Support Our Missionaries in Prayer and Financial Support
Baptists have long associated together for one
primary and outstanding purpose:
To support our missionaries - so that with them we can together serve to
fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord. One church cannot support
all the missionaries' needs - personal, professional, and emergency - by itself.
That bit of wisdom has long been one that has been taught since Paul the
Apostle. So we come together, not to be under the authority of any other
body, but to voluntarily contribute our individual church mission budgets with
other churches' to support more missionaries in more lands with more needs.
Satan will sew suspicion whenever and wherever he can. Whenever we are obediently and effectively serving to carry out the Great Commission Satan increases his sabotage. One of his favorite strategies is also the meaning of his name: Deceiver. The way to counter this is God's instruction to "Speak the Truth in Love." Let us communicate openly and frankly.
If you have reservations about the direction and support of our missionaries, I would invite you to converse with me or with John Grisham. News media are businesses that are in the business for profit. Higher profits are raised with the raising of the amount of advertising dollar. Advertising dollars are raised when larger audiences are reached. Larger audiences are reached when the news is made sensational. Reporting of Religious News is never done unless it is sensational or the 'scent' of division and discord is sensed. In short, please don't make any decisions about your mission monies based on the evening news presentations or magazine articles.
Instead, ask those who know. Contact John Grisham at the Regional Office (217) 525-1386. He would be glad to discuss any questions and concerns with you.
Any of our churches is able to choose to choose one of those missionaries as "special interest" missionaries. See the leadership of your American Baptist Women's Ministries. They will help the church by introducing the church to those missionaries through presentations, mail and electronic mail communications, and special day emphases.
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