gospel and missions.
PASTOR TERRY ADKINS: BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS DIRECTOR
Pastor Terry Adkins has consented to serve as a Director of Baptist Faith Missions. Pastor Adkins is pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights MI. New Hope church is also the long-time host church for our Thanksgiving Conference.
Each Director serves with the consent and authority of the church where he is a member and where he serves the Lord.
Each Director agrees without reservation to our Doctrinal Statement of beliefs and practices. That same Doctrinal Statement expresses the convictions and distinctives of the churches who partner together to support our missionaries.
Each Director also agrees with the missionary purpose of Baptist Faith Missions and commits to promote our missionaries’ needs.
We welcome Pastor Adkins and look forward to many years of partnership in the Gospel and missions.
APRIL 2008 UPDATE
APRIL, 2008
GIVING FRIENDS! “MAY YOUR TRIBE INCREASE!”
A Giving Friend called me last October, responding to an article I had written in the September Mission Sheets entitled ‘MISSIONS ALERT! WHAT’S A MISSIONARY WORTH?’ In that article, I was emphasizing the needs we were going to face in the upcoming year due to assuming support for two more missionary families.
This Giving Friend asked, “Do I correctly assume from that appeal that the greatest need Baptist Faith Missions faces right now is increased offerings to the General Fund?” I replied, “Yes, that’s correct.” To which this generous Giving Friend said, “Then I am going to start giving a monthly offering to the General Fund to help supply the monthly needs of our missionaries.” THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
A fellow pastor called me at the end of last year and said, “We are planning our church budget for 2008, and we want to begin supporting the General Fund of Baptist Faith Missions. We can’t do a whole lot right now, but we want to make a beginning.” They have begun that monthly support for the General Fund. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
Another fellow pastor called me not too long after that and said, “Our church has voted to increase our monthly offerings to the General Fund to help us supply the on-going needs of our missionaries.” They have begun that increased monthly support. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
And THANK YOU, ALL YOU GIVING FRIENDS WHO HAVE MET OUR MISSIONARIES’ MONTHLY NEEDS ALL ALONG. We don’t take you for granted. Your offerings not only supply the commitments we have made to our missionaries, but YOUR GIVING ALSO INCREASES AND MULTIPLIES MANY THANKSGIVINGS TO GOD! We bless God for the Grace He gives you to give – and our missionaries thank God for your generosity, too.
-___________________-
THANKSGIVING OFFERING UPDATE
I have told you all along that I would keep you updated on the progress of our Thanksgiving Offering. As you know, the Thanksgiving Offering goes toward offsetting the monthly deficits we incur between the monthly offerings for the General Fund and the disbursements we make each month for the commitments we have made to our missionaries.
OUR CURRENT OFFERING TOTAL IS $64,600.57. That includes the latest offering given in March which appears in this month’s Offering Report.
WE ARE PRAYING, HOPING, AND APPEALING FOR $175,000, which was what we projected we would need over 2008 to supply the increased commitments we assumed by approving support for two additional missionary families. ALSO, we have committed to covering the expenses for Language School and shipping the container with their personal and ministry effects to Kenya. Those two expenses alone were more than $20,000.
Your offerings will bear the fruit of many more believers, disciples, and churches being established through the ministries of all our missionaries.
WE NEED YOUR INCREASED OFFERINGS TO THE MONTHLY GENERAL FUND MORE THAN WE HAVE EVER NEEDED THEM BEFORE! Please increase your personal monthly offering to the BFM General Fund – and also remember that THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING IS STILL OPEN!
GIVING FRIENDS! “MAY YOUR TRIBE INCREASE!”
A Giving Friend called me last October, responding to an article I had written in the September Mission Sheets entitled ‘MISSIONS ALERT! WHAT’S A MISSIONARY WORTH?’ In that article, I was emphasizing the needs we were going to face in the upcoming year due to assuming support for two more missionary families.
