Provision for a Real Need

Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.

October 21, 2020

Dear friends,

It was 2:00 pm on Monday when I heard the doorbell ring. I was not expecting anyone. Our four kids were studying at their desks. Raquel had gone out to take care of some things. Before I could get a glimpse of who was outside, Melissa said, “Who is it, Dad?” “I don’t know. Going to find out,” I responded. “Stay in your room while I check.” I looked through the window but did not recognize the person. I opened the door to speak to him, as he stood behind the main gate of our house (almost all houses in Sao Paulo are walled, gated, have barbed wire or an electric fence around the property perimeter wall, and often have multiple security cameras). He greeted me with a hopeful smile, “Good afternoon, sir. I am trying to find a way to feed my family. Do you have any yard work I could do for you? Any debris, or trash I can remove? Any aluminum cans or other recyclables? If you want me to, I can sweep your sidewalk and street. I can make it look really nice.” He was wearing a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and flip-flops. He was pushing a shopping cart. Inside the cart were a broken tube TV, two bags of rice, and a bag of pinto beans.

My heart breaks every time I see someone in this situation at our door. (What if this was me in such extreme poverty? And how would Jesus respond?) It is a tough call to give food out of our home door because word gets around quickly and people from all over come asking for assistance. A few months ago, a man rang the doorbell at 10:00 pm asking for a bus pass, or a subway ticket with the explanation of a recently deceased aunt and that he needed to identify the body at the hospital morgue. (I assisted the first time, but the following week he came by again at 10 pm, with the same story). I still have mixed feelings when I am laying in bed, it is midnight, and I hear someone rummaging through our trash bags outside looking for food, or recyclables. Unfortunately, this happens all too often, and it has intensified since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. My prayer is always, “Lord, what can we do? Give me wisdom, to provide for a real need, not be scammed, protect my family, and still give people the opportunity to drink of the Living Water and eat of Your Bread so they may know You personally, and find fulfillment in Your sovereign provision for this life and for eternity.

I looked at the man as he held on to his cart and said, “I don’t have any money on me.” (We never keep money at home, or on us, for security reasons.) Before I could continue he replied, “Could you give me rice or milk if I pull out the weeds from this sidewalk gutter? I said, “Sure, go ahead.” I responded, ” I will be right back with something for your family.” I returned with a 2.2lb of canned black beans and meat stew we often serve at our table. “This is from my family to yours. I have something else… Would you mind listening to something important my family can share with you?” I proceeded to share the Gospel. He listened. When I finished talking about the resurrection, he glared through me and said, “Thank you,” and walked away with the items in his cart.

I pray the message will take hold in his heart.

Pray for us serve better, love more generously, for abundant provision, and wisdom from above.

Grateful always,
Judson and Raquel

Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


Read more

FaithWORKS Report [November 2014]

