Clint Morgan answers the question, "Where do we go from here?" for International Missions.

Repetition is the Right Teacher

by Clint Morgan

A nugget of truth is found in the adage “repetition is the best teacher.”

Many within the Free Will Baptist community continue to ask for clarification about the not-so-new funding system. Though fully engaged in world evangelization and supportive of the Mission’s activities and programs, they simply are unsure how the system works. This article provides a quick review of the need to change the funding process, one snag, the adjustment made, and a vision for the future.

Why the Change?

Several years ago the Mission saw troubling patterns develop in our fundraising efforts. Basically,

1. One missionary account had over $225,000 in excess funds;
   

2. Other missionaries were forced to leave struggling or young ministries mid-term because their accounts were in the red;
   

3. New missionaries found it more and more difficult to obtain funding in a diversified fundraising landscape;
   

4. Missionaries on stateside assignment struggled to secure services and assure ongoing income;
   

5. Pastors and missionaries alike pled with the board and Mission leadership to find a way to keep missionaries from having to run all over the country to raise funds.
   

In reality, we had enough income to meet budgets, but much of it was sitting in restricted accounts. Many individuals or programs were operating in the red while others were greatly overfunded.

One of our basic tasks is to ensure that missionaries get to their country of service and stay there to fulfill their ministries. It came down to a fundamental question: How can we keep our income up and distribute available funds to ensure that all IM missionaries, activities, and programs are fully funded?

According to the Mission’s lawyer, from a legal perspective we had the right to distribute the funds as needed. However, we wanted the denomination to have full knowledge and support of the change in internal accounting practices.

The Snag

We set about to establish a funding program that strategically and tactically aligned with the Mission’s purpose of winning souls, training leaders, and planting churches.

When presented to the 2008 National Association in West Virginia, a resounding 87% of delegates voted for the changes. With this vote of confidence, we gratefully pressed forward to execute the plan. The system was put into action on January 1, 2010.

Shortly thereafter, we ran into a snag. Negative feedback concerning the limitations presented by Strategic Ministry Partners (SMPs) occurred. Basically, this concept sought four to eight donors to cover the ministry aspect of each missionary’s approved budget. The rest of their needs were covered by the general fund. Donors could designate to the ministry budget of the missionary of their choice. By doing so they became “Strategic Ministry Partners.”

Some found this restricting and controlling. Once a missionary had his “quota” of partners, others wishing to donate to him were directed to another missionary or the general fund. Although purely motivated and seemingly solid, it was evident that SMPs were not working as anticipated.

However, we did see a significant shift from 17% undesignated income in 2009 to 50% undesignated in 2010—an encouraging sign of overall support.

The Adjustment

With SMPs seemingly hindering the progress of the new system, the board decided to make an adjustment. SMPs were eliminated. At the same time, the board affirmed their intent to stay the course on the other aspects of the funding system.

Where We Are

Earlier this year, at the national association meeting in Charlotte, I summed up our present funding system as follows:

• Strategic Ministry Partnerships no longer exist. Every donor is a partner.
  

• You can designate to the missionary(ies) or ministry(ies) of your choice.
  

• Your designated funds will be directed as designated.
  

• You can give undesignated, and we hope you will.
  

• At the end of the fiscal year, all individual missionary funds will be zeroed out, eliminating deficit funds. (Note: no project funds will be zeroed out.)
  

• And, you may always call at any time to check on the actual balance in the fund(s) you support.
  

I hope this answers your pressing questions about the funding system. Please, feel free to contact us if things still aren’t clear. At this point, we are strongly convinced the best course has been taken. We, as a Mission, are fully focused on obeying the Great Commission by winning souls, training leaders, and planting churches.

Where Do We Go From Here?

For IM to fulfill its mandate as the international missions branch of the National Association, it is imperative for the Free Will Baptist community to accept ownership of this entity by fully backing International Missions with time, talents, and treasures.

Mark Twain famously stated, “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me; it is the parts that I do understand.” This should resonate with Free Will Baptists. From a doctrinal point of view, we are thrust into a head-on collision with the lostness of man.

Theologically, we stand on the position that each individual must decide to follow Christ or to reject Him. The Apostle Paul smacks us with an irrefutable thread of logic when he states that the lost cannot believe what they have not heard, and they cannot hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14).

I believe that, together, we can fulfill Free Will Baptists’ God-designed role in taking the light of His Word to the darkest corners of this planet.

About the Writer: Clint Morgan is general director of Free Will Baptist International Missions.