Tag: gospel

After Visiting the International Mission Board, Here are Six Things I Love About It… and One Thing I Do Not

I recently led a group of Kentucky Baptists to the International Mission Board training center and offices in Richmond, Virginia, to gain a better understanding of the impact of our Cooperative Program. After this excellent three-day experience, I recognized six things I love about the IMB… and one thing I did not.  

1. IMB missionaries are sent by churches.

While the IMB assesses, trains, and cares for missionaries, one thing is abundantly clear: Churches send missionaries. Very early in the application process, the sending church pastor is interviewed, and the church body must endorse the candidate before they can proceed past the first phase. Before being commissioned, their pastor is invited to attend the “Sending Together” seminar to solidify the church’s partnership in this task.

2. IMB missionaries know the mission.

The mission board recognizes that their chief goal is to send a physical missionary presence to the people and places of the world where God is not yet known or named. Through their six-step missionary task, they seek to fulfill the Biblical description in Revelation 7:9 of a multitude in heaven representative of every people group in the world. President Paul Chitwood has done an exemplary job leading the organization to be laser focused on this calling.

3. IMB missionaries are accountable to Southern Baptists.

All 3,600 missionaries are endorsed by a Southern Baptist Church, fully agree with the Baptist Faith and Message, and are only appointed following a thorough review by a Board of Trustees elected by Southern Baptist Messengers. Their work is monitored for maximum effectiveness and each expense is scrutinized by a financial department to ensure every penny spent aligns with the missionary task.

4. IMB missionaries undergo a stringent assessment process.

After sending missionaries for 180 years, the IMB recognizes characteristics that lead to the greatest likelihood of assimilation on the mission field. The robust assessment process covers educational readiness, physical and mental wellness, consistency as a gospel witness, and more. Southern Baptists can be confident that the very best missionaries are being placed on the field. While lengthy, the assessment process enables IMB missionaries to have an incredibly low attrition rate.

5. IMB missionaries are strategically placed.

An entire department is tasked with researching people groups worldwide to determine where they are and if they have a gospel witness. IMB missionaries are sent to unreached people groups where less than 2% of the population are Christian, and to unreached unengaged people groups who are not known to have any gospel witness among them. This may mean there are some areas where missionaries are not sent because there is already a mass of believers sufficient to spread the gospel among their people. The strategy utilized ensures our Southern Baptist missionaries are going to the spiritually darkest places in all of humanity.

6. IMB missionaries are supported.

As a result of the faithfulness of Southern Baptist churches, our missionaries are fully funded. In addition to a salary, housing, and education, their children receive specialized education to prepare them for living cross-country, risk management personnel keep a close eye on their safety, and a logistics department provides all needs, from visas to airfare.

And the one thing I do not like….

In a denomination that loves its acronyms… the IMB is king. 😊

I say this completely in jest, as even IMB personnel and trustees make light of it.

Suffice it to say, I hope one day you will visit the IMB’s ILC supported by CP and LMCO to send M’s to NAME and EAPR after they have completed FPO and CERC for the TCKs.

Southern Baptists have a treasure in the International Mission Board, and it is one of the great examples of why we are better together.

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Is It Best To Fund Missionaries Independently or Cooperatively?

All Christians share in the call of Acts 1:8 to evangelize their city, state, nation and world while churches employ diverse strategies to support missionaries in each of these fields. Since 1925, Southern Baptists have sponsored missionaries in a unique way – partnering together with voluntary contributions to the Cooperative Program that are used to advance the gospel by funding missionaries and other kingdom mission work. While we celebrate the wonderful work of independent missionaries and parachurch organizations, the way Southern Baptists cooperatively fund missions has proven to be superior for at least four reasons.

Staying Power

A pastor recently shared with me about his time as an independent missionary and the sorrow he felt when he had to leave the mission field prematurely. He made frequent trips to his home state for months at a time to solicit financial support, but eventually, many pastors changed positions, churches adjusted their budgets, and key supporters passed away. The independent missionary was forced to leave the mission field not because of the loss of God’s call, but because of the loss of fundraising dollars. He was unable to independently raise enough money to continue his important mission work.