PRAY AND PRAISE in this issue…

  • ODALI AND KATHY BARROS— PRAISE GOD for the faithful children in Ubim! PRAY that God will open doors through these children so they can reach the adults. PRAISE GOD for the opportunities opening in Mutirão. PRAISE GOD for continuing to bless His work in Garca and using their son Titus there.
  • MIKE AND BEVERLY CREIGLOW—PRAISE GOD for new buildings going up and new sound systems being donated and installed. PRAY for the trials and challenges they are facing in so many areas, that God would give wisdom, grace, and strength.
  • JOHN AND ALTA HATCHER—PRAISE GOD for the sweetness of fellowship. PRAY for their son David as he takes care of their house and cars left in Brazil. PRAISE GOD for the opportunity to travel to the Thanksgiving Conference in Michigan!
  • JOHN MARK AND JUDY HATCHER—PRAISE GOD for first-time attendees at their VBS. PRAY as they continue to reach children and parents through English Classes and youth meetings. PRAISE GOD for new friendships and reconnections and PRAY they will continue to effectively use opportunities God opens.
  • JUDSON AND RAQUEL HATCHER—PRAISE GOD for a special children’s evangelistic event! PRAY for Jud as he mentors men over breakfast each week and fosters fellowship among pastors. PRAISE GOD for continued church health and growth!
  • PAUL AND WANDA HATCHERPRAISE GOD for time spent seeing family and checking on the churches in north and northeastern Brazil!  PRAY for Pastor Ivanildo Ross as he encourages and helps the church plants. PRAY for the church plants as they face the challenges of incorporating.
  • AJ AND BARBARA HENSLEY—PRAISE GOD for the couple who recently got married and PRAY for them as they continue to obey God! PRAISE GOD for saving 10 more young men through the prison ministry! PRAISE GOD for solid foundation of biblical truths being laid in the seminary and PRAY as they seek to expand to other cities. PRAY for their vehicles.
  • NATHAN AND CARRIE RADFORD—PRAY for them as the holiday season nears and homesickness intensifies. PRAISE GOD for the group of men at the Annex Prison who are desiring to grow spiritually and are serious in their study of God’s Word. PRAY as he and Roger Tate continue to train and teach church planting leaders.
  • ROGER AND JULIE TATE—PRAISE GOD for the opportunity to share Christ with the Pokot tribe! 5 hour church services, nightly worship gatherings, and several trusting Christ as their Savior during their hut-to-hut evangelism tour! PRAY for Roger as he seeks how God would have him minister to the people in Pokot.
  • BOBBY AND CHARLENE WACASER—PRAY for their young missionary Alysson who is preparing to move for a two-year mission project. PRAISE GOD for using Alek Rossi to draw young people closer to Christ and PRAY for him as he will be ordained soon. PRAY for the Projeto Vida teams as they wrap up their school ministries for the year. PRAISE GOD for helping them get all their buses back in operation.

BFM-Winter-Conference-2015Block these dates and plan to attend…
2015 BFM WINTER CONFERENCE
January 18-21  |  Sunday-Wednesday
PARK RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH
Gotha FL [Orlando-area]

“SERVICE”
“With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men…”  Ephesians 6.7

For more details, contact Pastor Ben Glover
BentonGlover[at]aol.com  |  407.719.9861


ThanksgivingOfferingPlease be planning to give a generous Thanksgiving Offering to help us supply our missionaries’ needs.  We must have a generous Thanksgiving Offering to finance the commitments and benefits we give our missionaries over the coming year.

Ask the Lord how generously He wants you to give.  And, ask Him also to supply for you the offering He wants you to give.

2 Corinthians 9.8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work.

When Paul was on his way to visit the saints at Rome, he asked them to be prepared to help him financially so he could continue taking the Gospel on his journeys beyond them.

Romans 15.24
‘Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.
For I hope to see you on my journey,
and to be helped on my way there by you,
if first I may enjoy your company for a while.”

In other words, “When I come to Rome, please help me with your offerings to continue my missionary ministry on beyond you!”

We are pleading with you on behalf of our missionaries to please help them continue their missionary ministries on through 2015 with the Thanksgiving Offerings you will give during this giving season.  Will you help us help them on their way?


2015 THANKSGIVING OFFERING

Philippians 4.19
And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Because, at the moment of this writing [18 November], we have already exhausted last year’s Thanksgiving Offering. What that means is, we are out of funds of any kind to carry us through December 2014 and on through 2015.

We will necessarily begin using Thanksgiving Offerings received this month – November – to finance our missionaries’ support services. Under ordinary circumstances, we would not begin using the next year’s Thanksgiving Offering until the beginning of the new year…in this case, 2015. If we have any Thanksgiving Offering funds left over at the end of the calendar year, those funds are also carried over to supply our missionaries’ needs for the coming year.

Looking at this situation just purely from a human perspective, this does not bode well for prospects of being able to fulfill the commitments and benefits we have committed to give our missionaries “as the Lord provides.”

Matthew 6.8
…for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

So, let me appeal to you on behalf of our missionaries – with all the wisdom and passion God will grant me – to respond to their needs with as generous a Thanksgiving Offering as God will enable you to give.

2 Corinthians 9.8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;

that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work…

Last year’s total Thanksgiving Offering was $49,058.41.  It was given over six months, but I assure you, that’s OK!  Your Thanksgiving Offering doesn’t have to be given during November!  In fact, it will remain open for as long as you need it to be open!

THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING SUPPLIES OUR MISSIONARIES’ NEEDS THAT ARE NOT SUPPLIED FROM YOUR MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS. 

Monthly General Fund Offerings
I know we have produced an attractive and informative brochure to explain how our Monthly General Fund Offering works.  It is entitled “Caring for those who care for the world” and is available in PDF form on our website and also by requesting paper copies from the Executive Secretary.  But, please allow me here to reiterate how we use your Monthly General Fund Offerings.  The Essential Maintenance Transactions [EMT] that provide for their most basic living and ministry expenses are supplied from your Monthly General Fund Offerings.  They include salary, housing and ministry expense allowances, hospitalization premiums, and Mission Sheets printing and distribution.

These total EMT disbursements add up to $43,300.54 every month.  Only one month last year [January 2014] was the Monthly General Fund Offering sufficient to cover these disbursements.  We supplied the following monthly deficits from February-March from the surplus received in January.

Extraordinary Estate Gift
Then, in April, we supplied the deficit in the Monthly General Fund from the remaining portion of the extraordinary estate gift Ernest and Helen Palmer had left BFM in 2013.

Founders Day Offerings
By that time, you were giving your Founders Day Offerings from June through September.  The special contributions you made to the Founders Day Offering [in addition to your faithful regular giving to the Monthly General Fund] supplied our missionaries’ Essential Maintenance Transactions over the next four months.

I repeat, all of these every-month basic living and ministry expenses are not provided for from the Thanksgiving Offering; they are supplied from the Monthly General Fund Offerings.

And, in the event that the Monthly General Fund Offerings don’t cover those Essential Maintenance Transactions – and we don’t have other designated funds to use – then we must reduce those standard commitments we have made to the missionaries that month by the amount of the shortage of funds.  We had to enact that undesirable necessity last month – November 2014.  [Please read the accompanying article: “OUR MISSIONARIES’ MONTHLY DEPOSITS REDUCED IN NOVEMBER”]

BUT – THESE DISBURSEMENTS ARE NOT SUPPLIED FROM YOUR THANKSGIVING OFFERINGS.  Let’s get back to the Thanksgiving Offering now.  The Thanksgiving Offering supplies all the commitments and benefits we provide to our missionaries throughout the year in addition to the Essential Maintenance Transactions we have noted above.

Those benefits include:

  • furlough transportation expenses,
  • children’s education allowances,
  • hospitalization deductible reimbursements,
  • postage to mail the Mission Sheets,
  • maintaining the Missionary Furlough Home in Lexington KY,
  • and all the professional services and supplies that are required to maintain all the activities that go on here in the States to keep their ministries going.

And, let me note here that in 2014, [1] we didn’t have the funds to disburse the Children’s Education Allowance benefit, and [2] we had missionaries who didn’t request reimbursement for their furlough transportation back to the States because they knew we didn’t have the funds.

AND SO – WE NEED THE THANKSGIVING OFFERING TO SUPPLY ALL THE OTHER COMMITMENTS, BENEFITS, AND SERVICES THAT ARE NOT SUPPLIED BY OUR MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERINGS.   I repeat, last year’s $49,058.41 did not supply all the benefits we would have given during the year if we had received a larger Thanksgiving Offering – and what we did receive is now exhausted before the end of the year.

Like Paul in 2 Corinthians 9, we are praying to God supply our needs with the means to give a generous offering – and also that He will plant and infuse the Grace into our hearts to give us the purpose, the willingness, and the joy to sow and reap bountifully [verses 6-8].

That is, after all, the way God Himself gives – and the way Christ gave Himself.

2 Corinthians 9.15
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift.


OUR MISSIONARIES’ MONTHLY DEPOSITS REDUCED IN NOVEMBER

First of all, we want to thank each and every one of you who contributes to the monthly General Fund offerings.  You are the ones who supply our missionaries’ essential needs each month to the degree we can fulfill them. 

If you are not contributing to the monthly General Fund offerings, please, may we encourage you for the sake of our missionaries’ essential support to begin doing so – as generously as you can?