This Giving Friend asked, “Do I correctly assume from that appeal that the greatest need Baptist Faith Missions faces right now is increased offerings to the General Fund?” I replied, “Yes, that’s correct.” To which this generous Giving Friend said, “Then I am going to start giving a monthly offering to the General Fund to help supply the monthly needs of our missionaries.” THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
A fellow pastor called me at the end of last year and said, “We are planning our church budget for 2008, and we want to begin supporting the General Fund of Baptist Faith Missions. We can’t do a whole lot right now, but we want to make a beginning.” They have begun that monthly support for the General Fund. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
Another fellow pastor called me not too long after that and said, “Our church has voted to increase our monthly offerings to the General Fund to help us supply the on-going needs of our missionaries.” They have begun that increased monthly support. THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
And THANK YOU, ALL YOU GIVING FRIENDS WHO HAVE MET OUR MISSIONARIES’ MONTHLY NEEDS ALL ALONG. We don’t take you for granted. Your offerings not only supply the commitments we have made to our missionaries, but YOUR GIVING ALSO INCREASES AND MULTIPLIES MANY THANKSGIVINGS TO GOD! We bless God for the Grace He gives you to give – and our missionaries thank God for your generosity, too.
-___________________-
THANKSGIVING OFFERING UPDATE
I have told you all along that I would keep you updated on the progress of our Thanksgiving Offering. As you know, the Thanksgiving Offering goes toward offsetting the monthly deficits we incur between the monthly offerings for the General Fund and the disbursements we make each month for the commitments we have made to our missionaries.
OUR CURRENT OFFERING TOTAL IS $64,600.57. That includes the latest offering given in March which appears in this month’s Offering Report.
WE ARE PRAYING, HOPING, AND APPEALING FOR $175,000, which was what we projected we would need over 2008 to supply the increased commitments we assumed by approving support for two additional missionary families. ALSO, we have committed to covering the expenses for Language School and shipping the container with their personal and ministry effects to Kenya. Those two expenses alone were more than $20,000.
Your offerings will bear the fruit of many more believers, disciples, and churches being established through the ministries of all our missionaries.
WE NEED YOUR INCREASED OFFERINGS TO THE MONTHLY GENERAL FUND MORE THAN WE HAVE EVER NEEDED THEM BEFORE! Please increase your personal monthly offering to the BFM General Fund – and also remember that THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING IS STILL OPEN!
Friday, May 9, 2008
2008 SPRING CONFERENCE REPORT
I WISH YOU ALL HAD BEEN HERE – at our Spring Missions Conference in April.
It was such an encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting series of services.
The word that kept coming to my mind to describe the experience of the whole Conference event was “exhilarating’. More than one Conference participant said to me: “this Conference has been LIKE A REVIVAL!” – and I truly believe it was.
Each of our preachers delivered a powerful message from God’s Word. The Holy Spirit used the Word to challenge each of our hearts to give ourselves to the mutual ‘Partnership in the Gospel’ God has given us to answer the call to the Harvest – and meet our missionaries’ needs.
CONFERENCE OFFERING
I had announced before the Conference that we would be giving offerings during the Conference to help meet the present financial need we are facing with our General Fund. But, God blew my mind with the response He had prepared in the hearts of the Giving Friends who attended.
WE GAVE A TOTAL OFFERING OF OVER $7,000.00 DURING THE CONFERENCE SERVICES.
I think it is significant that THIS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND! [see the appeal I have presented in the URGENT APPEAL FOR A PRESSING NEED article on this blog site.]
I think the Lord is telling us HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK HIM! And that HE IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD US...SO THAT WE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK! [See 2 Corinthians 9.8]. That offering is reported in the May 2008 issue of the Mission Sheets.
One church brought an offering of $1000.00. Some Giving Friends gave offerings of $500.00. Other churches and Giving Friends gave many offerings of other amounts as God enabled them. EACH OFFERING IS IMPORTANT.
But, here is what God demonstrated to us just in this one offering: GOD WILL...AND CAN...MEET OUR NEEDS BY THE GRACE HE GIVES US IF EACH OF US IS WILLING TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT AND FOLLOW THROUGH TO GIVE A PORTION TOWARD MEETING THE WHOLE NEED!
God can do it! And, by His Grace, we can do what He inspires and enables us to do.
PERSONAL COMMITMENTS FROM 'GIVING FRIENDS'
Many of us left from the Conference expressing our own personal commitments TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY PERSONAL GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND!
