The annual meeting of Southern Baptists known as the Southern Baptist Convention begins June 13. I found a few "Recommendations from the SBC Funding Study Committee" I thought you might find of interest.

Be sure to scroll to the end of this page to see some great ideas about encouraging your pastor to help with work outside of the church walls.

Perhaps one particular pastor would do well with these articles in light of upcoming speculation over the next president of the SBC:
>We know there will be one candidate for SBC president, Ronnie Floyd, the charismatic super-preacher who pastors the mammoth First Baptist Church of Springdale, Ark. Yet for all his flair in the pulpit and as a leader, Floyd has raised the ire of those who would champion the SBC's Cooperative Program (CP). First Springdale in 2005 gave a paltry .27 percent of its gazillion-dollar budget to the CP. It could not have come at a worse time. <
Link

For non-SBC intercessors, the Cooperative Program is the main way we as Southern Baptists do 'global work.' Together 42,000 SBC churches can do what we could never do individually. Try www.cpmissions.com for more information.

One day I'd like to do an experiment to see the relation between what an SBC church gives through the Cooperative Program and what her average member tithes. Churches that 'tithe' through the Cooperative Program, I would fair to guess, have members who tithe to their church. Chances are, too, that church members who give their churches a 'tip' are members of a church who 'tip' the Cooperative Program.

I wonder...what would it take to have a booklet published that listed all 42,000+ SBC churches with their total annual budgets and Cooperative Program receipts? I imagine the listing would be by largest percentage first (e.g., at 15% is First Anychurch, Anytown ZZ with membership of 800 had an annual budget of $1,000,000 and gave $150,000 through the Cooperative Program.)

And then this came in my Inbox:
Southern Baptist giving breaks Lottie Moon record, hits ‘historic’ high. 
WHOO-HOO!!! *THANK YOU!!* Be sure to read the article to see what makes this so exciting!

I'm glad to have you with us. Have an awesome week! May God find us listening more attentively to His voice this week as I am,

+ You prayed with us over the Day of Fasting and Praying for Egypt... those who attended stayed for the whole time and, wow, was it a blessing! *Thank you* for praying!

+ You joined us in praying that Jasmine would end well in her homeschooling as well as with her local school... Jasmine finished well with her A Beka "Jasmine Elementary" (math, 98.4; writing, 87.7; reading, 93.3; phonics, 98.9 for an overall score of 93.3). I think she's pretty much done with the local school since she's only going half a day now and then has three days of field trips before we leave. We won't receive her report card until sometime in July (?). She appears to have a good grasp of "first grade" work in English and Arabic and is looking forward to doing the same for second grade in September.

+ Jasmine asked for a good week being 7 and for God to give her what she needs to be 7 (sounds a little scary to be older and wants his guidance)... Jasmine says, "I'm having a great time being 7 and, yes, God has helped me be 7."

<T H I S  W E E K><

<>< Scott asks prayer to 'finish well' as our final full week unfolds. Pray specifically that Scott would experience closure.

<>< Shirin also wants to prepare our home for departure while receiving tranquility during pre-packing.

<>< Jasmine asks for safety for herself and her friends at school as they take field trips this week.

<* Pray for the Hui of China.><

CALENDAR UPDATES

<If you're not receiving our bimonthly snail-mail newsletter, let us know so we can send it to you!><

31, Pray for our neighbors to be saved.

* They have yet to make a positive decision for Jesus and are powerless against your intercession.

1-3, Pray for Shirin's mother to be saved.

* She'll be 76 soon, so please keep praying.

4-6, Pray for Jasmine during exams at her local school, June 3-10.

* She didn't have any exams but got out of school after half a day. She also had finished Jasmine Elementary (A Beka homeschool) and found the 'extra time' challenging.

One Minute Monthly Mission Mentor

May 2006 Turning on pastors to missions.

This should likely have been written in October - Pastors appreciation month.

God calls men to be pastors. They have one of the most difficult jobs on earth. Love them. Care for them. Encourage them. They know they are not perfect - but they use the gifts and abilities God has given them as best they can.

If your pastor is not keen on missions - don't criticize, don't be negative, and never be a missions pest. Pastors are most often more ignorant of missions than opposed to it. In many of our leading Bible colleges there are no required missions courses for pastors. A.C.M.C. staff writing on this report they have only found two colleges with courses for future pastors on how to lead a local church in missions. So be proactive. Here are some suggestions.

Pray for your pastor - that God will help him develop meaningful relationships with some missionaries.

Provide your pastor with a good book on missions. (Never more than one book at a time because he has many books to read.) Also provide mission prayer information. Such as "Let the nations be glad." "Eternity in their hearts" or "Key to the missionary problem."

If you find a good illustration on missions - make a copy for him and give it to him for his "illustration file for sermons."

Pay for him to attend a good missions conference - such as A.C.M.C. (find course on their web site at www.acmc.org) or Urbana, or a perspectives course.

Send your pastor overseas is a great idea. For at least 3 reasons. It provides pastor with missions education, pastor can encourage the missionaries and it gives pastor first hand knowledge of the challenges missionaries face as well as their needs.

The ideas your pastors has for missions - support them and work with them, always affirming all the pastor does for missions. And always seek and receive permission and endorsement for all mission activities. (Don't try and work around your pastor)

Someone has said - it's more important to get on your pastor's team than to get him on your team."

In Tom Telford's book "Missions in the 21st century - he writes on page 67 "You'll never find a missions minded church, without a missions minded pastor."

God bless and guide you as you encourage and help your pastor to be a missions minded pastor. [ Return to Top ]