Some weeks ago, news reports stated the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention was planning on reducing the number of missionaries around the world as well as the number on staff in the USA. Just before leaving Knoxville for the 2015 ICOM in Richmond, VA , The Wall Street Journal ran an article with the following headline, “Cash-Strapped Missionaries Get a New Calling: Home.”
The gist of the article was confirmation of past reports; years of over-spending have depleted the reserves of the IMB. In spite of the fact that giving has begun to recover, with 2014 seeing a significant increase, spending still exceeded income by some $21 million. A new strategy has been deemed necessary with the plan calling for 600-800 cuts. Many older missionaries are being asked to take early retirement. One veteran Southern Baptist missionary said, “As Christianity spreads, people in the pews are asking if it still makes sense to send American preachers to foreign countries. ‘Why would I pay for an American to go to Sri Lanka when I can send an Indian?’ he said. ‘Americans are more expensive.'”
While away at the ICOM, our office received a letter from a congregation letting us know that we would no longer be receiving mission support. The letter was dated September 23, but not mailed until late October. It was a mimeographed letter, without any personalization or direct reference to Mission Services. Therefore, I am guessing that other ministries were also targeted for elimination from the congregation’s budget. We were never warned of this possibility. The reason for the decision was stated, “We are compelled to partner with missions that are directly reaching the unreached.” (emphasis in the original)
We are grateful for the support this congregation has provided. While we are disappointed with their decision, Mission Services was never “owed” their support. We believe that the reasoning is flawed, because God uses the missions network to reach people more than 17,000 times each day in over 100 nations each month. Many of those ARE unreached! However, this congregation is simply responding to the same economic influences others face and making choices accordingly.
What can we do? PRAY. Let’s always begin with prayer. Seeking the wisdom of the Almighty is far better than starting to make our plan. Our planning time will come, but not until we have asked God for His wisdom. We can all make the same decisions about how we spend our personal funds. I have no guilt trip to place upon your shoulders, just a suggestion that (beginning with me) we all ask what is important, what is necessary, and what can we live without. Our homes, our congregations, our favorite ministries, and world missions are all affected by the same circumstances of life. May God bless all of us with a spirit of generosity. You think about that!