Testimonies were offered during the Conference services.
Others have written or called since the Conference to report that they are increasing their personal offerings or their church’s offerings to the General Fund.
WILL YOU JOIN US IN THIS MUTUAL PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL?
Grace to you – each and every one!
It was such an encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting series of services.
The word that kept coming to my mind to describe the experience of the whole Conference event was “exhilarating’. More than one Conference participant said to me: “this Conference has been LIKE A REVIVAL!” – and I truly believe it was.
Each of our preachers delivered a powerful message from God’s Word. The Holy Spirit used the Word to challenge each of our hearts to give ourselves to the mutual ‘Partnership in the Gospel’ God has given us to answer the call to the Harvest – and meet our missionaries’ needs.
CONFERENCE OFFERING
I had announced before the Conference that we would be giving offerings during the Conference to help meet the present financial need we are facing with our General Fund. But, God blew my mind with the response He had prepared in the hearts of the Giving Friends who attended.
WE GAVE A TOTAL OFFERING OF OVER $7,000.00 DURING THE CONFERENCE SERVICES.
I think it is significant that THIS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND! [see the appeal I have presented in the URGENT APPEAL FOR A PRESSING NEED article on this blog site.]
I think the Lord is telling us HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK HIM! And that HE IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD US...SO THAT WE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK! [See 2 Corinthians 9.8]. That offering is reported in the May 2008 issue of the Mission Sheets.
One church brought an offering of $1000.00. Some Giving Friends gave offerings of $500.00. Other churches and Giving Friends gave many offerings of other amounts as God enabled them. EACH OFFERING IS IMPORTANT.
But, here is what God demonstrated to us just in this one offering: GOD WILL...AND CAN...MEET OUR NEEDS BY THE GRACE HE GIVES US IF EACH OF US IS WILLING TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT AND FOLLOW THROUGH TO GIVE A PORTION TOWARD MEETING THE WHOLE NEED!
God can do it! And, by His Grace, we can do what He inspires and enables us to do.
PERSONAL COMMITMENTS FROM 'GIVING FRIENDS'
Many of us left from the Conference expressing our own personal commitments TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY PERSONAL GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND!
Testimonies were offered during the Conference services.
Others have written or called since the Conference to report that they are increasing their personal offerings or their church’s offerings to the General Fund.
WILL YOU JOIN US IN THIS MUTUAL PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL?
Grace to you – each and every one!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
AN URGENT APPEAL FOR A PRESSING NEED
May, 2008
Dear Giving Friends!
“Now therefore, KNOW and CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO!”
1 Samuel 25.17
I hope you will very carefully read every word of this urgent appeal and ask the Lord of the Harvest what response He wants you to make to help us supply the essential commitments we have made to our missionaries.
This is as urgent an appeal as we have ever made. In fact, THE FUTURE SOLVENCY OF OUR GENERAL FUND DEPENDS UPON OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO THIS NEED!
You have never failed to respond before, and WE BLESS AND THANK GOD FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU ‘GIVING FRIENDS’! – and I trust God you will respond this time also with a long-term commitment toward our missionaries’ ministries.
"WE WISH YOU HAD TOLD US!"
Over the past recent years, we have encountered similar short-term deficiencies, and some of the missionaries’ expense accounts have necessarily been reduced for a month or two. When this became known, some of you said: “We wish you had told us. We didn’t know. We want our missionaries’ financial needs met.” I know you want to know. So, I want to be straight-up and out-front with where we are...and what we all need to do together...to get to where we need to be.
Here is the bottom line of our present need and our appeal:
THERE IS NO BOTTOM LINE!
That is, with respect to remaining funds in our General Fund.
WHAT IS THE BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS GENERAL FUND?
Let me reiterate what the Baptist Faith Missions GENERAL FUND is...and why it is so critically essential for supplying our missionaries’ daily needs. [I know that many of you have known this for years – but we are constantly communicating with new Giving Friends who may not share this common knowledge with us. So, if this is ‘old hat’ to you, please bear with me as I converse with our newer Giving Friends.]
