2015 Thanksgiving Offering FAQ
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. “WHY DO WE HAVE A THANKSGIVING OFFERING?”
We have a Thanksgiving Offering because WE NEED IT for the coming year to supply the financial commitments we have made to our missionaries for the services and benefits we provide from the General Fund.
2. “WHY IS THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING SO IMPORTANT?”
The Thanksgiving Offering is ESSENTIAL because it is the only source of funds for supplying our missionaries’ needs during the coming year. All of the commitments we make to our missionaries are supplied from the General Fund – and the Thanksgiving Offering funds are the only available resources to provide many of those benefits.
3. “WHAT SERVICES AND BENEFITS DOES THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING PROVIDE?”
The Thanksgiving Offering enables us to provide the services and benefits we have committed to our missionaries “as the Lord provides.” These benefits include:
- reimbursements for missionaries’ Furlough (Home Assignment) airfare/transportation expenses to and from the field
- reimbursements for their hospitalization personal deductibles for the year (their personal deductible is $1000 and we reimburse them $600 of that amount)
- children’s school/education expenses (if funds are available)
- expenses for mailing The Mission Sheets (missionaries’ monthly letters, reports, updates — and detailed report of all offerings given through BFM that month)
- expenses for maintaining Stateside office for communication and daily services – there are a lot of activities that go on Stateside to keep our missionaries functioning on their fields of service
- providing and maintaining a Furlough Home in Lexington for those missionaries who choose to use it
4. “HOW ELSE IS THE GENERAL FUND SUPPLIED?”
The standard supply for the General Fund is from monthly offerings which are given to the General Fund. These offerings are listed monthly in the Mission Sheets under “General Fund”. These monthly General Fund offerings are used to supply the “Essential Maintenance Transactions” [EMT] which we have committed to the missionaries for their standard essential monthly expenses. These include:
- their monthly salary
- their monthly standard housing allowance
- their monthly standard ministry allowance
- their monthly hospitalization premium
- expenses for printing The Mission Sheets – their monthly newsletters, reports, and updates
Note: these monthly “Essential Maintenance Transactions” are not supplied from Thanksgiving Offering funds – but from the monthly offerings given to the General Fund.
Note 2: For detailed explanations of how our missionaries’ ministries are funded, please access our two brochures “Baptist Faith Missions” and “Caring for those who care for the world” on our website (baptistfaithmissions.org), click on FaithWorks Blog and open the thumbnail brochure icons on the right margin.
5. “WHY IS THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING GIVEN AT THE THANKSGIVING SEASON?”
- The BFM Thanksgiving Offering began many years ago in conjunction with the annual Thanksgiving Missionary Conference in the Detroit-area and has continued that way to this day.
- Also, the Thanksgiving season is good reminder of the thanks we owe God for His Indescribable Gift in Jesus Christ – and our Thanksgiving Offering is a good way to express that thanks.
- And, the Thanksgiving season and Offering is a good occasion for us to give missionary offerings so others, also, may hear the blessed Good News of salvation through Christ…and, in this way, MULTIPLY STILL MORE THANKSGIVINGS TO GOD.
6. “HOW CAN I GIVE MY THANKSGIVING OFFERING?”
If your church receives a Thanksgiving Offering for the missionaries supported through BFM, then we encourage you to give your offering through your church. Most of the Thanksgiving Offerings which are given by churches are made up by the voluntary offerings of individual members who give to the Offering. Pastors, we encourage you to give your church the opportunity to contribute to our BFM Thanksgiving Offering.
7. “WHAT IF MY CHURCH DOES NOT RECEIVE A BFM THANKSGIVING OFFERING?”
If your church does not participate in the Thanksgiving Offering, you may send your personal gift to the Treasurer of BFM and designate it “Thanksgiving Offering.” (Baptist Faith Missions / Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer / P.O. Box 471280 / Lake Monroe FL 32747-1280)
You can also give online at baptistfaithmissions.org and click on ‘Donate/Support’ and designate for ‘Thanksgiving Offering.’
8. “CAN I GIVE MY THANKSGIVING OFFERING ONLY AT THANKSGIVING…OR DURING NOVEMBER?”