This pastor’s experience is not unique. A survey completed by 15,087 missionaries discovered that 43% were unable to fulfill their long-term commitment to the mission field.[i] The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism stated, “The single greatest reason that these missionaries returned wasn’t a disqualifying sin or a health problem. It was lack of funding. The single reason most missionaries don’t last on the field is because they aren’t able to sustain their support.”[ii]

While this is the case with independent missionaries or those sent by organizations with a “raise your own support” model, the Cooperative Program ensures Southern Baptist missionaries do not face the same plight. The SBC’s over 3,600 international missionaries are fully funded, receive ongoing training, and are cared for physically, emotionally and spiritually while on the field. While 43% of independent missionaries leave the mission field prematurely, only 7% of Southern Baptist IMB missionaries are unable to complete their term of service. When you support missionaries through the Cooperative Program, they are six times more likely to remain on the field than their independent counterparts.

Single Priority

Southern Baptists send missionaries to the field with the primary assignment of sharing the gospel with unreached and unengaged people groups. The ability to focus singularly on this task resulted in 728,589 gospel conversations and over 178,177 people led to Christ in 2022.[iii]

Our independent missionary brothers and sisters do not have such a privilege. Added to the call of sharing Jesus is the pressing responsibility of communicating with donors, sending request letters, making social media posts, writing newsletter articles and demonstrating the fruit of their labors to garner support for their important work. For many, this requires regularly leaving their mission field to seek additional funds from churches and individuals. One independent missionary I spoke with was in the midst of a 3-month trip to the U.S. he takes every two years to speak in as many churches as possible. He hates that raising support takes him away from the mission field, but he sees no better option for an independent missionary. Another missionary, who served in the Far East with a U.S.-based parachurch organization, shared he was envious of SBC missionaries because 25% of his time was spent not on sharing the gospel, but on raising money so he could stay on the field.

Some outstanding missionaries are not skilled fundraisers, and some accomplished fundraisers may be ineffective missionaries. Funding missionaries through the Cooperative Program allows those sent by Southern Baptists to be singularly focused on telling people about Jesus.

Strategic Placement

Imagine attending a fried chicken church potluck where participants bring whatever side they want. You would be quite surprised (and likely disappointed) if the buffet table contained seven crockpots of green beans and only one bowl of mashed potatoes. When everyone provides their own dish without an overall plan coordinated with others, there is the possibility of a lot of one dish and a shortage of another.

If our approach to missions is for every church to function independently, it could result in them all serving green beans and no one providing mashed potatoes. Mission fields that are easy to access, speak a common language, and are not under government persecution stand to receive more missionaries and financial support. One blog writer compared independent missions funding to a “beauty pageant” where individuals and churches are tempted to support the most compelling speaker with heartwarming pictures.

Where does that leave the missionary called to an unengaged people group in a hard-to-reach place where publicly acknowledging Jesus could lead to death? The task of learning the culture, translating the Bible, and earning the trust of the people will take years. Returning to the U.S. frequently to secure donors could raise suspicion among the people served. Who is going to support that missionary during the decade it takes to make inroads with this group of people with no gospel witness? The answer is Southern Baptists, and the reason is the Cooperative Program. 

Partnering to support missions through the Cooperative Program fuels a prayerful and strategic distribution of missionaries to the spiritually darkest parts of our world.

Stewardship Protection

Missionaries supported by the SBC Cooperative Program are fully funded with a place to live, medical care for their family, transportation, and ministry supplies for sharing the gospel. This will cost far less for missionaries in Cairo than it does for missionaries in Dubai. Funding missionaries through the Cooperative Program ensures an equitable distribution of resources so that each missionary has a comparable standard of living. What costs $20,000 in Egypt may cost $80,000 in the United Arab Emirates. However, there is not an added fundraising burden placed on the missionary who is serving in a country with a higher cost of living.

Giving through the Cooperative Program not only ensures equitable treatment, but it protects the church’s investment. I recently heard of a church directly supporting an independent missionary until learning the missionary had been off the mission field for four years without notifying the church. The structure of the SBC eliminates the need for individual churches to monitor the status of each missionary they support and instead delegates that responsibility to trusted leaders who have continual contact on the field with the missionaries. This helps churches know their missionaries are preaching the gospel, are actively serving and are effective in their work. In short, churches that use the Cooperative Program as their missions-giving strategy can be confident their resources are being used appropriately.

