One main objection to actually doing mission work is whether the sponsoring church can afford to support the missionary. This deters many churches from sponsoring, while others are content to sponsor a missionary without contibuting to his support. Both of those approaches are wrong. A church ought to be willing to sponsor a missionary, and should contribute to that missionary's support.
Of course, supporting a missionary's financial need is a daunting task. There is his salary, money for materials so he can send out reports (paper, ink, envelopes and stamps), facilities for worship, money for incidental expenses, and you'll want to have a promotional budget as well (I know Paul didn't have a promotional budget, he didn't have a radio ministry either, but both are great tools to communicate God's message to the masses.) The sponsoring church should be willing to contribute to these needs, but few sponsoring churches have the finances to provide for all these needs (afterall, the sponsoring church also needs to pay its bills and keep the lights turned on). So, (to quote a famous philospoher) what to do about what to do?
This is where the association can step in and assist the sponsoring church. The Texas state association and the ABA have mission funds designed to assist in the payment of missionary salaries, freeing up other support to be used to aid the new mission.
The courtesy is, however, if you plan on asking the association for assistance, to support the mission efforts of the association. If you think your church may ever sponsor a missionary, the best plan is to begin the support of associational missions today. It's not required, and you'll likely never be asked how much you support state/interstate/foreign missions, but supporting the very associations you ask assistance from is a mark of integrity.
If you feel that God wants your church to request support from the ABA, or the Texas state association for your missionary, the best course of action is to contact the secretary-treasurer of that association (ABA is Randy Cloud, Texas state is Marion Reed. They are in the book). I have spoken with both men, and can tell you that both will be extremely helpful in helping you pray about mission support, and both will be happy to guide you through the process of requesting support from the association. They are your friends.
Some things to note about mission support:
1. In both associations, missionaries who request full-salary are required to be full-time missionaries and thus should carry no secular employment.
2. In both associations (ABA and Texas state), sponsoring churches of missionaries who request full-salary are required to contribute 20 percent of that missionary's salary. Basically, if the full salary is 3,000, the association will pay $2,400, while the sponsoring church is to come up with the remaining $600 (which can either be mailed directly to the missionary, or to the association. The secretary treasurers would prefer it be mailed through the association for accountability purposes. I prefer it be sent directly to the missionary (reduces steps in getting the funds to the field, but I'm okay with sending it through the association).
When most churches see that $600 (or whatever 20% is, it is actually closer to $800 in Texas), they immediately think "we can't afford that!" That's not true. The association (both ABA and Texas state) allows sponsoring churches to collect money from supporting churches to help raise that $600/month. So, the sponsoring church could contribute $150, and have three or four other churches contribute $450. There you have your 20%. These funds can easily be raised on deputation. Seriously, if a missionary can't raise $600-$800/month on deputation, then either God is not calling him to this work, or God wants him to work without support. I recommend support from sister churches send their part of the support to the sponsoring church, who will then meet the obligation to the association.
3. In Texas, if a missionary requests half-salary, the sponsoring church is not required to put up 20%, and the missionary can work a secular job. This is actually highly recommended by some, but there are pros and cons to both full and half-salary. I'll list those at another time.
In the ABA, if a missionary requests half-salary, then the sponsoring church is responsible for 20% of the amount of half-salary, and the missionary can work part time.
4. Both the Texas state and ABA associations have deadlines for requesting mission support, which is usually 60 days prior to the messenger meeting. Do your best to honor this deadline. If you don't, your missionary will likely face additional scrutiny on the floor of the meeting and may be rejected.
5. Associational fund balances are healthy, but heavily burdened. For this reason, it is important for the sponsoring church and missionary to see associational support as being a short-term solution. It's not a long-term salary or a retirement fund. It is financial relief to get missionaries on the field and churches planted. I recommend planning on weening yourself off of associational support within three years.
Questions, complaints, comments? Post them here or email me.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday Mission Fields - Fort Worth, Texas
Despite the presence of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, First Baptist Church (the church pastored by Independent Baptist leader and partial founder J. Frank Norris), and numerous Christian insitutions and entities, Fort Worth is still a city that needs to be reached with the Gospel.
Fort Worth has a population of 720,250 people. If the city holds to the national average of 87% being unchurched, a ripe harvest exists there. The preacher who grew up in a rural area need not worry about Fort Worth being a "big city" as the city prides itself to being a large city with a small town atmosphere (despite the presence of the Texas Motor Speedway and other major attractions.)
Fort Worth's culture is largely tied to its days as a stop on the Chisolm Trail, a trail cattlemen used to drive their herds to market in Kansas. The Fort Worth Stockyards was a place where local merchants could separate the traveling cowboys from their money. Today, the stockyards are a tourist trap, er, attraction where visitors can watch a real cattle drive, see a rodeo, visit a museum, ride a train, and purchase souveniers, goodies, food and beverages. In fact, alcoholic beverages are served at an outdoor bar. It is not uncommon to see tourists consuming beer as they walk down the sidewalk at the stockyards.
Fort Worth is also home to Billy Bob's Texas, a huge dancehall/bar complete with a 4,000 seat concert venue which hosts some of the biggest names in Country Music and an indoor bull-riding arena (where I'm told visitors can give the ride a try.)
The culture and history of the stockyards and Billy Bob's drives much of the mindset of Fort Worth residents, but aside from the tourism aspect of Fort Worth, mission work just makes sense here. It is populous, it is unchurched, it is the fifth largest city in Texas, twice annually more than 125,000 people converge on the city to see the NASCAR races, and it is home to only one ABA church (CrossRoads Mission moved to Crowley.) I tend to gravitate toward economic centers when I research mission fields, hoping that a new church in that particular city would lead to sister churches being planted in the neighboring cities. I believe the same could happen for Fort Worth. Cowtown could very well be the gateway to further evangelism in the DFW Metroplex.
The Missionary Baptist Association of Texas has well supported missionaries to Fort Worth in the past. Bro. W.S. Taylor was the missionary to Fort Worth for more than 11 years, working to plant Cross Roads mission. The exhorbitant cost of land and building construction hampered his efforts to get Cross Roads to become a self-supporting organized church. Any missionary who goes to Fort Worth should be prepared to work without land and buildings for many years (of course, the Lord could still provide those.) There is a large number of apartment complexes in Fort Worth. Perhaps using the tried and proven method of evangelizing those communities (as has been practiced in Houston and Brownwood) could be the key to gathering and organizing a congregation.
Funding is available through the MBA of Texas, or the ABA Interstate Mission Fund. The Central Texas Mission Council (which covers the DFW area) has also been known to support missions very well. Please consider Fort Worth as a viable mission field.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Associations Are Great Support Vehicles for Churches
Over the course of the 20th Century, the American Baptist Association was founded, grew, and and gained strength and momentum as the churches of the Lord came together to fellowship in the Truth and the work of the Lord. The ABA went from being non-existant, to having several hundred churches, and even grew to include a couple of junior colleges, which eventually led to the founding of seminaries in various states. The mission program flourished, and though not as well funded as today's may be, saw many men heading to fields both stateside and foreign to reach people with the Gospel.
The association eventually grew to support Sunday School literature, a publishing house, a bookstore and several state newspapers to keep the brethren abreast of developments in the associated work, as well as strange doctrines and practices that might be creeping into the Lord's churches. Most of these newspapers also included great Bible teaching from the great leaders of the Missionary Baptist movement (B.M Bogard, A.J. Kirkland, I.K. Cross, etc).