No. Most churches and individual Friends of BFM give on or around Thanksgiving Sunday (either the Sunday before or after Thanksgiving Day). However, offerings continue to come in to the Treasurer during the month of December, and sometimes on into the next year. You can give your Thanksgiving Offering any time. But, all offerings designated “Thanksgiving Offering” go toward the same collective Offering for that year.
9. “HOW IS THE “EVERY FRIEND A GIVING FRIEND” PERSONAL GIVING MINISTRY PERTINENT TO THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING?”
We introduced the “EVERY FRIEND A GIVING FRIEND” ministry and plan during the 2003 Thanksgiving Conference. “Every Friend a Giving Friend” encourages each of our missionaries’ friends to personally participate in regular giving to the General Fund. This plan is nothing new or unique; it is just another way to express and articulate what the Friends of BFM have been doing since the inception of the Mission.
It is also patterned after the instructions Paul gives us in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9: that is,
- to purpose in your heart to give an offering (9:7)
- to give as generous an offering as God enables you (8:1-3 & 9:6)
- to ask God – and trust Him – to supply you with the funds you will need to give the offering (9:8)
- to plan and begin preparing even a year ahead of time (as Paul instructed the Corinthians and the other churches to do) (8:10-11 & 9:2)
- to give your offerings to the Lord and to the Lord’s missionaries willingly and cheerfully (9:7)
- to express your love and obedience to the Lord (8:8 & 9:13)
- to give as your response to Jesus Christ’s grace and gift of Himself to you (8:9 & 9:15)
We encourage every Friend of BFM to be a Giving Friend and give a personal
Thanksgiving Offering to help supply our missionaries’ needs which are met through the General Fund.
“EVERY FRIEND A GIVING FRIEND” also challenges each Friend of BFM to personally participate in missions by giving monthly offerings over and above the regular tithes and offerings you give to your church to meet the needs of your local church’s ministries. We encourage each Giving Friend to make a personal commitment to either begin giving or increase your giving each month to the General Fund.
10. “WHY DO YOU SET GOALS FOR THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING?”
We set goals because the goal amount is keyed to the projected needs we expect to meet for the coming year of missionary ministry. And, when we increase the commitments, services, and benefits we need to give our missionaries so they can fulfill their ministries, our needs for the necessary funds increase also. And, please remember with us that we cannot approve and commit to increasing the modest support we give our missionaries unless we believe the Lord will supply those funds through your giving.
OUR 2015 THANKSGIVING OFFERING GOAL IS $55,000.00.
Would you please pray and ask the Lord of the Harvest what he would have you give to this year’s Thanksgiving Offering? And then ask Him also to supply you with that gift from his inexhaustible resources of Grace?
Thank You, GIVING FRIENDS!
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Giving Options:
You can give your Thanksgiving Offering either through your church’s offering, or by mailing your personal check to our Treasurer, or by giving online through our website www.baptistfaithmissions.org ‘Donate/Support’ tab and typing in Thanksgiving Offering in the memo field.
Click here to make a one-time donation.
Click here to set up a recurring donation.
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Missionary Update: Odali & Kathy Barros in Brazil [October 2015]
Odali and Kathy Barros served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together from 1987-2013. In late 2013, they transitioned to Manaus in Northern Brazil to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
October 20, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Time goes by so fast that it is hard to believe that December is just about here. We are so excited about what God is doing here in our ministry. We have been praying for the members of the church I pastor to get more involved. Most of them were just church attenders. No one really ever got involved in any of the activities. But praise God in the last months more and more of them have made great changes. It has been great to see them change, and even ask to help and do things!
We are now working in 6 different locations! One is the mother church and 5 missions. Doors have opened faster than we could imagine. God has worked in marvelous ways. This month we had a special program in the village of Ariau (pictured here). We were given permission to use the city’s gymnasium. We had music, devotion, games and hot dogs. We had 350 people there! It was fantastic. As a result of that, we had 5 youth that came to the youth meeting at our church the next Saturday. That same week, a man from the village a Limao (lemon) who has a mission asked for help. He said they have 30 that come but have no support from any church. So we will be checking that out this week.