A common argument for independently funding missionaries is that it prevents money from being used as overhead. But does it? Independent missionaries certainly have overhead expenses in sending newsletters, receiving contributions, issuing tax statements, travel expenses to solicit support and much more. Additionally, contributions that are used for their salary during the months they are away from the field to fundraise is overhead. Missionaries that go through parachurch organizations often have a portion of the funds they raise retained by the organization to cover overhead. This is in addition to the time and money spent by the missionary in seeking donors who contribute on their behalf to the parachurch organization.

Southern Baptists believe there is greater financial efficiency in centralizing overhead costs for all missionaries instead of each missionary independently funding their own, often leading to a duplication of efforts.

Conclusion

Regardless of the way they are funded, every Christian should celebrate the sending of more missionaries to unreached people groups. Doing so through the Cooperative Program results in missionaries staying on the field longer, allows them to singularly focus on sharing the gospel, utilizes a strategic approach to send them to unreached people groups, and ensures the church’s investment is being used as it should. The result is a beautiful partnership that allows churches to do far more together than we could ever do apart. If you would like more information on the Cooperative Program, visit kybaptist.org/cp or sbc.net/cp.

[i] https://www.worldevangelicals.org/resources/rfiles/res3_95_link_1292358708.pdf

[ii] https://abwe.org/blog/single-reason-most-missionaries-don-t-last-field-and-how-fix-it/

[iii] https://www.imb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ASR-2023-web.pdf

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3 things that make Oneida Baptist Institute great

Last week, hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students began a new school year at the Oneida Baptist Institute. I had the honor of preaching at the staff worship service as this team of dedicated servants prepared for the year to begin. As I participated in the service, I was reminded of three things that make Oneida Baptist Institute great.  

Oneida’s Mission Makes It Great

In 1900, James Anderson Burns opened a school in Oneida to bring Christian education to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The school’s mission statement later became “Education for Time and Eternity,” communicating the idea that they exist not just to educate students but to point them toward the giver of everlasting life. For over a century, OBI has taught countless numbers of boys and girls what it means to be a follower of Christ. While many students come from the local community, others are boarding students who come from across the state, nation, and world to attend Oneida Baptist Institute. These students receive a quality education, attend daily chapel services, and learn responsibility by working a job on campus. Students’ lives are being transformed because of the ministry of Oneida Baptist Institute.

Oneida’s Staff Makes It Great

The faculty and staff of Oneida Baptist Institute are truly missionaries in the mountains. A man named Ricky shared a testimony that several years ago he spent his vacation volunteering at OBI. Before the conclusion of the two weeks, the Lord called him to serve full-time at OBI. Like Ricky, every staff member has been called to this mission field. They range from long-term faithful servants like Denise Spender, who received recognition for 30 years of service to couples like Jacob and Anna who were experiencing their first day on the job. The entire staff is encouraged by the strong and humble leadership of President Larry Gritton. He is a special leader who frequently applauds the sacrifice and faithfulness of the people who make OBI a special place.

Oneida’s Donors Make It Great

During their opening worship service, a designated prayer time was held for friends and donors of the school. Since Martha Hogg’s gift in 1899 of 10 acres of land to build the school upon, God has used donors to play an important role in the life of OBI. Some gifts are small. One precious lady gave multiple times over a series of years and her gifts totaled less than a dollar. Other gifts are very large, like the former student who donated millions of dollars to construct a new dormitory. Still, every donor is equally celebrated. The faithfulness of its donors has allowed OBI to remain a bright light in the darkest of times.

Oneida Baptist Institute’s largest donor is the Kentucky Baptist Convention, giving over $7.5 million in Cooperative Program dollars to OBI in the past 20 years. Generous donors like the KBC have enabled local students to pay less tuition today ($0) than they did in 1900 ($1 a month). When your Kentucky Baptist church gives to the Cooperative Program you are helping provide Christian education to mountain children and boarding students at Oneida Baptist Institute.