The association never was intended to lord over the churches, rather it was subject to them and the votes of their messengers. Associational bodies were to be held accountable for the way funds were used. The split in 1950 had to do with some officials within some of the associated offices trying to cover up a major shortfall in Sunday school funds, whether monies sent to an associational school should be diverted to support a fledgling publication, and whether messengers should be ostracized for raising the questions of the afore mentioned practices and instances. When this came to a head, the association split, and the churches who still believed the association was subject to the churches continued with the American Baptist Association.
The years following the split saw great growth in mission work with many new churches being planted. In Texas, the Missionary Baptist Association was formed and began to implement mission practices and policies that would eventually see a flourishing state missions program. The churches grew in strength and number.
Today, many of those churches are looking back on the good 'ole days. Seminaries are running with near-empty classrooms and bank accounts and the associational spirit seems to be in decline. Some have taken the attitude that they can do things better on their own without involvement in associated work. Less than half of associational churches actually support the association's mission program.
Some have advocated that the association sell the bookstore. Some criticize the Christian education literature (Sunday School) put out by the Sunday School committee.
Others refuse to participate in the association because the association has churches in it that do not do things "the way I do." Others claim the associational mentality has departed from the scriptures. A host church employs an orchestra or a guitar player to perform a special, and suddenly the whole association is judged. Members of a certain church applaud a sermon, speech or special, and suddenly the association is accused of leaning charismatic. Others refuse to fellowship due to the wide array of views held in the association.
Labeling the American Baptist Association as departing from the truth is slanderous to the many churches of the association who are holding true to the scriptures and carrying out the work of the Lord. Accusations that association-supported missionaries are not doing the work of the Lord and are just living off the easy associational money is libelous to the many men who have dedicated their lives to the Lord's work.
The beauty of the American Baptist Association is that participation is on a voluntary basis. I like that. I am not saying that it is sinful to not participate. What I am saying is that participation in the association is beneficial for all involved.
More churches supporting the missions program means more funding for missions which means more missionaries can be fully funded on the field. More churches supporting the publishing house through the purchase of literature means more funding for the literature which means a higher quality of literature can be produced.
More churches attending associational meetings (ABA National, state, ABA Mission Pre-Associational, Baptist Sunday School Committee, etc) means the association becomes more accountable to the churches. It is through these meetings that the associational mission and educational efforts are steered.
More churches using associational literature can improve Christian education and discipleship in the churches using the literature. Sure, you can have good Sunday School without it. Literature, however, is a great aid to teachers who have not had the benefit of seminary education. It's a great tool that helps get more church members involved and helps the pastor be able to accomplish more by employing more teachers.
More associational support for seminaries will help produce better educated pastors and teachers. Don't tell me that these seminaries are educating men away from God's truth. That is a slanderous false accusation aimed at good men who have committed their lives to God's word. The support for seminaries goes beyond financial support. It means believing in what they are doing and encouraging young or new preachers who are entering the ministry to seek seminary education. It means supporting those students in seminary so that their families do not fall apart on account of poverty while they are being trained for ministry.
The American Baptist Association is an association of great churches who have an incalculable potential for the Kingdom of God. When I look out on the association, I see more than 300 churches in the Texas state work and 1,200 churches in the national work who are led by good men of God, who are sacrificing more than we'll ever know for the ministry of the Gospel. These men are discipling people who will in turn do things for God and others that we will never see. These churches are highly capable of associating and kicking the work of the Lord into high gear. I love the churches of the ABA, and the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas and feel blessed to be a part of this group. There is no better association of true churches in the world, in my opinion. (That's not to denegrate other Baptist associations, I just really love my associations.)
Now I understand that there are some looney liberals in our ranks, as well as some jerks. I don't care. I love this association, and would like to see more churches participate in our fellowship. Back when I was a kid, my grandparents had peach trees. We'd go out and harvest the peaches, and come back with about three or four bushels. (It wasn't really what I'd call an orchard.) Still, we'd pick the peaches. Usually, we'd find a worm in a few peaches. Those few worms did not stop us from picking and consuming peaches. Neither will a few liberals, modernists or jerks stop me from enjoying the fellowship of our association.
Currently, we have 1,200 churches in our association (an estimated number). If we come together in truth and begin truly supporting our associated work, ministries and Sunday school programs, I believe we can see our churches once again on the march, increasing both in number and strength. We'll see men surrender to the ministry and lead the Lord's churches. The number of pastorless churches will decline, and new mission works will open up as more men surrender to these ministries. The good ole days aren't behind us. They are still ahead. God Kingdom is not in decline, it has yet to be established on earth. Good things are ahead, let's move forward!
The association eventually grew to support Sunday School literature, a publishing house, a bookstore and several state newspapers to keep the brethren abreast of developments in the associated work, as well as strange doctrines and practices that might be creeping into the Lord's churches. Most of these newspapers also included great Bible teaching from the great leaders of the Missionary Baptist movement (B.M Bogard, A.J. Kirkland, I.K. Cross, etc).
The association never was intended to lord over the churches, rather it was subject to them and the votes of their messengers. Associational bodies were to be held accountable for the way funds were used. The split in 1950 had to do with some officials within some of the associated offices trying to cover up a major shortfall in Sunday school funds, whether monies sent to an associational school should be diverted to support a fledgling publication, and whether messengers should be ostracized for raising the questions of the afore mentioned practices and instances. When this came to a head, the association split, and the churches who still believed the association was subject to the churches continued with the American Baptist Association.
The years following the split saw great growth in mission work with many new churches being planted. In Texas, the Missionary Baptist Association was formed and began to implement mission practices and policies that would eventually see a flourishing state missions program. The churches grew in strength and number.
Today, many of those churches are looking back on the good 'ole days. Seminaries are running with near-empty classrooms and bank accounts and the associational spirit seems to be in decline. Some have taken the attitude that they can do things better on their own without involvement in associated work. Less than half of associational churches actually support the association's mission program.
Some have advocated that the association sell the bookstore. Some criticize the Christian education literature (Sunday School) put out by the Sunday School committee.
Others refuse to participate in the association because the association has churches in it that do not do things "the way I do." Others claim the associational mentality has departed from the scriptures. A host church employs an orchestra or a guitar player to perform a special, and suddenly the whole association is judged. Members of a certain church applaud a sermon, speech or special, and suddenly the association is accused of leaning charismatic. Others refuse to fellowship due to the wide array of views held in the association.
Labeling the American Baptist Association as departing from the truth is slanderous to the many churches of the association who are holding true to the scriptures and carrying out the work of the Lord. Accusations that association-supported missionaries are not doing the work of the Lord and are just living off the easy associational money is libelous to the many men who have dedicated their lives to the Lord's work.
The beauty of the American Baptist Association is that participation is on a voluntary basis. I like that. I am not saying that it is sinful to not participate. What I am saying is that participation in the association is beneficial for all involved.
More churches supporting the missions program means more funding for missions which means more missionaries can be fully funded on the field. More churches supporting the publishing house through the purchase of literature means more funding for the literature which means a higher quality of literature can be produced.
More churches attending associational meetings (ABA National, state, ABA Mission Pre-Associational, Baptist Sunday School Committee, etc) means the association becomes more accountable to the churches. It is through these meetings that the associational mission and educational efforts are steered.
