IMB suspends short-term assignments, reduces new appointments

5/21/2009
By Shawn Hendricks and Erich Bridges

DENVER, Colo. (BP)--In response to reduced giving during the current economic downturn, International Mission Board trustees approved suspending new appointments to the International Service Corps and Masters programs at their May 19-20 meeting in Denver, Colo.
The IMB also will reduce the number of new appointments to its career, apprentice and associate programs. New appointments will continue on a more selective basis, involving the most strategic assignments.
Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt, who spoke at the meeting, contended Southern Baptists will respond in this crisis.
“It is not acceptable in my heart that we can have missionaries in the pipeline and need to tell them we can’t send them,” he said. “I believe that the people of God will rise to the occasion.”
But he also noted: “We will have a significant reduction (of missionary appointments) in 2010 … unless Southern Baptists respond.”
This comes after a year when Southern Baptists sent out 1,088 new missionaries through the IMB, and at a time when the number of people responding to a call to international missions is high.
“Today, we have more candidates knocking on our door and downloading our applications than ever before,” said Paul Chitwood, IMB trustee chairman.
“Yet on this day when God has answered our prayers for workers for His harvest, lack of funding has forced us to temporarily suspend categories for service.”
Trustees had tears in their eyes as they approved the recommendations to suspend and reduce missionary sending.
SUSPENSION DETAILS
The suspension of new assignments to the ISC and Masters programs will take effect immediately and continue until further review in early 2010.
The ISC Program is designed for Southern Baptists age 21 and over who wish to serve two- or three-year terms abroad; the Masters Program is for people age 50 and over.
More than 800 ISC and Masters missionaries currently working overseas will continue their service.
Other short-term programs — the Journeyman Program and “2-plus-2” — will continue, but new appointments will be limited to the most strategic assignments.
The Journeyman Program sends 20-something, single college graduates overseas for two years. The “2-plus-2” Program involves two years of seminary study and two years of missionary service abroad.
These adjustments are vital since 70 percent of the organization’s budget and financial resources go toward the support of missionary personnel, said IMB officials.
RIDING OUT THE STORM
This past fall IMB trustees adopted a $319.8 million budget for 2009 — $10 million of which was earmarked to offset the rising cost of support for the missionaries already on the field.
The 2009 budget made no provision for an increase in the number of missionaries. Rising numbers of Southern Baptists have offered their lives for mission service in response to a call they sense from God. The number who want to go — and are qualified — keeps growing, but there are not enough funds to support them.
FALLING SHORT
The results for the 2008 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions are still being collected and will be released in a few weeks. However, early projections show that the offering is expected to fall short of the $150 million received in 2007.
Investment losses, a slight downturn in Southern Baptist Cooperative Program giving and harsh economic conditions also have taken a toll on IMB funding.
“The economic recession has had an impact on every facet of our nation, including Southern Baptists and our churches, and our overall income is not unaffected,” IMB treasurer David Steverson told the trustees.
“The overall economy contributed to a decrease in nearly every income category.”
Though significant adjustments will be necessary to meet future needs, Steverson remains optimistic.
“The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Cooperative Program have held up dramatically well when you consider everything happening in our economy,” he said.
“We must be about our Father’s business,” he added. “[God] has given us a task, a mission and we must remain faithful to what He has called us to do.”
HONORING REGIONAL LEADERS
Trustees recognized 11 regional leaders who have guided the work of the organization across the globe in recent years. Most will move into new roles under a reorganization taking effect in July.
“These field leaders have been a major factor in getting us to where we are today,” said Jerry Rankin, president of the IMB.
“Their vision and passion for the peoples of their region, their strategic thinking, influence and relationship skills … enabled them to serve the IMB and Southern Baptists effectively and advance God’s kingdom.”
In other business, trustees voted to cancel the July 10-11 trustee meeting in light of the economic situation. An official decision will be made in the coming days. The July 12 appointment service will still be held in Lebanon, Ohio.
And:
- appointed 101 new missionaries at Riverside Baptist Church in Denver.
- received a report that $2,110,310.96 in Hunger and General Relief Funds had been used for 82 projects. A total of $1,673,163.10 was released to support world hunger needs, $381,726.86 to support general relief needs and $55,421 to support four 2004 tsunami relief projects. Of these 82 projects, 50 supported community development ministries and 32 supported disaster relief efforts.
- elected officers for 2009-2010. Chairman: Paul Chitwood, Mount Washington, Ky.; first vice chairman, Simon Tsoi, Phoenix, Ariz.; second vice chairman, Steve Swofford, Rockwall, Texas; and secretary, Debbie Brunson, Jacksonville, Fla.
The next board meeting is planned for Sept. 15-16 in Jacksonville, Fla., where an appointment service is scheduled at First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Sept. 16.
Shawn Hendricks and Erich Bridges are writers with the International Mission Board.

Hunt says take off the gloves, Rankin challenges Baptists to adjust priorities

Hunt says take off the gloves, Rankin challenges Baptists to adjust priorities5/21/2009
By Shawn Hendricks

