Planting Churches

Why My Church Should Participate in the Missions North American Offering

By Brad Ransom

Each department of the National Association of Free Will Baptists has a time to receive a special offering to provide funds for their general fund. November is the month for North American Ministries to receive this special offering. NAM designates the Sunday before Thanksgiving as the Mission North American offering day, but funds can be sent any time throughout the year earmarked for this special offering.

Why should MY church participate?

That’s the question every pastor and church leader must answer. Really, there are two answers—a simple answer and one that is a little more complex. I’ll give you both. The simple answer is, because your church is a part of the denomination and NAM is a department worthy to receive your support. The more complex answer is our general fund provides money for ministry-critical projects only financed through the general fund.

The general fund provides money to run the office in Antioch, Tennessee. It is used to pay salaries and electric bills—things no one gets too excited about funding but that are critical. More importantly, the general fund provides operational resources for each of the six main divisions of our office. Those divisions are: church planting, church revitalization, cross-cultural ministry, the chaplaincy, the Church Extension Loan Fund (CELF), and Master’s Men.

Money from the general fund provides resources to recruit, assess, train, and coach church planters, church revitalization pastors, cross cultural ministers, and chaplains. Every new church planter and revitalization pastor goes through intensive training paid for by the general fund. Ongoing training is provided through conferences, training events, and online resources. We use these funds to promote church planters, print materials such as directories (so you can stay informed and in touch), maps, brochures, and many other items.

The general fund also provides money to encourage church planters, pastors, and chaplains on the field. They are loved, prayed for, visited, trained, motivated, and from time to time given monetary tokens of our love and appreciation. Basically, everything except a church planter’s salary is provided by the general fund.

The church revitalization division sponsors a number of training events and seminars free of charge to the pastors and churches of our denomination. Mostly, we travel to you to make it as convenient as possible for any church to participate in these events. Our staff is available to come to your church (without charge) to provide training, encouragement, preaching, and more.

NAM receives a portion of The Together Way plan, but those funds only provide 14% of our total general fund need. Proceeds from the Church Extension Loan Fund provide an additional 11%, so we are dependent on gift income to make up the difference (about 75%). These are only a few of the reasons why the second answer is more complex!

So, why should YOUR church participate in the Mission North America offering on November 19, 2017?

Because our church planters, revitalization pastors, cross-cultural ministers, chaplains, and entire team are counting on you. We cannot do what we do without your generous support. We need your prayers and financial support, so please pray about helping by participating in the offering this year. All we ask is that you promote the offering to your church. Tell them who we are and what we do and give the Lord an opportunity to deal with their hearts about giving. Then give them the opportunity by receiving a special offering November 19, 2017. Thank you for your support.

About the Writer: Brad Ransom is director of church planting for FWB North American Ministries: www.fwbnam.com.