More churches using associational literature can improve Christian education and discipleship in the churches using the literature. Sure, you can have good Sunday School without it. Literature, however, is a great aid to teachers who have not had the benefit of seminary education. It's a great tool that helps get more church members involved and helps the pastor be able to accomplish more by employing more teachers.
More associational support for seminaries will help produce better educated pastors and teachers. Don't tell me that these seminaries are educating men away from God's truth. That is a slanderous false accusation aimed at good men who have committed their lives to God's word. The support for seminaries goes beyond financial support. It means believing in what they are doing and encouraging young or new preachers who are entering the ministry to seek seminary education. It means supporting those students in seminary so that their families do not fall apart on account of poverty while they are being trained for ministry.
The American Baptist Association is an association of great churches who have an incalculable potential for the Kingdom of God. When I look out on the association, I see more than 300 churches in the Texas state work and 1,200 churches in the national work who are led by good men of God, who are sacrificing more than we'll ever know for the ministry of the Gospel. These men are discipling people who will in turn do things for God and others that we will never see. These churches are highly capable of associating and kicking the work of the Lord into high gear. I love the churches of the ABA, and the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas and feel blessed to be a part of this group. There is no better association of true churches in the world, in my opinion. (That's not to denegrate other Baptist associations, I just really love my associations.)
Now I understand that there are some looney liberals in our ranks, as well as some jerks. I don't care. I love this association, and would like to see more churches participate in our fellowship. Back when I was a kid, my grandparents had peach trees. We'd go out and harvest the peaches, and come back with about three or four bushels. (It wasn't really what I'd call an orchard.) Still, we'd pick the peaches. Usually, we'd find a worm in a few peaches. Those few worms did not stop us from picking and consuming peaches. Neither will a few liberals, modernists or jerks stop me from enjoying the fellowship of our association.
Currently, we have 1,200 churches in our association (an estimated number). If we come together in truth and begin truly supporting our associated work, ministries and Sunday school programs, I believe we can see our churches once again on the march, increasing both in number and strength. We'll see men surrender to the ministry and lead the Lord's churches. The number of pastorless churches will decline, and new mission works will open up as more men surrender to these ministries. The good ole days aren't behind us. They are still ahead. God Kingdom is not in decline, it has yet to be established on earth. Good things are ahead, let's move forward!
Brad Paisley Arrest Video Posted on YouTube
I reported in his arrest back in October when it happened. Nice to see this video (as well as every other video ever shot) making it on YouTube. What's better is to see Brad's sense of humor!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
How-to Thursday - Deputation
There are a lot of questions surrounding deputation of which a new missionary is likely to get a lot of answers. The following are my views on deputation. While I don't claim to be an expert on deputation procedures, I will say that Mission: Brownwood benefitted well from deputation.
1. Do deputation- There is a growing mindset that missionaries shouldn't do deputation because Paul didn't do deputation. "You should just step out on faith and know God will provide," they say. God will provide, and your needs will be met, but there's more to deputation than just fundraising.
I found deputation to be very encouraging toward me, my family and my work. It was very encouraging to be able to share my burden and calling with sister churches, and have them tell me they were praying for me. Some even told me that they felt the Lord's presence assuring them that the Brownwood work would be successful. I can not tell you how encouraging it is to hear preachers tell you that they know in their hearts God will bless your work. To this day, those words keep me going. It was encouraging to my wife to know that so many are behind us. It was encouraging to my children, as traveling on SOME deputation appointments gave them the sense of how important this work is.
I also think deputation is encouraging to the churches you visit. It is encouraging to know that men are answering the call and going to new fields to start new work. In a day when the Lord's churches are becoming more isolated, it is easy to become discourged, thinking that nothing's happening and the church is becoming one of the last true churches. Churches can be encouraged by deputation, being brought into close fellowship with God's people and being encouraged that the work of the Lord presses on. I say this, having been a pastor. I felt encouraged by the missionaries who visited us. I don't know if I personally was encouraging to the churches I visited, but I do know that missionaries do encourage churches.
As for fundraising, I think it could be shown through statistical studies that deputation is one of the most effective ways of raising support for a missionary. Sending letters will net some response, as will speaking at associational events. Having a sponsoring church or pastor promote you is helpful as well, but churches who get to meet the missionary tend to be more motivated toward supporting him.
2. Go, even if they don't have the money. While on deputation, occasionally a pastor will give a disclaimer prior to your accepting his invitation that his church is struggling financially and probably will not be able to become a monthly supporter. This pastor is doing this as a courtesy to you, because he understands how valuable your deputation time is. I say, this pastor and his church are worth your time even if they don't have money.
I remember being pastor of Denson Springs. I would have done anything to see Denson Springs be as mission-minded in their giving as they were years before I got there. I also wanted to see them become missional (being actively involved in mission work, especially on the associational level). The problem was our funds were low, and Denson Springs had enjoyed very few visits from missionaries in the recent years. Most that they had been supporting hadn't even been sending them reports (that's a topic I will address in a future issue.) So, I gave the "We have no money" disclaimer several times. I am thankful for missionaries like Phil Gavila and B.R. Singh, who took the time to visit our church knowing that we were broke. Bro. Singh especially was good for the fellowship. He really opened the church's eyes toward foreign missions. Bro. Gavila encouraged the church toward local evangelism and preached on the dangers of false professions. He encouraged us to stay true to the scriptures. There were others, but these two are in the forefront of my mind.
Later, we held a state mission rally, which was attended by several of the state salaried missionaries. They gave great reports, and the church went on to become a supporter of state missions. Without the encouragement of these missionaries, I would have had a harder time encouraging the church to support missions, even though we could barely cover our expenses.
Today, Denson Springs not only supports most, if not all, phases of missions, they are a strong supporter of Mission Brownwood as well. All that happened after I left.
3. Be willing to pay your own deputation expenses. Most churches you speak at will offer you an honorarium or love offering for coming out to speak to them. Go ahead and use those funds to pay for your travel expenses. However, do try to avoid burdening your sponsoring church and mission fund on deputation travel expenses. You'll need that money when you get to the field. It is important to remember that wells run dry. Where do you want your finances spent... on the field getting the work going? Or at the Northcentral Expressway Raddisson?
This may mean keeping your secular job while traveling all night over the weekend to do deputation. I did it. It can be done. It's one of those sacrifices we make.
On the other hand, yoru situation may require that your sponsoring church or mission fund pick up the tab for your deputation time. I'm not saying it's a sin to live on mission funds while on deputation... I'm just saying it's best in the long run if you can avoid it.
4. Use common sense with the family. Deputation trips can be long and stressful. The conditions of travel can upend even the most well behaved kids. Having children act up on a visit can torpedo any chance that the church you visited will become a supporter.
When I was on deputation, I got someone to watch our kids most of the time while my wife and I traveled together. There were visits where I took the kids, but those were on visits where (a) I knew the church and the people, (b) There were local attractions that I thought would be good for the kids or (c) if I felt led to take them. An example of scenario (a) would be when I took the kids to Mt. Herman in Center. They knew my kids and had seen them at their worst. (The church bought them Christmas gifts back in 2004, and some of the members had even encouraged the kids to play with them in the afternoon service. Good people, good fun, nerve racking on a 1st year TBI student.) The second visit was a lot more orderly, but still, they knew the kids and enjoyed the time with them. We also took them to White Rock, if I'm not mistaken. Scenario (b) would be the time we took the kids to San Antonio to see the Alamo and Riverwalk after visiting with Landmark MBC in Floresville. However, we abstained from taking the kids on most of our trips to West Texas, as 8 hours in the car would do more harm than good. Most of the time, Jessica and I traveled alone. It was really good for our marriage.