Missionaries who are supported through offerings given through Baptist Faith Missions do not go on deputation before going to their fields of service. We do not criticize those who choose to raise their own support through deputation. But, we believe that if the Holy Spirit calls a missionary to service...and if a church commissions and sends that missionary to do “essential church-planting missions in the nations of the world”, [which is what we believe is ‘essential Great Commission missions’] then that missionary should not be expected or required to spend 2-3 years of time, energy, and personal resources to travel and solicit his own support. That time is better spent in immediate ministry on the field of service to which the Holy Spirit is calling them.
So, Baptist Faith Missions facilitates the missionaries’ directly going to their fields of service.
The Directors of Baptist Faith Missions assume the responsibility of promoting, facilitating, and administering their financial support from the churches through some essential basic commitments.
THESE COMMITMENTS ARE SUPPLIED BY YOUR OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHAT ESSENTIAL COMMITMENTS DO OUR MISSIONARIES RECEIVE?
Here are the basic, essential, monthly standard commitments we provide for our missionaries from the General Fund. I will list them for you and provide also the monthly disbursements we make so you can see why we have the need we have.
SALARY: each missionary receives a modest salary of $1,717.00 per month. Their salary goes as far as they can stretch it to provide for their family’s essential personal living needs. The total monthly disbursement for salaries is: $24,038.00.
HOUSING ALLOWANCE: the standard monthly housing allowance is $250.00. This goes as far as it can toward housing rental or purchase plus utilities and everything else related to housing needs. The total monthly disbursement for housing allowances is: $3,750.00.
MINISTRY EXPENSES ALLOWANCE: this goes toward the many expenses they incur to provide essential supplies and materials they need to conduct their ministries. The total monthly disbursement for these ministry allowances is: $8,700.00.
HOSPITALIZATION PREMIUMS: we also provide for their hospitalization insurance premiums. The current total disbursement for monthly premiums is: $7,371.70 – and I received notice just this week that beginning in June, the monthly premiums are going to increase by at least another 15-20%. That will increase the total monthly premiums to approximately $8,900.00.
MISSION SHEETS: we provide our missionaries with a collective newsletter to save them the expense of their own personal correspondence. The total monthly expense for printing and mailing the Mission Sheets is approximately $2,300.00 per month.
ARE YOU STILL ADDING?
All of the above STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS AND SERVICES ALREADY TOTAL $47,688.00!
These are what you would call in business: “hard costs” or “overhead” or simply, “the cost of doing business” – except that, in this case, WE ARE DOING THE BUSINESS OF “Great Commission MISSIONS”! This is THE HARVEST Jesus Christ commands us all to bring in.
These commitments provide our missionaries’ essential living expenses. They “keep them on the field”...and “keep the lights on” for their daily ministries.
THERE ARE OTHER COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONAIRES: such as furlough transportation expenses when they are due for a Stateside furlough; we also commit to give each missionary an $8,000.00 automobile allowance every four years to help provide for their transportation needs on the field. THESE BENEFITS ALSO COME FROM OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND. If funds are not available, we are not able to meet these commitments.
In summary, WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT WE CAN TO FREE OUR MISSIONARIES FROM HAVING TO RAISE THEIR OWN FUNDS FOR THE ESSENTIAL ‘BOTTOM-LINE’ NEEDS THEY HAVE JUST TO STAY ON THE FIELD. All of these standard essential commitments are supplied from THE GENERAL FUND.
WE BELIEVE YOU WANT YOUR MISSIONARIES TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND PROVIDED FOR – not just adequately - but AS AMPLY AS WE ARE ABLE! All our missionaries serve on “shoestring budgets”. And without increased General Fund offerings, we have no resources to increase our financial commitments to them.
TWO NEW MISSIONARY FAMILIES IN 2007
We were running close already – but we sensed the need during 2007 to commit support for two more missionary families TO INCREASE CHURCH-PLANTING MISSIONS IN BRASIL AND KENYA. Those missionaries are already in service and hold great prospect to significantly increase the impact of the Gospel through their ministries.
WE MADE THESE COMMITMENTS BY FAITH, BELIEVING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS SENDING THEM TO THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS...and that we should assume the responsibility of committing to their support.
HERE IS WHERE WE ARE...After only the first quarter of 2008,
OUR GENERAL FUND RESOURCES ARE ‘ZEROED OUT’.
