I Am Debtor: Urgent Need: Solutions for the Coming Missionary Support Crisis

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

One thing I see as weak in this observation is that it relies on US dollars for missionaries. If we network with mission agencies globally, doesn't that help balance out the equation?

Last year I upped my support 12% to a family in Europe to keep my giving effectively the same. Wouldn't the reverse be true from another country whose currency is not losing value like ours?

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

Don't most countries also rise and fall with the dollar - not all, but a good many. I suppose the writer of the article had to have some sort of standard to make the number values meaningful.

One thing that might be encouraging in this area is that slowly, but surely, some other countries besides the USA and a few others are sending and self-supporting missionaries. It's nowhere near what that needs to be, but the dependency or expectation is lessening some. Some examples, South Korea, Philippines, China.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

We talked over a year ago about that, and I sent out resumes to lots of organisations. My kids can run my business, and I'm available for just travel costs to start export agricultural ventures anywhere that would help missionaries. Ten years of the best experience possible, Latin American, Africa and Oceana, with the requisite education. None even contacted me back!

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Tim Vaughan
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian, OPC,
Santa Maria
California

Hmmm... I know I thought about it, but didn't have the airfare costs. I'd love to show you some of the weird fauna here and the HUGE pitcher pot plants!

-----Added 7/21/2009 at 09:36:02 EST-----

Yes, I have worked with some South Korean missionaries. If you want to start another thread about the quality and nature of these missionaries, I could list my experience thus far in dealing with them. I still think there is a huge need for Westen missionaries and that we still have much to offer the world (and even these other countries as they begin to, themselves, send our their own missionaries.

I think sending single men would not be a good requirement/sacrifice. I am sure they are able, but I also think it would be good for them to have their helpmeet.
Other than that, your bulleted points present good ideas. I like supporting less with more money and income producing ministries.

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Shalom,
jessi
PCA
Steelers fan exiled to Virginia


“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
Martin Luther

I also don't think sending singles is the answer. Those were the answers on the website, not mine. Being a family man makes one more trusted in most contexts.

If you'll take my kids for a few months I'll be happy to support you for the duration.

(They're driving my wife and me up the wall tonight...)

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Ben
Chaplain, US Army
Ft. Riley, KS
TE Ohio Valley Presbytery, PCA

Have any of your churches decreased their budgets for their pastors? Have any dropped or lessened their giving to missions this apst year?

So far, we haven't had to cut missions support. Our budget is essentially the same place it was about 4 years ago, so increases in fixed costs have had to be offset by reduction in expenses in other areas. Reduction in staffing last year, and relocating offices from rented space to classrooms has covered most of that.

(One exception - church planting is a fixed percentage of the budget. So in years when giving has gone down, giving to church planting automatically is adjusted for the next year).

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Edward
Deacon
PCA
Texas

I just had a church where the pastor took a 20% pay cut, because they were dedicated not to decrease the missions budget even a cent. Wow, I felt bad upon hearing this, but it did remind me how faithful and self-sacrificing many churches are.

Very pragmatic and no focus on prayer. We're a small church, but we WANT to be involved in missions. We can't afford to support missionaries as a church right now. Some individuals may be able to pick it up. But we're committed to maintaining support to the one missionary we do support financially. And we DO pray. While financial support is necessary, which is more important? Would a missionary rather raise more prayer support or financial support? Where does our confidence rest? That helps me to determine what missionary I would support either way.

As for the dollar changing, no, other currencies do not rise and fall with the dollar. Many go the opposite direction. When the dollar was down to the lower seventies missionaries to Europe were hit hard because the Euro rose in value at the same time. This varies around the world according to the local currency. These things should be taken into consideration and adjustments made if possible.

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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org

I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS

We had a missions report today during SS that was a description of one teen's trip to India with 3 other teens, where they were permitted to preach at a Church and on one occasion witnessed to a young muslim girl who was then sent away by her family because of her interaction with them. He was relieved that he and his buds didn't experience any repurcussions for that incident.

The other was a 'travelogue' of a group of 10 or so who went to Kenya for a week to have a party for an orphanage, paint some buildings and playground equipment, Oh, and to put on a one day health clinic wherein they treated 400 but had to turn 200 away. Lots of video of singing and dancing and Christians in their natural habitat that then segued nicely into a segment of wildlife vids. It was hard to distinguish when the mission ended and the safari began.

A great time was had by all.

Particularly the little girl who was approached by untrained American teens with no concept of the dangers she now faces for having spoken to them, and the orphans who were blessed with a trove of gifts ranging from balloons, knit ski caps (for those cold African winters), and velcro yard games from a group of folks whose per capita airfare exceeds the per capita income of the nation in which the poor kids live.

If this is the arrogant, self-absorbed face of American missions giving, those poor saints could probably do better without it.