5. Promote. Send out letters annoucing your call and availability to every church that you think you could conceivably visit. I sent letters to every church listed in the Texas state minutes book, and some to Arkansas and Louisiana. I didn't send letters to California, because (a) I wouldn't be able to make the trip and (b) I didn't see the Californian churches getting excited about a rural Texas mission (they have their own fields to work). That might not have been the best attitude, but it's what I did.
I got some appointments from those letters. I also promoted my work by use of this blog, attending associational meetings, and by posting reports and announcements on ABANews.info (which back then was an email service). I got several deputation appointments from those and one church picked us up without having to hear us. Still, my calendar wasn't full. So, I got my state minutes book and called several pastors. Many were glad to hear from me and promptly offered me a Sunday. Some turned me down. Some may have even been offended. Still, I got lots of invitations over the phone this way. IT IS OKAY TO CALL! Don't worry about whether or not you will offend people. If you go about your work worrying about offending people, you have doomed yourself to failure.
6. Courtesy. No church will excoriate you for using the KJV. No church will be offended if you wear a coat and a tie. No church will be offended by your reverence. Some churches will be offended if you use a modern translation (some may even stop you from preaching.) Some will be offended if you show up in causal wear. Regardless of how you feel about these issues, it is best to take B.M. Bogard's "Two chances over one" and err on the side of caution. Use the KJV, even if you preferr the NASB. Paul said he becomes all things to all men so he can win some. If the KJV would be the only dividing line between you and the brethren you visit, use the KJV. It is God's Word, and it is not flawed (as some would state it is) and trying to convert everyone to a new translation is not really all that beneficial.
Wear a coat and tie. Self explanatory. Remember good manners. Please, thank you, send a thank-you card, and remember, "Attitude of grattitude." You're happy just to be able to share you calling.
Also, be courteous of their time. You don't have to share every single detail of your work in order to share the work with them. Main thing, share your calling, your passion, and if you have any yet, share the success stories of the people you are working with (new converts and so on.) But you don't have to go on about how big the property is, how much the building costs, demographics, population statistics, city history, culture, etc (unless you are a foreign missionary... then that helps us fall in love with the people.) I mean, population is important, as are demographics. So, say that the town has 50,000 people, with 27% being Hispanic and 43% being African American with a median household income of $42,000 annually, but number of households, children under 12, etc etc etc... you can go overboard with data. Building and land needs are important, but you shouldn't spend more than a minute or two on that either. Cover the basics, share your passion, then take questions. Then, preach, but be concientious of time.
7. Be honest. I remember one pastor interviewing me in private after an appointment, because the church wanted to support me, but wanted to make sure "I was planting a church just like theirs." I have strong feelings about that attitude I will not share here at this time. He asked me several questions. (1) Was I KJV only? (2) Did I believe in integrated churches, or did I believe in racial separation. There were others. I use KJV. I do believe in literal modern translations, but have yet to find one that matches the quality of the KJV. So, I use KJV. I encourage others to do so as well. (2) I believe that God is not a respector of persons, therefore it is not His will that we artificially segregate ourselves on the basis of race. The doctrine of racial separation is unGodly, in my opinion, and I find it troubling that it is a prevalent doctrine in some circles. Needless to say, I failed both questions and they do not support me. That's fine. If they want me to conform to their doctrines, I don't want their support.
If a church demands that you be exactly like them in order to be supported, and you are not exactly like them, be honest about that. If you mislead them and take their support, it will come back to haunt you. There are several points of fellowship that you need to be prepared to answer for... KJV Onlyism, Racial Separation, worship music (hymns vs. contemporary music), Awana vs. Discovery, Church-planting vs. traditional mission structure, and so on. Be prepared, know what your convictions are, and be willing to express them in a candid, but respectful way if asked.
8. Keep it short. Don't be on deputation indefinitely. From the time you land a sponsoring church, or even before then if God so leads, set a departure date and stick to it. That is stepping out on faith. Deputation is a blessed time, but spend too much time on deputation and you will find yourself discouraged. I spent 7 months on deputation. A good time frame will be anywhere from 7-12 months for state and interstate missions, and 12-18 months for foreign missions.
Finally, if you are a missionary and you are reading this post, and you did things differently, or if you disagree with me, please don't take it personal. My goal is not to set policy or mission law, but rather to share my experiences, successes and failures in hopes of encouraging others who might be considering mission work. If you have better advice to offer please do. Feel free to add your comments.
Thank you for reading, thank you for considering the Lord's work, and thank you for doing the Lord's work.
Next week, we'll discuss associational support.
1. Do deputation- There is a growing mindset that missionaries shouldn't do deputation because Paul didn't do deputation. "You should just step out on faith and know God will provide," they say. God will provide, and your needs will be met, but there's more to deputation than just fundraising.
I found deputation to be very encouraging toward me, my family and my work. It was very encouraging to be able to share my burden and calling with sister churches, and have them tell me they were praying for me. Some even told me that they felt the Lord's presence assuring them that the Brownwood work would be successful. I can not tell you how encouraging it is to hear preachers tell you that they know in their hearts God will bless your work. To this day, those words keep me going. It was encouraging to my wife to know that so many are behind us. It was encouraging to my children, as traveling on SOME deputation appointments gave them the sense of how important this work is.
I also think deputation is encouraging to the churches you visit. It is encouraging to know that men are answering the call and going to new fields to start new work. In a day when the Lord's churches are becoming more isolated, it is easy to become discourged, thinking that nothing's happening and the church is becoming one of the last true churches. Churches can be encouraged by deputation, being brought into close fellowship with God's people and being encouraged that the work of the Lord presses on. I say this, having been a pastor. I felt encouraged by the missionaries who visited us. I don't know if I personally was encouraging to the churches I visited, but I do know that missionaries do encourage churches.
As for fundraising, I think it could be shown through statistical studies that deputation is one of the most effective ways of raising support for a missionary. Sending letters will net some response, as will speaking at associational events. Having a sponsoring church or pastor promote you is helpful as well, but churches who get to meet the missionary tend to be more motivated toward supporting him.
2. Go, even if they don't have the money. While on deputation, occasionally a pastor will give a disclaimer prior to your accepting his invitation that his church is struggling financially and probably will not be able to become a monthly supporter. This pastor is doing this as a courtesy to you, because he understands how valuable your deputation time is. I say, this pastor and his church are worth your time even if they don't have money.
I remember being pastor of Denson Springs. I would have done anything to see Denson Springs be as mission-minded in their giving as they were years before I got there. I also wanted to see them become missional (being actively involved in mission work, especially on the associational level). The problem was our funds were low, and Denson Springs had enjoyed very few visits from missionaries in the recent years. Most that they had been supporting hadn't even been sending them reports (that's a topic I will address in a future issue.) So, I gave the "We have no money" disclaimer several times. I am thankful for missionaries like Phil Gavila and B.R. Singh, who took the time to visit our church knowing that we were broke. Bro. Singh especially was good for the fellowship. He really opened the church's eyes toward foreign missions. Bro. Gavila encouraged the church toward local evangelism and preached on the dangers of false professions. He encouraged us to stay true to the scriptures. There were others, but these two are in the forefront of my mind.