During the month of November, it was necessary to reduce the modest amounts we have committed to our missionaries each month for their essential maintenance.  The reason we had to do this is because our monthly General Fund support offerings were not sufficient to cover the full amounts of the modest disbursements we make to them each month for their salary and expense allowances.  So, when the General Fund offerings are not sufficient to cover those commitments, then we must reduce the amounts of the disbursements we deposit to each of their accounts.

So, the effect was – we had to proportionately reduce the amounts we deposited in each missionary’s account for their salary and housing/ministry expense allowances.  Our missionaries need and depend upon these modest commitments we make to their essential support needs each month – just like every one of us depends upon our basic essential income coming in regularly each month.

Please help us keep their monthly essential support supplied!


KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS

KrogerPromote

All of you do not have Kroger stores in your locality – so this won’t apply to every reader.  And if you do, not all of you shop at Kroger.  But, if you do, you most likely have a Kroger Plus card to scan when you make your purchases to take advantage of in-store discounts and fuel discount points.

Some of you have also been participating in the Kroger reloadable gift card program.  By depositing your money on the reloadable card and using the card to make your purchases, BFM received a ‘commission’ from those purchases.

Kroger has discontinued the use of the reloadable gift card.  However, they have now made it easier to continue the benefit to your favorite Non-Profit Organization [BFM].  No extra steps.  Simply register your Kroger Plus card online and choose BFM as your Non-Profit Organization.  Then, use your Kroger Plus card as you always do and Kroger will direct the benefits to BFM.

We have posted all the instructions you need here. If you’re going to shop at Kroger anyway – and still get all the present benefits of using your Kroger Plus card – then we encourage you to add BFM as a beneficiary also.

(You can also download a printable Word document of the instructions with pictures here. Or a PDF here.)


BFM BROCHURESbrochure (2)

We now have TWO very attractive and informative professionally-produced brochures.  We want you to help us get these promotional messages into the hands of anyone and everyone who is interested in the mission work the Lord is accomplishing through the missionaries who are supported by your offerings through BFM.

(1) The first of these brochures is one that will introduce you to BFM and inform you about the basic principles by which BFM functions. (click here to view)

GF Brochure(2) The second brochure is just now ‘hot off the press.’  This one is entitled “Caring for those who care for the world,” and is designed to inform and explain just how essential the monthly General Fund is to the daily living and ministry needs of our missionaries. (click here to view)

Both of them are full-color, either 6 or 8 pages 8 ½ x 11 format, pictorial, and informative.  Will you please help us distribute these brochures as widely as you can?

If you will send your name and mailing address to:
Dave Parks, 3985 Boston Road, Lexington KY 40514
email: daveparks[at]twc.com | phone: 859.223.8374 –
and tell us how many sets of these brochures you want – we will get them back to you by return shipping.

For now, you can access an electronic flip-through version of the new brochure by going to our website and clicking on the brochure cover.

Again, please serve as ambassadors for your missionaries by helping us get either single-copy sets to interested persons or bundles to distribute in our churches.  The brochures will ‘speak for themselves’ – for our missionaries.


MISSIONARIES ON FURLOUGH

Please note the new address and phone numbers for John and Alta Hatcher and Paul and Wanda Hatcher. Their address is:  15905 Mercott Court, Clermont FL 34714.  Their home telephone number is: 229-529-8497.  John & Alta’s email address is: jhatcher[at]uol.com.br.

Paul and Wanda’s cell number is: 239-227-6551 and their email address is: rphatcher[at]gmail.com.

We encourage you to pray for them and correspond with them.



Read more

Kroger Community Rewards to Benefit BFM!

 KrogerPromote

Baptist Faith Missions has been approved to earn funds through the Kroger Community Rewards Program! In the past, Kroger offered non-profit organizations the opportunity to hand out reloadable gift cards—that option is no longer operative and this new way is much easier. Once you’ve registered your Kroger Plus account to be associated with BFM, every time you shop at Kroger and use your Plus account, BFM will benefit.