This includes also having already disbursed the Thanksgiving Offering we received since last November. But, the monthly-deficit problem is systemic. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE INCREASED ESSENTIAL COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONARIES – and also the continually rising costs of providing those same essential commitments.
THIS IS WHAT WE MUST DO:
1 - WE MUST CHANGE OUR CULTURE OF THINKING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GENERAL FUND AND THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
From the beginning, our Thanksgiving Offering has been given to supply the monthly deficits we incur between the General Fund offerings and the General Fund disbursements. It has been that way for over 60 years. And, we have been content to continue that practice.
WE MUST BEGIN MAKING THE GENERAL FUND SOLVENT FROM MONTH TO MONTH – especially with regards to our STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS AND SERVICES FOR OUR MISSIONARIES SUPPLIED FROM THE GENERAL FUND. If we do that, then we can use the Thanksgiving Offering to meet those commitments we have made to our missionaries which are not disbursed every month, but rather at other irregular times during the year.
BUT, WE MUST BEGIN THIS MONTH TO SET THE GOAL OF MEETING OUR STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND WITH OUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS GIVEN TO THE GENERAL FUND.
2 - THIS MEANS WE MUST INCREASE OUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND BY AT LEAST $7,000.00 IMMEDIATELY... BEGINNING THIS MONTH.
And, this must become our consistent practice and ‘modus operandi’ going forward. This immediate response will at least bring us up to maintaining the status quo for our current General Fund monthly income/disbursement balance.
At the present time, when we compare our total General Fund giving in an average month with our standard General Fund disbursements, the average monthly deficit is around $7,000.00.
SPRING MISSIONS CONFERENCE OFFERING
I WISH YOU ALL HAD BEEN HERE – at our Spring Missions Conference in April. It was such an encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting series of services. Each of our preachers delivered a powerful message from God’s Word. The Holy Spirit used the Word to challenge each of our hearts to give ourselves to the mutual ‘Partnership in the Gospel’ God has given us to answer the call to the Harvest – and meet our missionaries’ needs.
I had announced before the Conference that we would be giving offerings during the Conference to help meet this present financial need. But, God blew my mind with the response He had prepared in the hearts of the Giving Friends who attended. WE GAVE A TOTAL OFFERING OF OVER $7,000.00 DURING THE CONFERENCE SERVICES. I think it is significant that THIS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND!
I think the Lord is telling us HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK HIM! And that HE IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD US...SO THAT WE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK! [See 2 Corinthians 9.8]. That offering is reported in this issue of the Mission Sheets [ May 2008 ].
EACH OF US MUST MAKE A COMMITMENT
Each one of us needs to assume a part in meeting this present and on-going need. And, if each one of us assumes his/her role, then the need can be effectively supplied without an undue burden on any one Giving Friend. “For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened.” [see 2 Corinthians 8.13].
“NOW THEREFORE, KNOW AND CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO...”
1 Samuel 25.17
HERE IS SOMETHING EACH OF US CAN DO:
1 IF YOU ARE NOT GIVING A PERSONAL OFFERING TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND, WILL YOU BEGIN TO DO SO? Each of us should be personally involved in missions giving, and in this case, YOUR PERSONAL MISSIONARY FRIENDS NEED YOU...AND DEPEND ON YOU. Can you give $1 a day to help finance the essential ministry needs of your missionaries? Will you begin by committing to give a personal offering of $30 per month to the General Fund offering?
If your church gives monthly offerings to the BFM General Fund, you can give it through your church’s offerings and ask your church treasurer to add your personal offering to the church’s monthly offering. Or, you can give it directly by sending it to our Treasurer, Pastor George Sledd / P. O. Box 471280 / Lake Monroe FL 32747-1280
2 IF YOU ARE ALREADY GIVING PERSONAL MONTHLY OFFERINGS TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND, CAN YOU INCREASE IT AS THE LORD ENABLES YOU? Can you increase your current offering by another 25%...or more? We bless God and thank each of you who has given over all these years so we could do what all we have done. BFM IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE GRACE, GENEROSITY, AND FAITHFUL-NESS OF ALL OUR GIVING FRIENDS. God has blessed you – and will bless you – for your expressions of love and obedience to the Gospel.