Kind of the equivalent of a band of non-english-speaking Swedes arriving in stretch limos to one of our Churches to allow their teens gaze at our comparatively spartan lifestyles so they would go home with a greater appreciation of their own blessings and perhaps a desire kindled to help us less fortunate "little brothers". And maybe we'd surrender our pulpit to one of their teens, since they are obviously qualified by simple dint of birth in a vastly more blessed and godly nation.

Please just send the money to Pergs and Raj.

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Brad
Member- Eagle Heights PCA
Winchester, VA

Pro 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Teens?

Untrained?

Yikes . . .

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Ronda Rush
Church of the Redeemer
Independent Reformed
California


" . . .It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

Prayer IS support.

As is personal letters/emails and encouragement.

Short term missions CAN be profitable if the right people go for the right reason and are focused in the right way. Most long-term missionaries have been on at least one short-term trip says one study. However, another study says that even though the rate of short-term trips have risen, there has not yet been a corresponding rise in long-term missionaries going.

Yes, ipod-toting teens are an insult to poor national church leaders as they try to evangelize their own people.


No need to send support to me. I just blew 500 USD on books and commentaries. I am obviously not starving right now and feel bad for this excessive spending of mine (kinda...I am ambivalent). I long to help Raj, however, and I pray for the Dalit (sp?) people of India often. I wonder why I bought a commentary when I could have sent the money his way.

Don't know if this was mentioned, but how about training ppl within their own country to be missionaries to their own country?....that would cut down on expenses and would be more successful i think!

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sarah
WI
OPC
My Pastor's Sermons: Mark Jenkins...he's awesome!!!

I understand what you mean but try saying that to a country or people group without their own Bible or hardly any laborers to teach and train. Long-term missions should embody 2 Tim. 2:2 anyway; the point is to put people in a position to train their own people for the work of ministry.

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Andrew Thornquist My Photo Album
Calvinistic Baptist
Ukiah, California
To follow Christ was the best decision God made for me!

Missions-wise, I like what some Reformed Baptist groups are doing like the PB's own Bob Gonzales with RB Seminary. They have developed a "Marrow of Theology" program and are deploying seminary professors to places like the Dominican Republic (and now in South America) to train large numbers of students at once. ARBCA is also sending men to train others in South America.

While some would disagree, I see some distinct advantages in this approach in terms of cost, reach, effectiveness in supporting the development of truly indigenous churches, and supporting seminary students to remain with their families.

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~Pastor Chris Powell~
Covenant Baptist Church, Toronto
Church Website: www.covenantbaptistchurch.com
Team Blog:www.ardentcries.com

Most long term missionaries ARE pursuing this strategy. But before the fire starts and burns on its own, there has to be a set of matches as a catalyst to light the flame (a long term missionary) and there isn't even enough of them.

We need more of BOTH, long-term residential missionaries AND trained indigenous workers. I focus heavily on working with and through nationals. But I am also seeing the needs (and it makes my heart ache) due to a lack of long-term residential missionaries from the US.

P.s. We could use more nurses, too!

-----Added 8/31/2009 at 12:06:37 EST-----

Leadership training is good. But without a long-term on-the-ground presence, any quick modular/weekend training program is less effective. Jesus and his disciples travelled and even ministered together.

The ideal would be a perm. missionary presence among a group of indigenous evangelists, who would help mentor and coach these evangelists on a day-to-day basis as the evangelists go out and labor or as the missionary and evangelists together go out and labor together and help coach one another (i.e. a partnership).

-----Added 8/31/2009 at 12:08:22 EST-----

P.s. it is wise not to pull Third World pastors out of their ministry contexts to sit in a classroom in the First World. Taking the lessons to them is a good strategy, although it is STILL done in a classroom and not "on the ground."

Yes!

This seems to contradict the first one and I'd rather go with the first one. It seems a bit like the HIV advice - "Abstain, but use a condom if you do have sex".

No. As another wrote, you may want to pray for them. Also you may hear from God whether to support them.

I've chosen to not have the time(!) to read the article and can guess two meanings of this. a) Missionaries who are self-supporting (like me), so, unsurprisingly, I'd say yes, God provides more than adequately or b) missionaries who stay where they are and make it their vocation to make a lot of money for use in mission. The man gifted in business AND a heart for the lost. I first heard this idea from Rick Warren and I think it's a great one, for some people to make that their vocation just as much as a missionary. I would also suggest that if people don't have huge money-making skills, they can (as a vocation) live as missionaries (often) do and give the savings.

I don't think this is good. Without my wife I'd be a tenth of the man I am and you're right in your subsequent comment that a single man is not trusted as much; in fact he would not be understood.

I would add the thought that, contrary to the political reality of this world, the political reality of our kingdom is not that money makes a campaign succeed. All money belongs to God; we do our best to be faithful in the resources he provides and He is able to bless both us through that and order the progress of the war to a certain conclusion. We should never lose sight of that.

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Paul
No denomination, affiliated with FIEC
"Deliver me from worldly dispositions, for I am born from above and destined for glory" - Valley of Vision
"They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation" - Peter