Getting signed up is easy and takes just a few minutes! If you do not yet have a Kroger Plus card, they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger.

Follow the steps below to register!
You can also download a printable Word document of these instructions with bigger pictures here. Or a PDF here

Go to http://kroger.com/communityrewards.

  • If you have already established an online Kroger account, click Sign In, skip to the bottom section of these instructions and start at the line below the red asterisks (***) where it says “The final step is to…”.
  • If you have not yet created an online Kroger account, click Create an Account.

KrogerCRenroll

Kroger2If you selected Create an Account, fill in all the required information and click Create Account at the bottom of the screen.

You will then receive a confirmation message that your account has been created.

Next, you’ll need to add your Kroger Plus Card to your online account.

Kroger4

Enter your Plus Card Number or the Alternate ID Number (usually the 10-digit phone number you provided on your Kroger Plus Card application) followed by your Last Name and click Save.

Once saved, click on My Account at the top right of the screen.

***If you have already registered your account, start here!***
The final step is to enroll your account to benefit BFM!

While signed into your online Kroger account, scroll all the way to the bottom of the Account Summary page where it says Community Rewards.

Click Enroll.

KrogerCRalreadymember_enroll

Enter the organization # for Baptist Faith Missions: 11982 and click Search. (You can also search by organization name.)

KrogerCR3

Click the radio button next to Baptist Faith Missions to make this your organization of choice.

Click Enroll.

KrogerCR4

You should then receive a confirmation message and are free to Sign Out.

 KrogerCR5

Now, every time you swipe your registered Kroger Plus card or use your alternate ID when shopping at Kroger, each purchase will benefit Baptist Faith Missions!


Read more

FaithWORKS Report [December 2013]

PRAY AND PRAISE in this issue…

  • HAROLD BRATCHER –  PRAISE GOD for his [and his wife, Marie’s] 55 years of faithful missionary service to our Lord in Brazil. PRAY that God will continue to prosper the churches they have planted and cultivated in Brazil. PLEASE NOTE: his new permanent Stateside address: 1950 Falling Leaves Lane, Lexington, KY 40509.
  • MIKE AND BEV CREIGLOWPRAISE GOD for the reports of ‘seeing the Grace of God’ in their river churches and preaching points and in Cruzeiro do Sul. PRAY AND GIVE to help them with their home church building project needs.
  • JOHN AND ALTA HATCHERPRAISE GOD for His church plants which are growing and increasing. PRAY for their co-workers’ needs. PRAY for them as their closest child is moving 3000 miles away.
  • PAUL AND WANDA HATCHERPRAY fervently for their family’s needs: Wanda’s mother is coming to live with them – and they have just suffered the bereavement of Mrs. McGary’s son and Wanda’s brother, Ross McGary.
  • JOHN AND JUDY HATCHERPRAISE GOD for the friends they continue to make and cultivate – and PRAY that God will save many more through their ministry of the Grace of Neighboring.
  • A.J. AND BARBARA HENSLEYPRAISE GOD for the many outreach works and ministries they are conducting. PRAY for the supply of all their needs, and for the many physical afflictions of their people – especially for Gloria.
  • NATHAN AND CARRIE RADFORDPRAISE GOD for providing their needs for a vehicle and housing. PRAY that God will protect, encourage, and strengthen them as they travel and report on their ministry.
  • SHERIDAN AND ANITA STANTONPRAISE GOD for their ministry and work which continues on – and for the missionaries who have gone before them also. PRAY that God will supply the needs they have for finishing works they have begun.
  • ROGER AND JULIE TATEPRAISE GOD for the provisions He has made for them since being Stateside. PRAY that God will hear and answer the prayer he concludes his letter with.
  • BOBBY AND CHARLENE WACASERPRAISE GOD for giving them fruit and responses from their various outreach ministries. PRAY for them and for their children as Jesse and now Brennen pursue their educations here in the States.

