ABA Mission Policy
The following is copied as sent without any re-editing from yours truly except for some spatial concerns (empty lines, etc.). I believe that this proposed change could solve many of our problems and prevent possible tax & legal problems from occuring on a national level. This would also allow a missionary to designate support for housing, medical, etc. instead of just all salary. Anyway, read over this proposed change and let me know what you think.
PROPOSED CHANGES TO MISSION POLICY
Be it resolved that the Mission Policy of the American Baptist Association be amended by the changes listed below.
CHANGES TO THE MISSION POLICY
SECTION l
Page 223 of Year Book
June 19, 20, 21 – 2007
POLICY FOR THE MISSIONARIES
Section 1 changed to read
1. Each supported missionary must have an endorsement from the
church of his membership. The Missionary may not be the
pastor of his endorsing church, except in the case of a National
Missionary as provided for in Section III, Article 3. In the event
a missionary moves his membership from his sponsoring church
between annual sessions, his endorsement stops, and he must be
endorsed as a new missionary by his new church at the following
annual session.
2. Each missionary may be recommended to receive no-designated
support or designated funds.
3. Each missionary asking for non- designated support or
designated funds must submit an itemized monthly financial
report and a quarterly statistical report to his sponsoring
church, which shall in turn send a report to the Secretary-
Treasurer of Missions using forms supplied by the office of the
Secretary-Treasurer.
Page 226
SECTION 5
1. “Delete” (This should be left up to the sponsoring
church.)
2. Support for endorsed missionaries.
A. The dollar amount of support for missionaries shall be
recommended by the Missionary Committee
annually and approved by the messengers when
meeting in regular annual session.
B. Support shall be paid July 1 through June 30.
C. Support and designated funds shall be dispersed
between the 20th and 25th of each month. Reports
from supported missionaries must be received
before support checks are issued.
D. “Delete”
E. No change
F. Any supported missionary whose endorsement is
discontinued or who is recommended and does not
receive a re-endorsement from the assembly for
the following year shall receive one additional
month’s support from the time of his endorsement
being discontinued.
G. In the event of the death of a supported
missionary, his support shall be given to his
widow or dependent children
for the ensuing six – month period.
H. In the event a supported missionary is disabled,
either by illness or accident and has to resign the
mission field, his support may be continued for six
months upon a request from his sponsoring
church.
3. Time on mission field for Supported Missionaries.
A. Interstate Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay..
B. Foreign Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay. In addition,
Foreign Missionaries shall be permitted a six-
month furlough every four years with pay.
C. National Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay.
Done by order of Heritage Baptist Church, Missouri City Texas, May 25, 2008.
Dr. Charles A. Murphy Sr. - Pastor
Lela Burgess - Church Clerk
Be it resolved that the Mission Policy of the American Baptist Association be amended by the changes listed below.
CHANGES TO THE MISSION POLICY
SECTION l
Page 223 of Year Book
June 19, 20, 21 – 2007
POLICY FOR THE MISSIONARIES
Section 1 changed to read
1. Each supported missionary must have an endorsement from the
church of his membership. The Missionary may not be the
pastor of his endorsing church, except in the case of a National
Missionary as provided for in Section III, Article 3. In the event
a missionary moves his membership from his sponsoring church
between annual sessions, his endorsement stops, and he must be
endorsed as a new missionary by his new church at the following
annual session.
2. Each missionary may be recommended to receive no-designated
support or designated funds.
3. Each missionary asking for non- designated support or
designated funds must submit an itemized monthly financial
report and a quarterly statistical report to his sponsoring
church, which shall in turn send a report to the Secretary-
Treasurer of Missions using forms supplied by the office of the
Secretary-Treasurer.
Page 226
SECTION 5
1. “Delete” (This should be left up to the sponsoring
church.)
2. Support for endorsed missionaries.
A. The dollar amount of support for missionaries shall be
recommended by the Missionary Committee
annually and approved by the messengers when
meeting in regular annual session.
B. Support shall be paid July 1 through June 30.
C. Support and designated funds shall be dispersed
between the 20th and 25th of each month. Reports
from supported missionaries must be received
before support checks are issued.
D. “Delete”
E. No change
F. Any supported missionary whose endorsement is
discontinued or who is recommended and does not
receive a re-endorsement from the assembly for
the following year shall receive one additional
month’s support from the time of his endorsement
being discontinued.
G. In the event of the death of a supported
missionary, his support shall be given to his
widow or dependent children
for the ensuing six – month period.
H. In the event a supported missionary is disabled,
either by illness or accident and has to resign the
mission field, his support may be continued for six
months upon a request from his sponsoring
church.
3. Time on mission field for Supported Missionaries.
A. Interstate Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay..
B. Foreign Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay. In addition,
Foreign Missionaries shall be permitted a six-
month furlough every four years with pay.
C. National Missionaries shall be given a three-week
leave of absence annually with pay.
Done by order of Heritage Baptist Church, Missouri City Texas, May 25, 2008.