3 IF YOUR CHURCH GIVES OFFERINGS TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND FROM YOUR CHURCH’S TREASURY, WILL YOU INCREASE IT? Keep in mind that each $1 given to the BFM General Fund is divided up 14 ways [that’s the number of missionary families we support], and so each missionary receives 7cents’ benefit from every $1 contributed.
Every time the Lord leads us into a crisis, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. We are confronted right now with an awesome OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH.
When the Lord Jesus purposed to feed the 5,000 hungry people through the ministry of His followers, He tested them with a CRISIS...AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH. He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” [ see John 6.5-6 ]. Philip and the other disciples were at a loss how to meet this need. “But this He said to test him, FOR HE HIMSELF KNEW WHAT HE WOULD DO.” Jesus Christ knows what He purposes to do.
We are all waiting-and responding-to see what He will do – and how He will do it...through us
“NOW THEREFORE, KNOW AND CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO...”
And let’s every one of us DO IT NOW! THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
Dave Parks, Executive Secretary, Baptist Faith Missions
Dear Giving Friends!
“Now therefore, KNOW and CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO!”
1 Samuel 25.17
I hope you will very carefully read every word of this urgent appeal and ask the Lord of the Harvest what response He wants you to make to help us supply the essential commitments we have made to our missionaries.
This is as urgent an appeal as we have ever made. In fact, THE FUTURE SOLVENCY OF OUR GENERAL FUND DEPENDS UPON OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO THIS NEED!
You have never failed to respond before, and WE BLESS AND THANK GOD FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU ‘GIVING FRIENDS’! – and I trust God you will respond this time also with a long-term commitment toward our missionaries’ ministries.
"WE WISH YOU HAD TOLD US!"
Over the past recent years, we have encountered similar short-term deficiencies, and some of the missionaries’ expense accounts have necessarily been reduced for a month or two. When this became known, some of you said: “We wish you had told us. We didn’t know. We want our missionaries’ financial needs met.” I know you want to know. So, I want to be straight-up and out-front with where we are...and what we all need to do together...to get to where we need to be.
Here is the bottom line of our present need and our appeal:
THERE IS NO BOTTOM LINE!
That is, with respect to remaining funds in our General Fund.
WHAT IS THE BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS GENERAL FUND?
Let me reiterate what the Baptist Faith Missions GENERAL FUND is...and why it is so critically essential for supplying our missionaries’ daily needs. [I know that many of you have known this for years – but we are constantly communicating with new Giving Friends who may not share this common knowledge with us. So, if this is ‘old hat’ to you, please bear with me as I converse with our newer Giving Friends.]
Missionaries who are supported through offerings given through Baptist Faith Missions do not go on deputation before going to their fields of service. We do not criticize those who choose to raise their own support through deputation. But, we believe that if the Holy Spirit calls a missionary to service...and if a church commissions and sends that missionary to do “essential church-planting missions in the nations of the world”, [which is what we believe is ‘essential Great Commission missions’] then that missionary should not be expected or required to spend 2-3 years of time, energy, and personal resources to travel and solicit his own support. That time is better spent in immediate ministry on the field of service to which the Holy Spirit is calling them.
So, Baptist Faith Missions facilitates the missionaries’ directly going to their fields of service.
The Directors of Baptist Faith Missions assume the responsibility of promoting, facilitating, and administering their financial support from the churches through some essential basic commitments.
THESE COMMITMENTS ARE SUPPLIED BY YOUR OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHAT ESSENTIAL COMMITMENTS DO OUR MISSIONARIES RECEIVE?
Here are the basic, essential, monthly standard commitments we provide for our missionaries from the General Fund. I will list them for you and provide also the monthly disbursements we make so you can see why we have the need we have.
SALARY: each missionary receives a modest salary of $1,717.00 per month. Their salary goes as far as they can stretch it to provide for their family’s essential personal living needs. The total monthly disbursement for salaries is: $24,038.00.
HOUSING ALLOWANCE: the standard monthly housing allowance is $250.00. This goes as far as it can toward housing rental or purchase plus utilities and everything else related to housing needs. The total monthly disbursement for housing allowances is: $3,750.00.