Block these dates and plan to attend…
2014 BFM WINTER MISSIONS CONFERENCE
January 19-22 | Sunday-Wednesday
PARK RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH, Gotha FL [Orlando-area]
“LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS”
For more details, contact Pastor Ben Glover
BentonGlover[at]aol.com | 407.719.9861


NOVEMBER MONTHLY GENERAL FUND OFFERING – RECORD LOW

We want to thank everyone of you who faithfully and regularly gives to the Monthly General Fund offerings. Your offerings literally keep our missionaries on their fields of service and ‘keep the lights on’ for their daily living and ministry expenses. You sustain and maintain them. “Thank You!” again and again!

The Monthly General Fund offerings are necessary – and are used – to provide the Essential Maintenance Transactions [EMT] that our missionaries must have to sustain their most basic and essential expenses: salary, housing, ministry expenses, hospitalization premiums, and correspondence. Without these provisions, they cannot continue doing what they do.

November’s Monthly General Fund [$23,197.61] was the least Monthly General Fund Offering we have record of receiving – and our present accounting system goes back more than 10 years. This is a most unenviable record to set. If our Monthly General Fund Offering does not meet the threshold amount of the above monthly disbursements, then we must reduce those same committed disbursements proportionately and equitably among our missionaries to make up for the deficit. This month’s deficit [December’s disbursements are made from November’s offerings] was $12,359.92. We thank God that this month we had extraordinary gift funds available to make up that deficit so we didn’t have to deduct it from our missionaries’ monthly deposits. [See the article “GRATITUDE FOR A GENEROUS BEQUEST”].

Please give to the General Fund so your missionaries can pursue their daily lives and ministries without this distraction. Give by the Grace of God – to the Glory of God! You can give online by going to our website: baptistfaithmissions.org and click on the ‘Donate/Support’ tab. Designate your offering for ‘General Fund’. Thank you on behalf of our missionaries!


2013-14 THANKSGIVING OFFERING UPDATE: $17,036.91

We have begun giving to our 2013-14 THANKSGIVING OFFERING with last month’s offerings. Those offerings listed in this month’s Mission Sheets are just the ‘firstfruits’ and initial offerings we have received to date. We are asking God to multiply this amount several times before it is completed. NOTE: the Thanksgiving Offering is always open any time for your contributions. Just designate your offering: ‘Thanksgiving Offering’ and it will be applied and included. We must receive a very generous Thanksgiving Offering to give our missionaries the services and benefits we have committed to give them “as the Lord provides”. The Lord provides through our sharing of the Grace He has given us.

“I speak not be commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.” [2 Corinthians 8:8]

“For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; and by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding Grace of God in you.” [2 Corinthians 9.12-14]

You can also contribute online at baptistfaithmissions.org on the ‘Donate/Support’ tab. Designate your offering for ‘Thanksgiving Offering’. Thank You! on behalf of our missionaries!

Click here to make a one-time donation.
Click here to set up a recurring donation.


PLEASE PRAY FOR GLENN ARCHER
We encourage you to pray with us on behalf of a very dear friend, Pastor Glenn Archer. He is suffering from Pulmonary Fibrosis and his health and strength is growing progressively weaker. His disease is irreversible and incurable. Glenn served as a Director of Baptist Faith Missions for 34 years (1978-2012) and as our Treasurer for 11 years (1991-2002). He has also planted and pastored churches in Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri. His physical condition has so weakened that he is on oxygen-assist 24/7 on maximum output most of the time. He struggles for every breath. Every movement and activity exhausts him. But, he continues to be an encourager to all of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Please ask our Lord to give him daily strength according to his needs – and Grace to strengthen his heart of faith in Christ. You may correspond with him at: 502 Nuckols OBCC Road, Calhoun KY 42327 / glennarcher0[at]gmail.com. He may not have strength to respond, but he will appreciate hearing from you. Please ask the Lord also to strengthen and encourage Judy, his loving wife and faithful caregiver.


GIVING GOD THANKS FOR A GENEROUS BEQUEST

Baptist Faith Missions was blessed recently with a very generous gift in the form of a bequest. Ernest and Helen Palmer were members of a long-time supporting church in Lexington KY and have known, loved, and befriended the missionaries associated with BFM for over 50 years. During their lifetimes, they invested some of their funds in Certificates of Deposit (CD) and designated Baptist Faith Missions as the beneficiary of those CDs. Those same funds were available to them while they lived if needed to provide for their own needs. Mr. Palmer went to be with the Lord a few years ago, and then Mrs. Palmer was called Home to Heaven this year.