With a great mission, dedicated staff, and generous volunteers, the Oneida Baptist Institute is a shining star of our cooperative work as Kentucky Baptists. Thousands of students whose lives have been transformed at the Oneida Baptist Institute would testify that we are #BetterTogether.

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I spent a day at Crossings: Here are 3 things that make it great

When I tell most people the name of my hometown, they give me a puzzled look. When Kentucky Baptists hear of my hometown, they respond with a grin.

Bagdad, Kentucky.

Bagdad serves as the home of the longtime Kentucky Baptist camp, Cedarmore. I grew up just a few miles from the camp and spent my childhood attending camps, retreats and other events on its campus. However, the Cedarmore of today far exceeds the Cedarmore of my youth.

At the kind invitation of Lance Howerton, I recently had the opportunity to spend an entire day at the Crossings Camp Cedarmore location. I wanted to soak in an entire day in the life of a camper, so I arrived early and stayed way past my bedtime to get that full Crossings Camp experience.

When I arrived on campus, I observed 697 campers and their chaperones busily making their way to and from breakfast. I learned this is a typical number of campers, as Crossings drew approximately 18,000 guests to their Cedarmore and Jonathan Creek locations over the course of the summer. As I drove past the church vans lining the parking areas, I noticed the diversity of the places they were from… Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan…. Panama City Beach, Florida!

What would prompt a church from Panama City Beach to drive 700 miles to Bagdad, KY, for summer camp? Furthermore, what is it that draws 18,000 campers from seventeen states to come to Crossings?

After spending a day at Crossings, I realized three important reasons people come here:

1. Servant Attitude

Crossings is the Chick-Fil-A of the summer camp world. Graciously serving others is infused into the minds of their entire staff. From the full-time, year-round staff to the summer college students, they exceed all expectations. Serving others is not just the logo on their shirt, it is the culture of the camp. The amazing summer staff work incredibly long hours, but they demonstrate joy in what they do. If your view of millennials is that they do not work hard, then you have not met the more than 50 college students serving at Crossings. They have learned well from full-time personnel like Lance Howerton, Seth York, Bert Lace and Mike Wolfzorn who find joy in meeting the needs of their guests.

2. Gospel Infusion 

Church leaders can be confident that when they bring their students to Crossings, they will repeatedly hear the gospel. The worship services, large group studies, small group studies and church connect times all work together to form a blanket of gospel saturation.

I even witnessed a summer staffer named Emma from Central Baptist in Winchester sharing the gospel as part of a cookie decorating class. The gospel is infused throughout the entire camp experience. The Lord has moved mightily in response to this focus and this summer Crossings has seen over 900 campers cross over from death to life by trusting Jesus as Savior. At least another 700 students surrendered their life to ministry. In their 23 year existence, Crossings has seen over 10,000 campers give their lives to Jesus.

3. Exciting Activities

Crossings has learned the balance of how to provide an abundance of gospel opportunities while facilitating many exciting activities. Students can choose from points of interest (POIs) such as zip lines, bazooka ball, archery tag, fishing, hiking and much more. The recreation lake is equipped with slides, zip lines over the water and my favorite—the blob. Campers have no shortage of activities to help make this one of the most enjoyable weeks of their year.

Kentucky Baptists can be proud of Crossings and the transformation that has occurred with Cedarmore and Jonathan Creek. When your church gives to the Cooperative Program, you help support this important ministry.

Excellent service, gospel infusion and exciting activities all add up to a camp where churches enthusiastically want to bring their students. Weeks fill up quickly and next summer may approach 20,000 campers. And it all takes place in Jonathan Creek and Bagdad, Kentucky.

Beat that, Panama City Beach.

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4 reasons to take your teens to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting

The blessing of attending this year’s SBC Annual Meeting was made even more special because I had the wonderful opportunity to attend with my wife and children. In the past, I have observed other pastors attending with their families and it encouraged us to involve our teenagers in this year’s gathering.