The missions in UBIM, MULTIRAO and IRANDUBA are doing well. Please continue to pray for each of these places, that souls will be saved, and people from these places will grow and reach others.
Kathy is still in the States getting our son Tito settled in and documents done. But they are doing well and Kathy has been able to see our other children.
We want to thank all of you that give and pray for our ministry so faithfully. May God richly bless each one of you.
In Christ,
Odali and Kathy
Odali & Kathy Barros
Caixa Postal 1
Iranduba, Amazonas 69.415.000
Brasil, S.A.
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
Blog
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2015 Thanksgiving Missions Conference
61st ANNUAL THANKSGIVING MISSIONS CONFERENCE
November 9-10-11, 2015 New Hope Baptist Church
Dearborn Heights, MI.-Pastor Terry Adkins
“FOUNDED ON THE WORD-FOCUSED ON THE WORLD”
JOHN 17:17
*For directions to New Hope Baptist Church or information on lodging please contact: Pastor Terry Adkins at 313-562-5579 or pastorterrynewhope[at]yahoo.com
MONDAY EVENING, November 9th
5:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Music
6:45 pm Singing
7:15 pm Message: Pastor George Sledd
Jordan Baptist Church, Sanford, FL
8:00 pm Singing
8:25 pm Message: Bobby Wacaser
Missionary, Curitiba, Brazil
TUESDAY MORNING, November 10th
9:15 am Music
9:30 am Singing
9:45 am Message: Pastor Michael Jones
Zion Baptist Church, Taylor, MI
10:25 am Singing
10:30 am Message: Pastor Doug Armstrong
Lake Road Baptist Church, Clio, MI
11:10 am Break
11:15 am Message: Pastor Bob Hopkins
Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Holly, MI
12:00 pm Lunch
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, November 10th
1:30 pm BFM Advisory Meeting
TUESDAY EVENING, November 10th
5:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Music
6:45 pm Singing
7:15 pm Message: Pastor Dan Hillard
East Keys Baptist Church, Springfield, IL
8:25 pm Message: Judson Hatcher
Missionary, Manaus, Brazil
WEDNESDAY MORNING, November 11th
9:45 am Music
10:00 am Singing
10:15 am Message: Kerry Smith, Assistant Pastor
New Heights Baptist Church, Ringgold, GA
11:00 am Singing
11:15 am Message: Pastor Harold Draper
7th Street Baptist Church, Cannelton, IN
12:00 pm Lunch
[You can download a Word document of the 2015 Thanksgiving Conference Schedule by clicking here.]
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BFM Labor Day Conference 2015
LABOR DAY MISSION CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 6 – 7
EAST KEYS BAPTIST CHURCH
2150 East Keys Avenue, Springfield, IL
[Directions]
Pastor Dan Hillard
(dhillard51[at]yahoo.com)
(309-265-2974)
Everyone is invited to attend the Mission Conference Labor Day Weekend at East Keys Baptist Church on behalf of Baptist Faith Missions. An offering will be received during the meeting to help with the General Fund expenses and missionary support.
We recommend Howard Johnson Motel, 1701 J. David Jones Parkway, Springfield, IL 62702 (217) 541-8762. Tell them you are with East Keys Baptist Church.
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Founder’s Day Offering 2015
For many years, we have remembered and honored our principal founders, Hafford Overbey and Z. E. Clark, by giving special offerings for the missionaries during the month of June. We call it our FOUNDER’S DAY OFFERING.
But, the Founder’s Day Offering not only memorializes our original founders in 1942 – we are also honoring our ten faithful missionary families who are currently serving the Lord in Brazil, France, and Kenya.
Their support needs are great – and the supplies are low. We use the Founder’s Day Offering to help supply our missionaries’ monthly essential living and ministry support. And, these offerings will also help prevent our having to reduce the monthly commitments we have made to them due to a lack of General Fund supplies.
Here’s what each of us can do:
PASTORS – we encourage you to observe a special Missions or Great Commission Emphasis Sunday and give your church the opportunity to give to the BFM General Fund. Emphasize Jesus’ command to preach His Gospel to all nations. That is what our missionaries are doing. That is the original burden and vision that inspired the founding of BFM. We are continuing to perpetuate that vision and burden. That is what we are supporting when we give to BFM’s General Fund. We will use these offerings to continue to supply our missionaries’ on-going needs.