Dr. Charles A. Murphy Sr. - Pastor
Lela Burgess - Church Clerk
Posts
9 comments:
According to second-hand information that I received, Bro. Murphy would have like to added an eight-year maximum time frame for supporting a missionary in ONE location. However, it seems this was "pulled" so that the rest of the proposed changed could be passed. Once again, this is second-hand information, and it would be best for you to call Bro. Murphy to verify.
Matt,
There are some things I like about this, but it does not address the fundamental problem of churches requesting financial support from the association without contributing anything to the association. No church should have the audacity to expect other churches to financially support their mission efforts if they are not going to contribute to the work themselves.
I would like to see an arrangement similar to Interstate Mission Development or Texas Mission Development. Churches who want to participate must contribute financially. Only contributing churches may request funds or vote on how to disburse the funds.
I know that people will howl and cry that such an arrangement is an infringement upon the autonomy of independent churches, but such an objection rings hollow. I've never once read an article in the Monitor critical of the arrangement by TMD or IMD. In fact, they are usually celebrated and folks are encouraged to contribute.
Noah
Wow....who needs a mission board?
Let's all get together and tell all the local churches what to do...
It seems to work for every other baptist organization...
Why not us?
I am a little confused about #2 concerning someone recommended for no designated funds (could just be my culture shock flaring up). Is that saying that a church can not send money specifically to him? Also, I would hate to limit and missionary to only 6 months paid furlough every four years. I think it would be better to leave that a little more flexible as well as the amount of vacation. Maybe just leave it up to the sending church. THanks for sharing, I had not heard of this proposed change.
Jason,
I too am a little confused by that no-designated funds statement but thought it would be better to put it as it was given to me. I don't believe there is a change in the furlough agreement, but I have no problem with your suggestion.
Noah,
I know where you are coming from, but I do have a question. And this is serious because it will affect a lot of churches. Let's say a church supports a missionary that is listed on the "ABA Poster," however, instead of sending the money to Texarkana, the money is sent directly to the missionary's church. How would such a church then be viewed as far as voting, etc. I believe it is quite a sticky issue. On one hand, you could argue they are not supporting the program, however, on the other hand, they could argue they are but they just send the money to the local church. I'm not sure what the answer is. Of course, I do agree that someone should not expect help and not be willing to do anything themselves. That type of welfare system is what has gotten us into trouble in the first place. Yet, this proposed change does give some really good latitude for a church designating what a missionary's housing allowance, medical allowance, etc. can be versus all salary.
Also, if the salary is viewed as being paid by "Texarkana" then how does the IRS see all this? Does "Texarkana" take out the Social Security, etc.? Of course, ideally, this should be done at a local level, but...
I know some of these questions are hypothetical or maybe reaching, but I feel they are real concerns that we may need to deal with one day.
Matt,
First, thanks for posting this and having the conversation.
Second, if we are going to do associated work, people have to associate not just with their opinions but with their sleeves rolled up and working together. In this case that means showing up at the meetings, giving money, and lending a hand when needed.
Brother Tom,
Some days I think having a mission board would be nice. Then I see what happens in the SBC and I think not so much.
This is not a mission board. This is a way for fellowshipping churches to work together. But fellowshipping churches must actually work together and be contributing members if we are going to have an association.
Instead of traveling all over the country and meeting, we could use the internet and meet over the web. Ooohhh...that would be cool and cost effective!
But I guess it wouldn't be as much fun yelling to your computer as it is yelling at your "brother."
Hahaha...
I have spent some time this week, looking at this proposal and here is my take. Since it is alot of changes it will not get passed. If I was a betting man, which I'm not, (unless the price is right ha!ha!), I would suspect that it gets a motion and second but the parliamentarians will step in and kill it before it can be voted on. I think it will probably not even really get discussed at the meeting, except in the hallway. It all sounds fine to me but I think it is to much to get passed at one time.
Hey Noah, you have a great idea. I have been thinking about this for a long time.
It could be beneficial for someone to form a "church planting fellowship" and allow only participating churches to be involved in the process of church planting. This would involve much more than writing a check. It would involve serious and planned action in achieving church planting in an organized manner.
We have only started 12 new works in the USA this past associational year. Two were churches from splits; Eight were started as missions; Two were started as churches. Three churches closed their doors and several missions didn't make it off of the ground (not all the info is in on closed works). This is most dismal.
Big J is probably right. Not much will be done after the parliamentarians and debaters get through with it all.
I'm not sure that I really understand these proposed changes. There is so little that has changed it is nearly imperceptible except for "support" versus "salary". Maybe I'm missing something very sublte.
Removing the 80-20 support stipulation will only create the need for salaried missionaries to raise more support through deputation. So I'm not sure this is going to solve anything, except get some of the duds off of welfare.
I believe we need to focus on a serious effort at organized church planting. We need to develop a church planting fellowship. Not separate from the ABA, but within the ABA much like IMD, etc. When we get focused on what we are supposed to do and invite others of like mind I believe we will move out of this sorry situation we have gotten into.
If my church started a "church planting fellowship" would you guys be interested in joining it?
What do you think?
David
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