HOW THE GENERAL FUND OF BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS
SUPPLIES THE NEEDS OF YOUR MISSIONARIES

When you support the General Fund, you are relieving YOUR missionaries from the daily concerns of whether their essential financial needs will be supplied.  He no longer has to worry:  “Will I receive enough support this month to make the house payment/rent?  Pay my bills?  Feed and clothe my family?  Cover the medical expenses of my family?  Do I have commitment from my supporters to help supply the financial needs of the church-planting ministry God has called me to?”

Baptist Faith Missions is a God-called support ministry designed to free YOUR missionaries from the burden of raising their own support for their basic needs so that their time can be spent in focusing on their ministry itself.  Sending churches, supporting churches, and individual disciples bear the collective burden to fulfill the charge of the “Great Commission” when Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

This article answers the questions:

“Why should I give to the BFM General Fund?”
“Where do my contributions go?”
“What services do my General Fund offerings provide?”

The BFM GENERAL FUND provides the following BASIC, ESSENTIAL needs of YOUR missionaries.

We call these commitments ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE TRANSACTIONS
(or EMT)

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ SALARY
Many of you who are reading this article have a job that you depend on to provide a regular income for the financial means to meet your living expenses and provide for your family needs.  Salary costs for YOUR individual missionary are $1,803.00 each month.  The combined salaries for ALL twelve missionaries every month is now over $21,449.00.  The TOTAL salary expenditures for your missionaries each year is $257,388.00.  (Two Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Dollars).  When you look at your monthly Mission Sheets contribution record, you will notice that some missionaries do not receive enough individual support to cover even their basic salary…let alone the other additional expenses described below – all of which are supplied from the General Fund.  The difference between what is given directly to an individual missionary [either undesignated or designated “as needed”] and his basic salary is covered by BFM supporters from the General Fund.  NOTE: all contributions to an individual missionary that exceed his salary amount are deposited in the individual missionary’s account for his use. 

In hard economic times you expect to see increases in your pay that enable you to cover the increasing expenses of your family’s needs.  This past year (2013), by faith, the BFM Directors voted to give a 5% salary increase to your missionaries. 

In 2014, pending available General Fund support and “as the LORD provides” through your offerings, BFM Directors would like to be able to approve another 5% salary increase to YOUR missionaries.  We can, and will, do this as your contributions to the General Fund supply that increase.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ HEALTH INSURANCE
Many of you who are reading this pay for your own health insurance premiums either in total or part.  You realize how expensive it is, and every year it is more expensive for you and your family.  Health insurance premiums for each of YOUR individual missionaries average $1,040.00 each month.  The cost for ALLtwelve missionaries every month is currently over $12,478.00. (Twelve Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Eight Dollars each month).  The TOTAL ANNUAL health insurance costs for your missionaries each year is over $149,736.00.  (One Hundred Forty Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty Six Dollars).  BFM contributors to the General Fund currently pay the FULL AMOUNT of your missionaries’ health insurance premiums.  NOTE: The missionary pays the first $1000 of medical services as a personal deductible – and BFM reimburses $600 of that…again from the General Fund.    

As contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like Health Insurance to continue as a fully-paid benefit to YOUR missionaries.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ HOUSING ALLOWANCE
Each month each of YOUR missionaries receives from the General Fund a housing allowance of $250.00 to be applied toward either rent or house payment.

As contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like the Housing Allowance to continue as a fully-paid benefit to YOUR missionaries.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ MINISTRY EXPENSE ALLOWANCE
Each month each of YOUR missionaries receives from the General Fund a Ministry Expenses Allowance of $500.00 to help defray the expenses of his Gospel outreach and church-planting efforts.

As contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like this Ministry Expense Allowance to continue as a fully-paid benefit to YOUR missionaries.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ MISSION SHEETS
Paul, as a New Testament missionary, had the responsibility to carry the Gospel message to the known world of his day.  He also had the responsibility to report back to supporting churches and individuals by letter and in person (for example: Acts 14.26-27 & Philippians 4.15-17).  Your missionaries have that same responsibility.  The Mission Sheets, in both printed and electronic form, give monthly reports of YOUR missionaries’ ministries.  Missionary letters describe his activities and needs.  Monthly offerings from churches and individuals are reported in the monthly Contribution Record identifying contributors and contributions.  This shows where your money goes.  It allows you to assess how the needs of YOUR missionaries are being met.