MINISTRY EXPENSES ALLOWANCE: this goes toward the many expenses they incur to provide essential supplies and materials they need to conduct their ministries. The total monthly disbursement for these ministry allowances is: $8,700.00.
HOSPITALIZATION PREMIUMS: we also provide for their hospitalization insurance premiums. The current total disbursement for monthly premiums is: $7,371.70 – and I received notice just this week that beginning in June, the monthly premiums are going to increase by at least another 15-20%. That will increase the total monthly premiums to approximately $8,900.00.
MISSION SHEETS: we provide our missionaries with a collective newsletter to save them the expense of their own personal correspondence. The total monthly expense for printing and mailing the Mission Sheets is approximately $2,300.00 per month.
ARE YOU STILL ADDING?
All of the above STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS AND SERVICES ALREADY TOTAL $47,688.00!
These are what you would call in business: “hard costs” or “overhead” or simply, “the cost of doing business” – except that, in this case, WE ARE DOING THE BUSINESS OF “Great Commission MISSIONS”! This is THE HARVEST Jesus Christ commands us all to bring in.
These commitments provide our missionaries’ essential living expenses. They “keep them on the field”...and “keep the lights on” for their daily ministries.
THERE ARE OTHER COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONAIRES: such as furlough transportation expenses when they are due for a Stateside furlough; we also commit to give each missionary an $8,000.00 automobile allowance every four years to help provide for their transportation needs on the field. THESE BENEFITS ALSO COME FROM OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND. If funds are not available, we are not able to meet these commitments.
In summary, WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT WE CAN TO FREE OUR MISSIONARIES FROM HAVING TO RAISE THEIR OWN FUNDS FOR THE ESSENTIAL ‘BOTTOM-LINE’ NEEDS THEY HAVE JUST TO STAY ON THE FIELD. All of these standard essential commitments are supplied from THE GENERAL FUND.
WE BELIEVE YOU WANT YOUR MISSIONARIES TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND PROVIDED FOR – not just adequately - but AS AMPLY AS WE ARE ABLE! All our missionaries serve on “shoestring budgets”. And without increased General Fund offerings, we have no resources to increase our financial commitments to them.
TWO NEW MISSIONARY FAMILIES IN 2007
We were running close already – but we sensed the need during 2007 to commit support for two more missionary families TO INCREASE CHURCH-PLANTING MISSIONS IN BRASIL AND KENYA. Those missionaries are already in service and hold great prospect to significantly increase the impact of the Gospel through their ministries.
WE MADE THESE COMMITMENTS BY FAITH, BELIEVING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS SENDING THEM TO THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS...and that we should assume the responsibility of committing to their support.
HERE IS WHERE WE ARE...After only the first quarter of 2008,
OUR GENERAL FUND RESOURCES ARE ‘ZEROED OUT’.
This includes also having already disbursed the Thanksgiving Offering we received since last November. But, the monthly-deficit problem is systemic. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE INCREASED ESSENTIAL COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR MISSIONARIES – and also the continually rising costs of providing those same essential commitments.
THIS IS WHAT WE MUST DO:
1 - WE MUST CHANGE OUR CULTURE OF THINKING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GENERAL FUND AND THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
From the beginning, our Thanksgiving Offering has been given to supply the monthly deficits we incur between the General Fund offerings and the General Fund disbursements. It has been that way for over 60 years. And, we have been content to continue that practice.
WE MUST BEGIN MAKING THE GENERAL FUND SOLVENT FROM MONTH TO MONTH – especially with regards to our STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS AND SERVICES FOR OUR MISSIONARIES SUPPLIED FROM THE GENERAL FUND. If we do that, then we can use the Thanksgiving Offering to meet those commitments we have made to our missionaries which are not disbursed every month, but rather at other irregular times during the year.
BUT, WE MUST BEGIN THIS MONTH TO SET THE GOAL OF MEETING OUR STANDARD MONTHLY COMMITMENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND WITH OUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS GIVEN TO THE GENERAL FUND.
2 - THIS MEANS WE MUST INCREASE OUR MONTHLY OFFERINGS TO THE GENERAL FUND BY AT LEAST $7,000.00 IMMEDIATELY... BEGINNING THIS MONTH.