Later, we held a state mission rally, which was attended by several of the state salaried missionaries. They gave great reports, and the church went on to become a supporter of state missions. Without the encouragement of these missionaries, I would have had a harder time encouraging the church to support missions, even though we could barely cover our expenses.
Today, Denson Springs not only supports most, if not all, phases of missions, they are a strong supporter of Mission Brownwood as well. All that happened after I left.
3. Be willing to pay your own deputation expenses. Most churches you speak at will offer you an honorarium or love offering for coming out to speak to them. Go ahead and use those funds to pay for your travel expenses. However, do try to avoid burdening your sponsoring church and mission fund on deputation travel expenses. You'll need that money when you get to the field. It is important to remember that wells run dry. Where do you want your finances spent... on the field getting the work going? Or at the Northcentral Expressway Raddisson?
This may mean keeping your secular job while traveling all night over the weekend to do deputation. I did it. It can be done. It's one of those sacrifices we make.
On the other hand, yoru situation may require that your sponsoring church or mission fund pick up the tab for your deputation time. I'm not saying it's a sin to live on mission funds while on deputation... I'm just saying it's best in the long run if you can avoid it.
4. Use common sense with the family. Deputation trips can be long and stressful. The conditions of travel can upend even the most well behaved kids. Having children act up on a visit can torpedo any chance that the church you visited will become a supporter.
When I was on deputation, I got someone to watch our kids most of the time while my wife and I traveled together. There were visits where I took the kids, but those were on visits where (a) I knew the church and the people, (b) There were local attractions that I thought would be good for the kids or (c) if I felt led to take them. An example of scenario (a) would be when I took the kids to Mt. Herman in Center. They knew my kids and had seen them at their worst. (The church bought them Christmas gifts back in 2004, and some of the members had even encouraged the kids to play with them in the afternoon service. Good people, good fun, nerve racking on a 1st year TBI student.) The second visit was a lot more orderly, but still, they knew the kids and enjoyed the time with them. We also took them to White Rock, if I'm not mistaken. Scenario (b) would be the time we took the kids to San Antonio to see the Alamo and Riverwalk after visiting with Landmark MBC in Floresville. However, we abstained from taking the kids on most of our trips to West Texas, as 8 hours in the car would do more harm than good. Most of the time, Jessica and I traveled alone. It was really good for our marriage.
5. Promote. Send out letters annoucing your call and availability to every church that you think you could conceivably visit. I sent letters to every church listed in the Texas state minutes book, and some to Arkansas and Louisiana. I didn't send letters to California, because (a) I wouldn't be able to make the trip and (b) I didn't see the Californian churches getting excited about a rural Texas mission (they have their own fields to work). That might not have been the best attitude, but it's what I did.
I got some appointments from those letters. I also promoted my work by use of this blog, attending associational meetings, and by posting reports and announcements on ABANews.info (which back then was an email service). I got several deputation appointments from those and one church picked us up without having to hear us. Still, my calendar wasn't full. So, I got my state minutes book and called several pastors. Many were glad to hear from me and promptly offered me a Sunday. Some turned me down. Some may have even been offended. Still, I got lots of invitations over the phone this way. IT IS OKAY TO CALL! Don't worry about whether or not you will offend people. If you go about your work worrying about offending people, you have doomed yourself to failure.
6. Courtesy. No church will excoriate you for using the KJV. No church will be offended if you wear a coat and a tie. No church will be offended by your reverence. Some churches will be offended if you use a modern translation (some may even stop you from preaching.) Some will be offended if you show up in causal wear. Regardless of how you feel about these issues, it is best to take B.M. Bogard's "Two chances over one" and err on the side of caution. Use the KJV, even if you preferr the NASB. Paul said he becomes all things to all men so he can win some. If the KJV would be the only dividing line between you and the brethren you visit, use the KJV. It is God's Word, and it is not flawed (as some would state it is) and trying to convert everyone to a new translation is not really all that beneficial.
Wear a coat and tie. Self explanatory. Remember good manners. Please, thank you, send a thank-you card, and remember, "Attitude of grattitude." You're happy just to be able to share you calling.
Also, be courteous of their time. You don't have to share every single detail of your work in order to share the work with them. Main thing, share your calling, your passion, and if you have any yet, share the success stories of the people you are working with (new converts and so on.) But you don't have to go on about how big the property is, how much the building costs, demographics, population statistics, city history, culture, etc (unless you are a foreign missionary... then that helps us fall in love with the people.) I mean, population is important, as are demographics. So, say that the town has 50,000 people, with 27% being Hispanic and 43% being African American with a median household income of $42,000 annually, but number of households, children under 12, etc etc etc... you can go overboard with data. Building and land needs are important, but you shouldn't spend more than a minute or two on that either. Cover the basics, share your passion, then take questions. Then, preach, but be concientious of time.
7. Be honest. I remember one pastor interviewing me in private after an appointment, because the church wanted to support me, but wanted to make sure "I was planting a church just like theirs." I have strong feelings about that attitude I will not share here at this time. He asked me several questions. (1) Was I KJV only? (2) Did I believe in integrated churches, or did I believe in racial separation. There were others. I use KJV. I do believe in literal modern translations, but have yet to find one that matches the quality of the KJV. So, I use KJV. I encourage others to do so as well. (2) I believe that God is not a respector of persons, therefore it is not His will that we artificially segregate ourselves on the basis of race. The doctrine of racial separation is unGodly, in my opinion, and I find it troubling that it is a prevalent doctrine in some circles. Needless to say, I failed both questions and they do not support me. That's fine. If they want me to conform to their doctrines, I don't want their support.
If a church demands that you be exactly like them in order to be supported, and you are not exactly like them, be honest about that. If you mislead them and take their support, it will come back to haunt you. There are several points of fellowship that you need to be prepared to answer for... KJV Onlyism, Racial Separation, worship music (hymns vs. contemporary music), Awana vs. Discovery, Church-planting vs. traditional mission structure, and so on. Be prepared, know what your convictions are, and be willing to express them in a candid, but respectful way if asked.
8. Keep it short. Don't be on deputation indefinitely. From the time you land a sponsoring church, or even before then if God so leads, set a departure date and stick to it. That is stepping out on faith. Deputation is a blessed time, but spend too much time on deputation and you will find yourself discouraged. I spent 7 months on deputation. A good time frame will be anywhere from 7-12 months for state and interstate missions, and 12-18 months for foreign missions.
Finally, if you are a missionary and you are reading this post, and you did things differently, or if you disagree with me, please don't take it personal. My goal is not to set policy or mission law, but rather to share my experiences, successes and failures in hopes of encouraging others who might be considering mission work. If you have better advice to offer please do. Feel free to add your comments.
Thank you for reading, thank you for considering the Lord's work, and thank you for doing the Lord's work.
Next week, we'll discuss associational support.
Mission: Brownwood Update
It looks like the door at Market Place might be closing. There is increased hostility from many of the residents being directed toward my wife and my children (and possibly me, but no one talks to me face to face about it), and attendance has been falling. We plan to begin having Wednesday services at the new building on Wednesday nights... but that won't likely start until August.