When their estate was executed, those CDs were presented to BFM. After we fulfilled some specific requests which accompanied the bequest (for our missionaries), we are using the remainder of this gift to provide other needs to benefit our missionaries. [1] We have reimbursed our missionaries for the $10,872.74 we had to assess on their monthly deposits over 2013. During three months of 2013, when our monthly General Fund offerings were not sufficient to meet their monthly support disbursements from the General Fund, we had to reduce their monthly deposits proportionately among them to cover those deficits. We kept careful records of how much was reduced from each missionary’s deposits for each of those months – and those reductions were reimbursed to them out of this gift. [2] We have covered that same deficit in this month of December for their monthly deposits. Our General Fund offerings for this month lacked $12,359.92 to meet the threshold for what we must receive in order to give our missionaries the full amounts of the monthly support commitments we make to them. So, rather than additionally deduct and reduce their monthly deposits again this month – we supplied that deficit from this same gift.

Not only do our missionaries deeply appreciate this gift, but GOD LOVES THESE CHEERFUL GIVERS ALSO! [2 Corinthians 9.7]. And, SO DO MULTITUDES OF ‘ETERNAL FRIENDS’ WHO WILL BE IN HEAVEN THROUGH THE GOSPEL MINISTRIES CONDUCTED THROUGH THE USE OF THESE OFFERINGS! Please read Luke 16.9. When you give to missions and the ministry of the Gospel, God uses your offerings to bring the lost to faith in Jesus Christ. And, when you go Home to Heaven, those who were saved through your giving will welcome you into our Everlasting Home!

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO, TOO! WILL YOU?


THANK YOU! THANK YOU! “TEXAS GIVING FRIENDS”!

We want to give a tribute to some of the very best and most gracious “Giving Friends” BFM has ever had. We won’t use their real names because they have never wanted to be known or recognized by their names. But, years ago, I asked them if we could call them “Texas Giving Friends”, and they said we could. So, for years, they have been listed in our Mission Sheets Contribution Record as “Texas Giving Friends”. They began giving personal offerings to BFM over 50 years ago and have continued that ministry of generosity over all these years.

Generous offerings. Sacrificial offerings. And not just to BFM, but they have also given equally generously to a number of other Gospel missions ministries, especially in Mexico. And the fruits of the churches and ministries to which they have contributed are still growing, still producing, and still bearing fruit for eternal life and the Glory of Christ.

Over the course of 2013, it became necessary for both of these dear ‘Giving Friends’ to receive long-term elder-care in private nursing and assisted-living facilities. [Our Brother ‘Texas Giving Friend’ was called Home to Heaven in October]. At that time, much to their own regret, it became necessary to suspend their giving to BFM. But, their son wrote me at that time with these words and prayer: “This was a very difficult decision for the family to make, so we will be praying and expecting that God will raise up someone new; not just to fill the void they leave, but will multiply their giving in an unusual and abundant way in Jesus’ Name.” 

God has kept very careful records and has tracked everywhere their offerings have gone, and the souls that have been saved, and the works that have been done through their investments in the Kingdom of God. “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” [Philippians 4.17] God knows – and only God knows – the numbers of those who have heard the Gospel through the ministries financed by their offerings…and have come to faith in Christ…and are in Heaven – or will be in Heaven – because they gave. In Luke 16.9, our Lord made this promise and gave us this assurance: “And I say unto you, ‘Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness [our giving]; that when ye fail [die from here, and go Home to Heaven], they may receive you into everlasting habitations.’ ”

IS GOD CALLING YOU TO COME AND TAKE THEIR PLACE AND STAND IN THIS GAP BY GIVING TO THE BFM GENERAL FUND? WILL YOU ANSWER ‘YES!’?


Read more

FaithWORKS Report [August 2013]

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

Click here to make a one-time donation.
Click here to set up a recurring donation.


Read more
^