IFB Missions boards

The function is generally to provide a service to a group of churches. It serves as an administrative board to help with planning, entry, and field support for missionaries. Some probably do take some of the missionary's support but most do not, as I understand it. I think most make support of the board an option for the missionary.

As for a board going under for being $700 in the hole, that doesn't seem right. It might be a small board but I can't imagine most would go under for want of $700.

 

T_N_R,

The function, as I understand it, includes several items:
1. To screen potential applicants and ensure their preparation and readiness for the field.
2. To provide wisdom for their period of deputation so they can get to the field as quickly as possible, including introducing them to churches that may be willing to provide support.
3. To help them prepare to minister in the culture and language they'll be immersed in.
4. To serve as a liaison between churches and missionaries when needed.
5. To teach the missionaries how to maintain good standing with foreign governments.

That list probably isn't exhaustive, but it's a start.

I'd be curious to know what board is in trouble, if you don't mind PMing me. I can see where $700 a month could be a big hit to a budget.

 

As a "national" pastor being on the receiving end of many IFB missionaries from a variety of boards I can tell you this aspect of Mission board service is usually a joke! Except it isn't funny.

 

You know them so well, Dr. Bob!

 

Phillippines is one of those countries where money moves quite easily - Corruption demands it

Any missionary willing to walk for a few days can get his money there unless he's on one of the far far southern islands south of Cotobato (sp)

Plus American worship is still prevalent there - even George W. Bush cant wipe it out entirely

 

Fair enough. I don't mean to verify their success, just to relay a stated purpose. I do believe that some boards are much better than others.

 

I have a question. can anyone show me a missions board in the Bible? wasnt everything done through the local church?

 

Yes, it was done through the local church and I believe it should still be done that way. We have a 'Missionary Committee' in our church that takes care of sending the offerings we give (for that purpose) to the many, many missionaries that we support each month as well as keeping up correspondance with them.


Sue

 

Mission boards are generally the pooled resources of a number of churches, and provide a service to the churches. Our church for instance, would not be able to act as a mission board for a missionary. It takes considerable knowledge and resources to do that. We do however, use mission boards as our servant to support missionaries.

 

I am most familiar with Baptist Bible Fellowship, International (BBFI), in Springfield, Mo. USA.

1. Does not require any missionary or supporting church to give them any money whatsoever. This is a voluntary thing on the part of each one. Most missionaries will designate a small portion of their support for the missions office, and our church designates $25.00 per month for them.

Less than 2% of monies given to missions goes to "administrative overhead" so that the bulk is going to actually help the spread of the Gospel. I have heard of some large organizations where the majority of the missions money goes to the "Home Office"

2. Does not tell the missionary where to serve. That is God's job, and He can do it better than any man or group.

3. Does provide an immense amount of help to Missionaries, not just in helping them with the financial part of things.

It is helpful to the missionaries to receive one large payment in the month in a form that they can readily use in the country where they serve, instead of many small checks that they then have to have individually converted into local currency. Or worry about them getting "lost" in the mail (often stolen).

They also provide many other services, including helping with legal matters, which can be tricky in any foreign country.

4. Does check out the missionary, and reccommend them to churches. Each church still makes its own decision on whether or not to support, and how much money. Even with this process, occaisionally a "bad egg" will get through .

This is not all, but covers the basics.

 

RE:baptisteacher;

Our church supports only those missionaries sent from local churches. This is how they are screened. The pastor of the local church recommends them, they send suppporting churches periodic updates, and when they return on furlough they report to their supporting churches. Do we ever get bad missionaries? yes no system is perfect. Do missin boards do a 100% job of screening missionaries? Well, I know from experience that BBFI doesn't.

1. None of the missions money goes for admin, that is part of the general fund budget. All of our miisons money is used for missions.

3. For the missionaries sent from our church, their check is deposited in their foreign account each month, in their local banl in the country in which they are serving so there is no need for the missionary to convert anything.

$. No mission board can sreen missionaries as well as a local pastor, without the recommendation of a local pastor a missionary should not even think of going to the mission field. Who knows better than a pastor the spiritual health of a missionary? How can a mission board effectively screen anyone? Do they have one on one interviews where men can lie. Do they require a written statement in which men can say wht the bordwants to hear? A missionary does not even present his field in our church without the recommendation of a local church pastor, whom we know and trust!

Can u see wher the local church is gfar better equipped to support missionaries than any board possoibly can..

Boards are for churches unwilling to do the work God has given them. Yes it is burdensome to do it God's way, but he provides. The excuse that you do not have the means to send missionaries directly is an excuse for slovenliness. Does a board control your church finances? Do you have treasurer, or do you hire an outside accounting firm to do your church finances?

We were sending when the boards were telling us our missionaries would not be allowed into the country without a board.

Excuse me but God opens the doors, not some man made board.

 

Clarification.

The BBFI does not send out missionaries, they are all sent out by a local Baptist church. I neglected to mention that point. Thanks for bringing it up, as this is very important. Before the missionary is considered by the Missions Office, they must be reccomended by their own local church.
BBFI is not a missions board, but a clearinghouse. I will admit that they do some of the functions of a missions board.

 

BBFI takes upon itself to reject those recommended by local churcjes. Read their bylaws. If a church is led to send out a missionary no board has the authority to reject them. BBFI is not just a clearing house. A member of a church a few years ago was rejected by the "clearing house" because he ha too many children to go to the mission field. We support a missionary, not the one mentioned previously, sent by a local church that has 8 children and he is doing just fine, winning souls starting churches and he has eight helpers who are involved in the work, not a hindrance to the work. BBFI is anything BUT a clearing house, if u think otherwise you are deceived.

Local church sent is still the only say as it is God"s way

Acts 13:1-3