Awana is still going strong at Brownwood Apts Phase II, with 12 being in attendance Tuesday. We played Bible Bingo and found out the kids have been retaining their lessons and memory verses very well.
Awana is still going strong at Brownwood Apts Phase II, with 12 being in attendance Tuesday. We played Bible Bingo and found out the kids have been retaining their lessons and memory verses very well.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mission: Brownwood April 2009 Report
Grace Pointe MBM signs 1-year lease on vacant church buildingThe members of Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Mission held their first successful business meeting the first Sunday in April. The mission voted to rent a vacant church building on U.S. 67/84 in Brownwood for $600/month. Our sponsoring church voted to back the effort and Grace Pointe will move into her new facility in June.
The mission also voted to send 10% of their monthly offerings to missions, with 5% going to the Texas state association and 5% going to Texas Mission Development. Then, Jessica and I were sent outside while they voted to pay me $100 per month.
Grace Pointe MBM attendance solidifies
Attendance in April hovered around 17, with the monthly high being 18, and the low being 16. One encouraging development is the fact that residents from Market Place are now coming over to Grace Pointe, and the fact that all mission members are becoming faithful in their attendance. (Preview – We had 23 in attendance during the first Sunday of May).
Attendance at midweek services at Market Place fell off a little, but Tuesday night Awana attendance is on the upswing.
Awana program nets new families to Grace Pointe
Our Tuesday evening Awana program at the Brownwood Phase II Apartments continues to go well.
April 28, our two core Awana families both called to say they couldn’t make it. That night, I expected a low turnout, but wound up with 16 in attendance. The three families that came said they saw our posters that were put up around the complex. Two of the families just wanted their kids to be a part of something, one family had previously taken their children to Awana, but hadn’t been to church in two years. We are really beginning to see doors opened in Brownwood. (Preview – May 5, Awana Attendance hits an all-time high at 21).
The Numbers….
Attendance
Grace Pointe MBM (Sunday Mornings)
4/5 – 17 ($123.85)
4/12 – 17 ($30)
4/19 – 16 ($253.20)
4/26 – 18 ($80)
Grace Pointe MBM (Tuesday Youth)
4/7 – 8
4/14 – 11
4/21 – 12
4/28 – 16
Market Place (Wednesday Evenings)
4/1 – 16
4/8 – 13
4/15 – 11
4/22 – 12
4/29 – 12
Finances
Grace Pointe MBM
Offerings – 487.05
Northcrest MBC (Andrews) $89.87
John Nickle - $25
Jim Slocumb - $200
Expenses:
Building rent/deposit - $1,200
TMD - $24.35
Texas state missions - $24.35
Pastor salary - $100
Mission: Brownwood Fund
Support:
Salmon (Elkhart) $25
White Rock (Center) $100
MBA of Texas $1,911
Rocky Springs (Jacksonville) $150
Bethel (Tatum) $50
58th Ave (Amarillo) $200
Heritage (Missouri City) $200.07
Quaker Ave (Lubbock) $100
Wyndrock (Abilene) $40
Eastside (Jacksonville) $100
RidgeCrest (Levelland) $25
Memory Lane (Palestine) $50
Nevill’s Chapel (Mt. Pleasant) $159.26
Muse (Grapeland) $200
Hickory Grove (Newport, AR) $97.34
Expenses:
Vehicle expense $1,000
Housing $700
Salary $1,211
General expenses $400
Monday Mission Fields - Gallup, NM
How about a town that has a population of 20,000, but swells to 70,000 every first weekend? That town would be Gallup, NM.
Gallup is home to one ABA work already. The Morning Star Baptist Mission (as I understand it) ministers primarily to the Navajo (which constitute 36% of the Gallup population). In fact, Gallup has been the launch pad for several missionaries to the Navajo Nation. These missionaries are doing a fine work, and perhaps I'll feature the Navajo Nation on a future Mission Field Monday article.
However, 64% of Gallup is non-Navajo, and that makes for a wide open mission field. Gallup is an old Route 66 town. The Motel El Rancho, strategically located on Route 66, has been the stopping point for many Hollywood actors, including John Wayne, and each one has his own themed room in the motel. Gallup was also featured in the Chuck Berry Classic, "Route 66." The Route 66 part of town has been well preserved.
Gallup is a key city in evangelizing Western New Mexico. Many of the small towns in that area do not have a Baptist church (not just ABA churches, many of these places don't even have SBC or BBFI churches). However, the people don't open up to change very much, so discipleship and evangelism efforts will be a slow-go.
Still, for the missionary who is called to be a "Wild West Witness," Gallup would be the right field. Funding is available through the Interstate Missions Fund of the ABA, plus several supporting churches would be willing to sign on.
Please pray for someone to go to Gallup, NM.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
How-To Thursday - Mission Administration
For the sake of alleviating my already hectic Tuesday Schedule, the "How-To" segment of this blog will move to Thursday, thus creating "How-To Thursday."
Once the sponsoring church/missionary agreement has been reached, a structure for the administration of the mission needs to be set up. The sponsoring church becomes the lifeline for the missionary, and the administrative structure of that lifeline needs to be arranged to keep the lifeline connected to the missionary. If that lifeline from the sponsoring church ever gets severed due to bad communication, or disorganization, the results can be devastating for the missionary. The following are my recommendations.
1. Appoint a missions treasurer. The missions treasurer needs to be a responsible person who has a track record of keeping up with his position in the church. The missions treasurer will be responsible for depositing the support checks that come in to the sponsoring church, keeping up with the account balance, and making sure that the missionary gets the funds in a timely manner. The missions treasurer needs to be one that will be faithful in their attendance, and one who is accessible to the missionary. The missionary will need to be able to communicate with the missions treasurer frequently so he knows what financial resources he has, therefore making it easier to plan his work. Plus, the treasurer will have to be able to provide a report to the missionary at the end of the month so he can include it on his monthly report.
With Mission: Brownwood, I am blessed to have a good missions treasurer. She stays on top of the finances, deposits the checks as soon as she gets them, keeps a running balance of what is in the bank, reports to me consistently on what has come in and what we have, and makes the funds readily accessible. I can use those funds on a moment's notice if need be, and all I have to do is report back to her. It's a great set-up that has worked great.
2. Appoint a missions committee. If the sponsoring church is going to truly be behind the missionary, that missionary is going to have to be able to communicate with the sponsoring church. With that in mind, I think it is very important to have a missions committee. The missionary can communicate with each committee member via email and telephone, and the committee can then (a) meet and decide what needs to be done (if anything) to meet the missionary's need, or (b) tell as many people in the church of what is happening on the mission field so that the church can move to action under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. My experience tells me that an informed church will act to support the missionary's needs almost all the time if the missionary is truly carrying out the work of the Lord.
Some would rather not have a committee, choosing rather to make the pastor of the sponsoring church the mode of communication between the missionary and sponsoring church. This leaves the missionary vulnerable for a number of reasons.
(1) The pastor who is in the pulpit now may very well be a great missions-minded pastor who truly wants to support the missionary his church sponsors, however, if he leaves, the next pastor may be a jerk who sees the missionary as being a drain on church resources that could very well fund his salary and reimbursements. Or the next pastor may be more concerned with building a mega-church rather than supporting the missionary. As a mission-minded pastor, the right thing for you to do is put in a support structure around your missionary that another pastor can not easily undo.