Contribution Terms:
“salary” or “support” – contributions to an individual missionary designated as “salary” or “support” are applied toward the missionary’s monthly salary expense.  When they are listed in the Contribution Record in the monthly Mission Sheets, they will be listed without these designations.  But, they will go toward supplying his monthly salary.  NOTE:  if the missionary’s contributions for “salary” exceed his salary amount, then the remaining balance will be deposited in his account as “personal” funds to be used at his discretion.

“as needed” – a contribution designated “as needed” will also be applied toward supplying his salary since his basic salary is the most “as needed” need your missionary has.

“personal” – contributions designated “personal” are NOT used to meet the BASIC, ESSENTIAL expenses of the missionary.  These contributions are deposited in the missionary’s account for use at his discretion.

“designated project” – ALL contributions designated for a specific work project, appeal, or need are directed fully to that work project or need.

The TOTAL ANNUAL COSTS of publishing and distributing YOUR missionary’s monthly newsletters is $22,500.00. (Twenty Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars).  These services are paid for from the General Fund.  Your missionaries are not required to pay for their own ministry newsletters and reports.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ OTHER SUPPORT ALLOWANCES

Periodically YOUR missionaries will request other benefits we have committed to them from the General Fund “as the LORD provides.”  As contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like to continue these benefits to YOUR missionaries.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ FURLOUGH EXPENSES
YOUR missionaries have the option to return to the States for six months after a completing two years of service on the field or one year after completing four years of service on the field.  This is for the dual purpose of spending time with family and friends and giving a status report to supporting churches when requested.  You may be aware that this year these expenses exceed $17,000.00 for furlough travel expenses which are paid for from the General Fund.

As your contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like Furlough Travel Expenses to continue in the coming years as a fully-paid benefit to YOUR missionaries.

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES 
YOUR missionary families may not have the option of sending their children to a free public school.  Their options are to home school, pay for private or boarding schools, or even send their children back to the States for education.  If the funds are available, a Children’s Education Allowance of up to $1000.00 per school year per child may be awarded.  This disbursement is based on a priority of financial need and availability of funds.

As your contributions to the General Fund allow, BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like to continue this Children’s Education Allowance benefit to YOUR missionaries. 

YOUR MISSIONARIES’ ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Of our fifteen Directors, only one is a paid position: the Executive Secretary, Pastor Dave Parks.  He receives the same monthly salary as each of our missionaries.  He performs the very wide-ranging and demanding responsibilities of handling the day-to-day issues and transactions of BFM.  These responsibilities include: daily correspondence with the missionaries and inquiries from supporters;  coordination of the elements and processes that go into The Mission Sheets, website, and electronic correspondences;  transacting, recording, and tracking the disbursement of all funds to missionary expenses and operational expenses;  resolving banking and legal issues that impact the missionaries;  documenting and filing quarterly and annual IRS and Exempt Organization returns;  and often as a listening ear, giver of advice, and coordinator of resources in meeting the needs of your missionaries.  He is a full-time husband and father.  He is also the full-time Pastor of Thompson Road Baptist Church.  His commitment of attention, time, and energies to BFM goes far beyond the monetary compensation received.

BFM Directors, missionaries, and supporters would like this Administrative Support to continue in the coming years as a benefit to YOUR missionaries.

IN SUMMARY: When you support the GENERAL FUND you are supporting all of YOUR missionaries.  Very few churches can fully support all the financial and administrative needs of their missionary.  However, whether you are a church or an individual disciple, by partnering together with others and giving as the LORD leads and provides, ALL THE NEEDS OF ALL YOUR MISSIONARIES WILL BE SUFFICIENTLY AND ABUNDANTLY SUPPLIED.  And, by the Grace of God, all of our missionaries – along with others who are called into full-time missionary service – will be able to focus without unnecessary distraction on sharing the Gospel and planting churches.

“AS THE LORD PROVIDES” AND LEADS, SUPPORT THE BFM GENERAL FUND.

 – Your BFM Council of Directors

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