GIVING FRIENDS – if your church is not participating in our Founder’s Day Offering, we encourage you to support your missionaries by giving a personal offering. You can visit our Donate/Support page to easily contribute through the options we have made available to you.
Of course, you can give as the Lord enables you to give, and no offering of any amount is insignificant. But what if every one of our missionaries’ Giving Friends gave at least a $70 offering in honor of the 70+ years our missionaries have been faithfully preaching the Gospel? But – please do give as the Lord impresses and enables you.
Here are a couple of PDFs that might be helpful as you promote Founder’s Day:
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – Bulletin Insert
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – General Letter
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – Letter from Our President
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – Flyer: Where Your Contributions Go
The image below is ideal for a PowerPoint slide. To save the image, right click and click “Save Image As.” (You can also left-click the image for a larger version and then right-click > Save Image As.)
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [June 2015]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
For many months, almost 6 in fact, we had no rain (Don’t worry, this newsletter is NOT a Kenyan weather report). Then the rain came sporadically in short showers. Then it came in downpours. Back when the rain was scarce the grass turned brown and basically disappeared. The ground just looked like barren dirt and I wondered if the grass would ever recover and grow back since I could see no trace of it. Once the downpours started I saw that the grass sprouted almost immediately, as if it was lying dormant in the ground just awaiting the life giving water. I was amazed at how quickly the grass grew. In two weeks it grew long and green and covered the ground. I was even more amazed when I saw some of the crops the Kenyan farmers had planted. In just a couple of weeks I saw one of their plants (which is unknown to me) grow from nothing to four or five feet high. The rapid growth shocked, astonished and even amused me.
Now, before you get too bored, let me assure you that this newsletter is neither an agricultural nor a horticulturist report either. I know nothing about such things. It’s just this: When I saw the rapid growth in the grass and the plants after the application of the rain water, I began to think and then I wondered why I don’t see
- rapid growth in the groups and churches we start
- dramatic change in the lives of my Kenyan students I teach
- more Christ-likeness in my own life
I spend much of my time teaching the groups, churches and students from the Word of God. I spend much time myself in God’s Word in personal study and devotion. Like the rain that brings to life a dead plant and causes it to grow overnight and show immediate signs of change and development I expected that the Word of God and the Spirit of God would make immediate and rapid changes in the churches and lives of the Kenyan people. That may happen with some missionaries or pastors but it doesn’t happen with me. And it frustrates, discourages and upsets me that it doesn’t. I teach Christopher (one of our students) week in and week out but I see little forward spiritual growth. We teach and lead worship every week at Kefa’s but the group doesn’t grow. And it frustrates me that it doesn’t. We pray, we study, we teach, we model, we point people to Jesus all with the hopes of seeing the Kingdom of Christ grow here in Kenya. However, the ground still looks barren instead of lush and green and vibrant. I want to believe that I’m doing things the way God wants me to. I want to believe that God’s Word is like water to the parched ground. I want to believe that the Kenyan people are reachable and redeemable. Are these things true?
The answer, of course, is YES. These things ARE true. God’s Word IS like water on a parched ground and a parched people. The Kenyan people ARE reachable and redeemable. OH, GOD! Reach the Kenyan people! Do it in your way, with your Word and Spirit, in your timing and to your glory. Bring spiritual life and vibrancy to their thirsty souls. May they grow and be more like Jesus. Change them. Change me. Change my readers. In Jesus name, amen.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6)
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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Contributions: March 2015 [for April 2015 MS]
Offerings given in March 2015 are recorded in the PDF below
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BFM Spring Conference 2015 Updates
We are in the middle of our 55th Annual Spring Conference in the interest of Baptist Faith Missions. If you’re not able to attend, we invite you to follow conference updates on our Facebook page here.
If you are here with us, we’d love for you to post what God has been teaching you during the conference, what’s challenged you most, and maybe even post a few pictures of the precious saints God has gathered. (And we do have an unofficial hashtag for the super technologically savvy to use if they wish. #BFMSpring2015)
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