(2) The sponsoring pastor, as great a man as he may be, is still human and may inadequately communicate the missionary's need to the congregation. More voices mean a better vision is being cast.
(3) The mission work needs to belong to the church. If the pastor is the go-between, then the work becomes something that belongs to the pastor and missionary and the church never truly gets involved outside of approving an expenditure or two.
I believe the missions committee should consist of the pastor, the missions treasurer, (if there is an associate pastor in charge of missions or outreach, he needs to be on the committee), the church treasurer (to advise on funds if they are needed from the general fund), and three-to-five laymen.
3. Encourage support to be sent through the sponsoring church. When it comes to state/interstate missions, there is not a whole lot of difference between getting money sent straight to the field and having it sent through the sponsoring church. For me, it is more convenient to have my support sent through Rocky Springs so that my missions treasurer can keep track of it, and all I have to worry about is the usual monthly expenditures and reporting. Plus, it makes it easier at the end of the year to calculate my taxes.
However, for a foreign missionary, especially one in hostile territory, the sponsoring church will be the best equipped to get the money to the field while minimizing "money handling charges" and "conversion fees." Plus, in some countries, putting the title "missionary" or "brother" on an envelope or check can result in that missionary being arrested and even killed. All it takes is one treasurer having an off day to cause problems. So, with that in mind, it's best to send the money to the sponsoring church and trust the sponsoring church to do what is right. (This paragraph is all opinion on my part, and I welcome input from foreign missionaries with more insight on this issue, even if it disagrees with what I have written. I am here to promote mission work, not push my agenda.)
Not all mission work has to be organized after this pattern. In fact, I am far from being an expert (I've only been a sponsoring pastor once, and a missionary once. Some of this information I've learned from my own mistakes. Other parts of this post I learned from a Macedonian Missions Seminar, other parts I've learned from my successes, and others from watching other successful missionaries.) Do what fits best for your situation and what God calls you to do. God bless you.
Next week, we'll talk deputation.
Once the sponsoring church/missionary agreement has been reached, a structure for the administration of the mission needs to be set up. The sponsoring church becomes the lifeline for the missionary, and the administrative structure of that lifeline needs to be arranged to keep the lifeline connected to the missionary. If that lifeline from the sponsoring church ever gets severed due to bad communication, or disorganization, the results can be devastating for the missionary. The following are my recommendations.
1. Appoint a missions treasurer. The missions treasurer needs to be a responsible person who has a track record of keeping up with his position in the church. The missions treasurer will be responsible for depositing the support checks that come in to the sponsoring church, keeping up with the account balance, and making sure that the missionary gets the funds in a timely manner. The missions treasurer needs to be one that will be faithful in their attendance, and one who is accessible to the missionary. The missionary will need to be able to communicate with the missions treasurer frequently so he knows what financial resources he has, therefore making it easier to plan his work. Plus, the treasurer will have to be able to provide a report to the missionary at the end of the month so he can include it on his monthly report.
With Mission: Brownwood, I am blessed to have a good missions treasurer. She stays on top of the finances, deposits the checks as soon as she gets them, keeps a running balance of what is in the bank, reports to me consistently on what has come in and what we have, and makes the funds readily accessible. I can use those funds on a moment's notice if need be, and all I have to do is report back to her. It's a great set-up that has worked great.
2. Appoint a missions committee. If the sponsoring church is going to truly be behind the missionary, that missionary is going to have to be able to communicate with the sponsoring church. With that in mind, I think it is very important to have a missions committee. The missionary can communicate with each committee member via email and telephone, and the committee can then (a) meet and decide what needs to be done (if anything) to meet the missionary's need, or (b) tell as many people in the church of what is happening on the mission field so that the church can move to action under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. My experience tells me that an informed church will act to support the missionary's needs almost all the time if the missionary is truly carrying out the work of the Lord.
Some would rather not have a committee, choosing rather to make the pastor of the sponsoring church the mode of communication between the missionary and sponsoring church. This leaves the missionary vulnerable for a number of reasons.
(1) The pastor who is in the pulpit now may very well be a great missions-minded pastor who truly wants to support the missionary his church sponsors, however, if he leaves, the next pastor may be a jerk who sees the missionary as being a drain on church resources that could very well fund his salary and reimbursements. Or the next pastor may be more concerned with building a mega-church rather than supporting the missionary. As a mission-minded pastor, the right thing for you to do is put in a support structure around your missionary that another pastor can not easily undo.
(2) The sponsoring pastor, as great a man as he may be, is still human and may inadequately communicate the missionary's need to the congregation. More voices mean a better vision is being cast.
(3) The mission work needs to belong to the church. If the pastor is the go-between, then the work becomes something that belongs to the pastor and missionary and the church never truly gets involved outside of approving an expenditure or two.
I believe the missions committee should consist of the pastor, the missions treasurer, (if there is an associate pastor in charge of missions or outreach, he needs to be on the committee), the church treasurer (to advise on funds if they are needed from the general fund), and three-to-five laymen.
3. Encourage support to be sent through the sponsoring church. When it comes to state/interstate missions, there is not a whole lot of difference between getting money sent straight to the field and having it sent through the sponsoring church. For me, it is more convenient to have my support sent through Rocky Springs so that my missions treasurer can keep track of it, and all I have to worry about is the usual monthly expenditures and reporting. Plus, it makes it easier at the end of the year to calculate my taxes.
However, for a foreign missionary, especially one in hostile territory, the sponsoring church will be the best equipped to get the money to the field while minimizing "money handling charges" and "conversion fees." Plus, in some countries, putting the title "missionary" or "brother" on an envelope or check can result in that missionary being arrested and even killed. All it takes is one treasurer having an off day to cause problems. So, with that in mind, it's best to send the money to the sponsoring church and trust the sponsoring church to do what is right. (This paragraph is all opinion on my part, and I welcome input from foreign missionaries with more insight on this issue, even if it disagrees with what I have written. I am here to promote mission work, not push my agenda.)
Not all mission work has to be organized after this pattern. In fact, I am far from being an expert (I've only been a sponsoring pastor once, and a missionary once. Some of this information I've learned from my own mistakes. Other parts of this post I learned from a Macedonian Missions Seminar, other parts I've learned from my successes, and others from watching other successful missionaries.) Do what fits best for your situation and what God calls you to do. God bless you.
Next week, we'll talk deputation.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Monday Mission Fields, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Colorado Springs is special to me because my inlaws live in the greater Springs area. There is nothing to not like about Colorado Springs. It has great lifestyle, with just about every kind of recreation possible at hand. It sits at the base of Pike's Peak, is a hub of military activity, is home to the USA Olympic Center, and the climate is great. Summertime temperatures are mild, and winter is not as brutal as you'd think. I was there one Christmas during a blizzard, and the temperatures were bearable (as long as you stayed dry.)The Colorado Springs Metro Area (including Manitou Springs, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan, so on and so on,) is home to more than 600,000 people. There is a huge military presence as Colorado Springs is home to the Air Force Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever AFB, Fort Carson, the UnderGround Pentagon, and NORAD.)
Colorado Springs is home to two ABA churches, Bradley Road MBC (located in the southern part of the city, in proximity to the military bases and in a growing part of town) and East Gate MBC (which I think is located close to Falcon, but I don't know.) With 600,000 people, there is plenty of room for more ABA churches.