DENVER, Colo. (BP)--After a vote by International Mission Board trustees to suspend some short-term appointments and limit the number of new missionaries it can send, Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt told trustees it’s time “to take the gloves off.”
“We need to take the gloves off in Jesus’ name and tell the truth so the people will know,” said Hunt, as he spoke at the IMB’s trustee meeting May 20.
Lack of funds is forcing the IMB to limit the number of missionaries it can send to the field.
“I think Southern Baptists are going to say there are some things we can cut, but sending missionaries is not one of them,” Hunt said. “That is not an option.
“I personally believe that with all my heart that the people of God will rise to the occasion.”
Hunt’s message echoed an earlier report by IMB President Jerry Rankin.
In that report, Rankin gave unequivocal endorsement to the concept of a Great Commission Resurgence as advocated by Hunt. He indicated that the health and vitality of Southern Baptist churches and the future effectiveness of the denomination are dependent on reclaiming this focus for which the Southern Baptist Convention was formed.
Rankin also challenged Southern Baptists to retool “outdated” denominational formulas to reach a lost world for Christ.
“God has blessed Southern Baptists in numbers and resources, and we will stand accountable before God for whether we use those resources to serve our own needs, church programs and denominational entities or fulfill our mission task to reach a lost world,” Rankin said.
With 95 percent of the world’s population living outside the borders of the United States, Rankin said the percentage of Cooperative Program funds being channeled toward overseas missions is not enough. In order for Southern Baptists to adjust to a changing world, that percentage needs to be increased.
Last year, the Annual Church Profile reported that Southern Baptists gave $12 billion in offerings. Of that amount, less than 2.5 percent made it to international missions through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering — which provide the means to send and support overseas missionaries.
“The number of missionaries we can support is totally contingent on the voluntary giving of Southern Baptists and determined by the allocation of Cooperative Program resources as determined by state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention,” Rankin said.
“Although we are driven by a vision to reach a lost world … we must operate within available resources.”
Rankin acknowledged that the problem begins with personal stewardship. The number of Southern Baptists who tithe regularly is diminishing.
Yet now is the time to act. The opportunity to reach a lost world has never been greater, he added.
Last year’s IMB Annual Statistical Report showed that 565,967 people had been baptized, and 26,970 churches had been started overseas through IMB missionaries and their Baptist partners.
“God is using global events to provide unprecedented opportunities for global advance,” Rankin said.
“The harvest is accelerating, unreached people groups are being engaged as never before, but we are on the verge of forfeiting the opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission.”
If the IMB doesn’t send those who have a passion for missions, Rankin said, many of them will find other channels, other mission agencies. Many of them will be forced to raise their own support. Churches then will begin diverting resources to support those called from their congregations.
“They will be forced to be obedient to God’s call by going independently,” he said. “The Cooperative Program will suffer as a result.”
“We need to recognize that we must get on board with God’s agenda of going into all the world and making disciples of all nations.”
Hunt’s letter to the Southern Baptist Convention calling for a renewed commitment to the Great Commission is available at greatcommissionresurgence.com. To see a chart on how Cooperative Program funds are channeled, go to imb.org/main/give/default.asp.
Shawn Hendricks is a writer with the International Mission Board.

Ministry Update

Thought I might take a minute and catch everyone up on our ministry. Kim does a great job on our family blog and I hope many get to enjoy her updates. As far as ministry we are in what I will call a preparation stage. We are being debriefed on our American culture and being prepared for what is ahead. We have had a great week of Spiritual Warfare training with Jerry Rankin and have begun many weeks’ long orientations on many issues from health to security. We have also begun working with our Affinity group leaders to prepare to work with the people of Puebla.
As most know by now the Virus that has struck Mexico is beginning to fade, thank you God for answering our prayer. I would simply remind you that many more are dying in Mexico every day regardless of the Flu, and have no hope of eternal Life In Christ. So please pray for Kim and I and our team members as we prepare and a strategy is being prepared to reach Mexico with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I noticed that we have fallen off some prayer lists after leaving a few weeks ago. Please consider adding us back to your lists. We cannot imagine these next week’s at orientation or the year of Language Training without your prayers. Also we have been so humbled that your gifts to Lottie Moon and through your Cooperative Program gifts have provided this wonderful place and this invaluable training opportunity.

Please Pray for Mexico

IMB travel to Mexico restricted
Posted on May 1, 2009 by Staff
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--The International Mission Board is suspending non-emergency travel by its personnel to Mexico in response to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to guard against the spread of the swine (H1N1) flu. The CDC is recommending U.S. citizens avoid all non-essential travel to Mexico.In addition, personnel of the Southern Baptist mission board in Mexico must obtain prior approval from their area leadership in consultation with the IMB's medical department in order to travel from the country to the United States.

If travel is approved, personnel must be self-quarantined in the United States for several days and remain symptom-free before engaging in further activity. Missionaries to Mexico already on stateside assignment will remain in the United States until further notice.Currently, there are no plans to temporarily relocate IMB missionaries living in Mexico. According to the Associated Press, Mexico is urging its residents to avoid traveling from their homes except for essential needs.U.S. churches with imminent mission trips to Mexico are encouraged to consider the CDC recommendations to delay their travel plans.On April 29, the World Health Organization raised its Pandemic Alert to Phase 5, the second-highest level.--30--Reported by the Richmond bureau of Baptist Press.

Evacuating

Kim's daily verse yesterday as we began our evacuation plan was 2 Corinthians 5:1, ...Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

For everyone Christ is risen! Spring is here. Please allow the old ways of doing things to fall away and embrace the new covenant and the new season upon us!

For Kim and I a new season has begun. Thank you for you prayers.

This week..Remember..This Hand

Prayer Cards

We are excited that our prayer cards have arrived. We hope to get these out to you in Sunday School classes and Churches that have committed to prayer for us . Again we are seeking prayer warriors to join in committing to support Kim and I and our Team in Puebla as we seek to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to millions.

We will be visiting some great old friends in The McDowell Sunday School Class at First Baptist Rockwall this Sunday April 5th, Then we are being adopted by the youth group at Faith Temple Baptist Easter Sunday.

We leave after Easter for Orientation in Virgina, but will be driving home by way of the Carolina's, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana in July before departing for Costa Rica July 23rd. It may be that we can speak to your church or Sunday School class, or even at a small gathering while we are in your state. It would be our pleasure.

When God moves in Mexico, it will be the result of your prayers.
Please join us in Disciple Making