It was such a positive experience that I want to share four reasons why I think you should consider bringing your teens to future SBC Annual Meetings:

1. They Realize They are Not Alone. There is something about entering a convention hall with 10,000+ other Southern Baptists that helps a person realize the magnitude of being part of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Teenagers may at times wonder if there is anyone out there who believes like them but attending the SBC Annual Meeting helps remind them there are literally millions of Christians that support evangelical Christian values.

2. They Gain a Greater Understanding of the Cooperative Program. Hearing celebrations from missionaries, seminaries, church planters, and evangelism initiatives provides the opportunity to see how we are better together when we cooperatively fund ministries. Walking around the exhibition hall allowed my teens to converse with ministry representatives. An IMB missionary talked with my daughters for 20 minutes about future missionary opportunities. Sadly, every day we bury CP champions, and we need to do all we can to raise up a future generation of CP champions.

3. They Witness the Commissioning of International Missionaries. For me, the highlight of every SBC Annual Meeting is being involved in the commissioning of international missionaries. At this year’s meeting, 52 Christians were sent out by SBC churches through the IMB to help reach people in unreached people groups in some of the world’s most hostile places. Witnessing this moving service will hopefully leave an indelible mark on the lives of teenagers.

4. They Have an Opportunity to Participate. Southern Baptist polity gives each person an equal right to speak and vote on decisions of our convention. My teenager casting their ballot to vote carries the same power as that of a seminary president casting their ballot. While that may be scary for some, it is a beautiful picture that the Southern Baptist Convention is led by equal messengers and not a hierarchy of power.

*Bonus – this is not part of my list since my teens have not participated in it, but SBC offers Youth on Mission service opportunities for teens to help the local area. Hopefully, we will be able to check out those opportunities in the future.  Next year’s convention is in New Orleans. I hope to see you— and your family— there!

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5 reasons why I joined the Kentucky Baptist Convention staff

He plays with his eggs as he sits across the breakfast table from me. He is not going to eat them, but he does not know quite how to respond to the awkward silence. We have talked about sports and about our families but I know neither of those topics are what he really wanted to meet about. I can tell he wants to ask a question but is trying to determine if it is appropriate. Wanting to be gracious, I say, “I know you are wanting to ask me something so just ask.” He smiles and then blurts out a question I have heard multiple times: “So why did you leave a church you love to join the KBC?”

It is a fair question. For nearly 15 years I had the wonderful privilege of serving one of the great churches of our Kentucky Baptist Convention. The church was gracious to my family and generous in their support of me. I loved the people I served and the ministers I served with. It was exciting to see the church grow both in attendance and in their love for missions. I came to the church as an eager 27-year-old and was blessed to have a tremendous experience. Then, four months ago today, I left the pastorate to begin a new position with the KBC.

As I pondered his question, I could think of at least five reasons for why I left a wonderful church to join the Kentucky Baptist Convention staff.

Kentucky Baptists Have Impacted My Life

Many of the good things in my life are because of Kentucky Baptists. My family was first invited to church by a Kentucky Baptist Sunday School teacher. I was baptized by a faithful Kentucky Baptist pastor. I fell in love with preaching at a Kentucky Baptist camp. At 15 years old I preached my first sermon in a Kentucky Baptist pulpit. My first church mission trip was with a Kentucky Baptist ministry. I attended a Kentucky Baptist college. I was an evangelist supported by many Kentucky Baptist churches. My mentor is a former Kentucky Baptist Convention president. I am a devout Kentucky Baptist because of the investment they have made in my life. When approached with the opportunity, I considered it a great privilege to serve in a role to help my beloved Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Kentucky Baptists Demonstrate We are Better Together

I have always had a high view of partnership ministry. As a result, I was very proud that our church gave 11% annually to the Cooperative Program. I am convinced that we can do things together that we could never do alone. There is not a single church that could care for 800 foster children, plant dozens of churches, lead a robust disaster relief organization, distribute gospel materials to every home in our state, or place campus ministers on every major public university campus. Our partnership through the Kentucky Baptist Convention allows us to do all of this and much more. In a recent presentation to association leaders, Dr. Todd Gray reminded me of a quote by John Maxell that says, “We can go faster alone but further together.” I want to live my life pursuing the Great Commission and I believe the only way we can reach that goal is by working TOGETHER.