Now, the drawbacks. Colorado Springs is not known as "The Protestant Vatican" for nothing. The city is home to the headquarters for Focus on the Family, The National Evangelical Association, more than 88 para-church organizations, and every single shopping center has a new church plant located in it. Plus, Colorado Springs is one of the proving grounds for the SBC's multi-housing ministry programs (they shot the how-to video there.) Some of the churches there are preaching the truth, many are preaching prosperity Gospel, some have drifted into unknown waters. The drawback is that there are many voices in the Springs saying many things. The presence of so many organizations can leave people Gospel hardened on one hand, totally deceived on the other. One thing is for certain, there are still lost people in Colorado Springs, and they can be reached.
Cost of living in the Springs is higher than in Texas as well. The median family income is $53,000. Gas is typically 10 cents more per gallon than in Texas, and is sold at 86 octane as opposed to the 87 octane regular that Texans are accustomed to.
Ministry and church planting is not for the faint of heart, especially in the Springs.
By the way, Colorado Springs, in addition to the Olympic Center, has professional sports. They have Minor League Baseball's "Colorado Springs Sky Sox," minor league soccer and rugby.
Funding for a work in The Springs will be available through the usual channels. Please pray for more men to go to Colorado Springs.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Another Great Sunday!
We had 23 in attendance with four of our regulars out visiting family for Mother's Day. We had one person decide to follow the Lord in Baptism. Our first Baptism is scheduled for the second Sunday afternoon in June at Lake Brownwood. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
News from the Battlefield
We had 21 at Awana last night, and two workers. I praise God for the numbers, but with the number of kids, ranging from 2 to 9 years of age, and only having two workers, we're going to have to retool our Awana program to better meet the needs of these kids. Hey! Anyone want to come to Brownwood and join our work?
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
How-to Tuesday - Missionary/Sponsoring Church Connection
Once the sponsoring church and the missionary are prayed up, the missionary has announced his call to the mission field, and the sponsoring church has expressed a burden to be a part of the work, steps will need to be taken for the sponsoring church to send out the missionary. Certain things need to be settled before the missionary is sent out by the sponsoring church. Few things are worse than having a rift develop between the sponsor and the missionary once the missionary is on the field.
1. The sponsoring church and missionary need to be settled on doctrinal soundness. That is, the sponsoring church should be satisfied that the missionary is doctrinally sound, and the missionary needs to be satisfied that the sponsoring church is doctrinally sound. This goes above "yeah, I agree with the ABA doctrinal statement." This means that sponsoring church and missionary are on the same page concerning ecclesiology, which Bible translations are acceptible, scriptural mission practices and so on.
2. There needs to be a missionary agreement, and one in writing is best. The agreement needs to line out the responsibility the sponsoring church has toward the missionary, and the responsibility the missionary has toward the sponsoring church. The agreement will need to spell out the procedure for funds raised (send them to the sponsor, or the missionary?), and what those funds should be used for (salary and financial resources for the missionary, funds for the mission, etc?) Furthermore, if the sponsoring church expects to have a say in facility purchases and rental, that needs to be spelled out in the agreement, as well as whether that missionary can switch cities without first getting approval from the sponsor.
I recommend an agreement that gives the missionary as much latitude to work as possible without sponsor approval. In other words, the missionary ought to be able to do the work without waiting on a successful business meeting from the sponsor. On the other hand, the missionary needs to give detailed reports to his sponsor on a regular basis (I recommend monthly). A blog to track updates helps. My recommendation for the sponsor's role is not to manage how the work is carried out, but rather to make sure that the missionary is carrying out the work in a SCRIPTURAL manner.
Once an agreement is reached that satisfies both the missionary, and the sponsoring church, it is time for the church to vote to send the missionary to the mission field. In most cases, this should be a joyous time, though it may be marked with some sadness if the missionary has long-standing ties to the sponsoring church.
Next week, we'll discuss administrational structure for missions. I'll give my recommendation, but it is up to the sponsor and the missionary to determine what works best in their scenario.
1. The sponsoring church and missionary need to be settled on doctrinal soundness. That is, the sponsoring church should be satisfied that the missionary is doctrinally sound, and the missionary needs to be satisfied that the sponsoring church is doctrinally sound. This goes above "yeah, I agree with the ABA doctrinal statement." This means that sponsoring church and missionary are on the same page concerning ecclesiology, which Bible translations are acceptible, scriptural mission practices and so on.
2. There needs to be a missionary agreement, and one in writing is best. The agreement needs to line out the responsibility the sponsoring church has toward the missionary, and the responsibility the missionary has toward the sponsoring church. The agreement will need to spell out the procedure for funds raised (send them to the sponsor, or the missionary?), and what those funds should be used for (salary and financial resources for the missionary, funds for the mission, etc?) Furthermore, if the sponsoring church expects to have a say in facility purchases and rental, that needs to be spelled out in the agreement, as well as whether that missionary can switch cities without first getting approval from the sponsor.
I recommend an agreement that gives the missionary as much latitude to work as possible without sponsor approval. In other words, the missionary ought to be able to do the work without waiting on a successful business meeting from the sponsor. On the other hand, the missionary needs to give detailed reports to his sponsor on a regular basis (I recommend monthly). A blog to track updates helps. My recommendation for the sponsor's role is not to manage how the work is carried out, but rather to make sure that the missionary is carrying out the work in a SCRIPTURAL manner.
Once an agreement is reached that satisfies both the missionary, and the sponsoring church, it is time for the church to vote to send the missionary to the mission field. In most cases, this should be a joyous time, though it may be marked with some sadness if the missionary has long-standing ties to the sponsoring church.
Next week, we'll discuss administrational structure for missions. I'll give my recommendation, but it is up to the sponsor and the missionary to determine what works best in their scenario.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Monday Mission Fields - Pueblo, Colo.
When you think of the steel industry, you most likely think of Pittsburg, PA. Ranked right behind Pittsburg in the American steel industry is Pueblo, Colo. Pueblans are proud of their industrial heritage, so much to the point that they have built a river walk through their industrial district to honor that heritage.
Located in Southern Colorado, Pueblo is the economic hub of the area, with U.S Highway 50 intersecting with I-27 there. My first visit to Pueblo came during the aftermath of the blizzard of December, 2006. US 287 from Lamar to Limon was closed, but by taking US 50 to Pueblo to I-27, my family was able to circumvent the highway closures, travel through Colorado Springs, and get to my inlaws in Calhan. During blizzard forced road closures, traffic is often diverted through Pueblo.
Pueblo is home to more than 103,000 people, and has been home to one ABA church. Colorado State University-Pueblo is there with an enrollment of 6,000 students. It is a blue-collar town, with the median family household income being around $35,000 annually.
This would be a great work for the right missionary with the right heart. There are several neighboring towns of substantial population that could be expanded into. Please pray for Pueblo, Colorado.
Catching up
We had a good week at Grace Pointe. We had 23 in morning worship, had a good day in the offering plate and kicked off a new sermon series on Matthew 24. (Yes, we will break from that series on Mother's Day. Summertime is bad for series, as certain holidays arise that people expect you to preach certain messages.)
The mission is excited about the new building, and we still plan to move in in June.
The mission is excited about the new building, and we still plan to move in in June.
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