And, this must become our consistent practice and ‘modus operandi’ going forward. This immediate response will at least bring us up to maintaining the status quo for our current General Fund monthly income/disbursement balance.
At the present time, when we compare our total General Fund giving in an average month with our standard General Fund disbursements, the average monthly deficit is around $7,000.00.
SPRING MISSIONS CONFERENCE OFFERING
I WISH YOU ALL HAD BEEN HERE – at our Spring Missions Conference in April. It was such an encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting series of services. Each of our preachers delivered a powerful message from God’s Word. The Holy Spirit used the Word to challenge each of our hearts to give ourselves to the mutual ‘Partnership in the Gospel’ God has given us to answer the call to the Harvest – and meet our missionaries’ needs.
I had announced before the Conference that we would be giving offerings during the Conference to help meet this present financial need. But, God blew my mind with the response He had prepared in the hearts of the Giving Friends who attended. WE GAVE A TOTAL OFFERING OF OVER $7,000.00 DURING THE CONFERENCE SERVICES. I think it is significant that THIS IS EXACTLY THE AMOUNT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR MONTHLY GIVING TO THE GENERAL FUND!
I think the Lord is telling us HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK HIM! And that HE IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD US...SO THAT WE, ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK! [See 2 Corinthians 9.8]. That offering is reported in this issue of the Mission Sheets [ May 2008 ].
EACH OF US MUST MAKE A COMMITMENT
Each one of us needs to assume a part in meeting this present and on-going need. And, if each one of us assumes his/her role, then the need can be effectively supplied without an undue burden on any one Giving Friend. “For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened.” [see 2 Corinthians 8.13].
“NOW THEREFORE, KNOW AND CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO...”
1 Samuel 25.17
HERE IS SOMETHING EACH OF US CAN DO:
1 IF YOU ARE NOT GIVING A PERSONAL OFFERING TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND, WILL YOU BEGIN TO DO SO? Each of us should be personally involved in missions giving, and in this case, YOUR PERSONAL MISSIONARY FRIENDS NEED YOU...AND DEPEND ON YOU. Can you give $1 a day to help finance the essential ministry needs of your missionaries? Will you begin by committing to give a personal offering of $30 per month to the General Fund offering?
If your church gives monthly offerings to the BFM General Fund, you can give it through your church’s offerings and ask your church treasurer to add your personal offering to the church’s monthly offering. Or, you can give it directly by sending it to our Treasurer, Pastor George Sledd / P. O. Box 471280 / Lake Monroe FL 32747-1280
2 IF YOU ARE ALREADY GIVING PERSONAL MONTHLY OFFERINGS TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND, CAN YOU INCREASE IT AS THE LORD ENABLES YOU? Can you increase your current offering by another 25%...or more? We bless God and thank each of you who has given over all these years so we could do what all we have done. BFM IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE GRACE, GENEROSITY, AND FAITHFUL-NESS OF ALL OUR GIVING FRIENDS. God has blessed you – and will bless you – for your expressions of love and obedience to the Gospel.
3 IF YOUR CHURCH GIVES OFFERINGS TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND FROM YOUR CHURCH’S TREASURY, WILL YOU INCREASE IT? Keep in mind that each $1 given to the BFM General Fund is divided up 14 ways [that’s the number of missionary families we support], and so each missionary receives 7cents’ benefit from every $1 contributed.
Every time the Lord leads us into a crisis, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. We are confronted right now with an awesome OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH.
When the Lord Jesus purposed to feed the 5,000 hungry people through the ministry of His followers, He tested them with a CRISIS...AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH. He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” [ see John 6.5-6 ]. Philip and the other disciples were at a loss how to meet this need. “But this He said to test him, FOR HE HIMSELF KNEW WHAT HE WOULD DO.” Jesus Christ knows what He purposes to do.
We are all waiting-and responding-to see what He will do – and how He will do it...through us
“NOW THEREFORE, KNOW AND CONSIDER WHAT YOU WILL DO...”
And let’s every one of us DO IT NOW! THANK YOU, GIVING FRIENDS!
Dave Parks, Executive Secretary, Baptist Faith Missions
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