Kentucky Baptists Have an Influential Voice

Kentucky Baptists are the leading anti-abortion voices in our state. The Friends of Life KY Initiative, our advocacy for a constitutional amendment supporting life, and employing a journalist who writes exclusively on sanctity of life issues are all evidence of our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable of God’s creation. Additionally, when the state government threatened religious liberty, it was faithful Kentucky Baptists who rallied to make sure ministries like Sunrise Children’s Services were protected. The Kentucky Baptist Convention provides a needed prophetic voice in our commonwealth.

Kentucky Baptists Have Unrivaled Unity

We may not agree on everything, but by and large, Kentucky Baptists have done an excellent job of avoiding the divisions that some Christian groups experience. That is a monumental celebration in a state convention with 2,300+ churches led by a diverse group of pastors. Our unity allows our convention to focus on gospel ministry instead of putting out fires.

Kentucky Baptists Love Kentucky

When Kentucky has needs, Kentucky Baptists respond. When tornadoes devastated West Kentucky, Kentucky Baptists answered the call to help their hurting neighbors in a tremendous fashion. Generators were donated, chainsaw crews enlisted, meals prepared and generous financial gifts distributed because of faithful Kentucky Baptists. Each year, hundreds of hurting foster children from broken homes are cared for by Kentucky Baptists through our Sunrise Children’s Services agency. In Clay County, local children receive free Christian education because of our partnership with the Oneida Baptist Institute. Funds are distributed to help Ministry centers throughout our state serve people with food insecurities. We are a convention of churches who love the people of our state.

Conclusion

I loved serving as a pastor, and I now love serving as a member of the Kentucky Baptist Convention staff. At that breakfast table, my friend asked, “If you love the church so much, why did you join the KBC?” My response was, “I joined the KBC BECAUSE I love the Church so much.” This affection is not just for one singular local church, but rather, the broader church as a whole. I desire to see the church as the worldwide followers of God be strengthen, so that together, we can fulfill the Great Commission. I am glad to serve in my new role to play a small part in helping that happen.

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Will God ever judge me for my sin?

In 1999, Cornelius Anderson robbed the manager of a St. Charles, Missouri, Burger King at gunpoint when he was attempting to make the restaurant’s night deposit at a nearby bank. An eyewitness reported the armed robbery to police and Cornelius was soon arrested, convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Shortly after his conviction, he was released on bail while his appeal was being considered. Cornelius lost the appeal, but because of a clerical error he was never picked up and taken to prison. Apparently, the Missouri Department of Corrections mistakenly thought he was already incarcerated. 

Over the next 13 years, Cornelius Anderson lived a normal life. He got married, started a business, voted, and renewed his driver’s license. He went on living his life as if the conviction and sentence had never happened.

In July 2013—13 years after his conviction—Cornelius Anderson was scheduled to be released from prison. It was on his discharge date when the Missouri Department of Corrections realized he had never been in prison. A warrant was promptly issued for his arrest, and he was subsequently picked up by authorities.

His lawyer said he always told Cornelius this day was coming. He knew that eventually Cornelius would have to pay the penalty for his actions.

For many of us, because we may not receive swift punishment for our sin, we may wrongly assume that there will be no penalty for our sin. Like Cornelius, we may erroneously think that life is going well and that we have escaped judgment for our actions. However, just as his lawyer reminded Cornelius, the Bible reminds us that a day of judgment is coming.

Do not be fooled — just because God may delay the judgement for our sin, it does not mean he has eliminated the judgment for our sin. Peter wrote these words to remind us of the purpose for God’s delay:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 1 Peter 3:9-10

While God is patiently waiting for people to repent, we are still reminded that His judgment is imminent.

The good news is that there is a way for us to avoid punishment for our sin. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Lord accepts Christ’s atoning death on the cross as the payment for our sin. The debt accumulated for our sin is marked paid in full if we accept His redeeming work of grace.

So today, my brothers and sisters, do not keep living like the penalty our sin deserves will never be enforced. Rather, follow Christ, trust in Him for salvation from the coming judgment and encourage others to do the same!

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