brown on green, A Regular column about finances

A Dream Fulfilled

In 1978, Welch College offered a class called Denominational Seminar. Students learned about the structure of the denomination and about the national departments. Our final paper required us to interview one of the heads of a national department. My friend and I chose to interview Herman Hersey (pictured above), director of the Board of Retirement and Insurance.

During that interview, Brother Hersey shared his dream to establish a foundation that eventually would have a significant financial impact on the denomination. Two years later, in 1980, Free Will Baptist Foundation was established. On April 17, 2017, the Foundation board voted to award $500,000 in grants to Free Will Baptist ministries and began fulfilling Herman Hersey’s dream from 39 years ago.

The following grants were awarded this year:

Welch College – $100,000 Capital campaign

International Missions – $95,000

Cuba house churches – ($10,000)
Cuba seminary dormitory remodel – ($15,000)
Ivory Coast remodeling of Miley and Lee Houses – ($40,000)
Kenya Living Waters (wells) project – ($30,000)

Randall House – $50,000 Software capital project

North American Ministries – $32,500

Scholarships for Hands Held High conference ($12,500)
Ridge Church project ($20,000)

Cumberland Youth Camp (TN) – $32,350 Additional housing

Camp Hope (IL) – $28,000 Improvements to the girls’ dorm and caretaker house

Randall University (OK) – $25,000 HLC Accreditation project

Board of Retirement – $22,650 Building for Your Future program

Executive Office – $20,000 ReKindle program

Alabama Children’s Home – $20,000 Upgrade bathrooms

WNAC – $18,000 Shine! Realizing Your Worth conference

Hilltop FWB Church (NC) – $15,000 Southeastern FWB College TRACS accreditation

FWB Family Ministries (TN) – $12,500 Hope Center maternity house project

Virginia State Association – $10,000 Grace Mission technological innovative church ministry

ONE Magazine – $7,000 Underwrite expenses for special bonus issue for pastors

Oklahoma FWB Missions – $5,000 Church planting conference

FWB Historical Commission – $5,000 Historical preservation equipment

Clear Springs FWB Church (OK) – $2,000 VBS trip to Baton Rouge, LA

Thank you, Herman, for your vision and dream.

About the Writer: David Brown, CPA, became director of the Free Will Baptist Foundation in 2007. Send your questions to David at david@nafwb.org. To learn how the Foundation can help you become a more effective giver, call 877-336-7575.