Missions Fund

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God reveals that he intends that his redeemed people – those bought by the blood of Christ – are to be the channel for His gospel to be extended to all the nations of the earth. “How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” (Romans 10:14-15). It is both a privilege and a duty of the Christian to send missionaries by way of generous financial gifts. God takes our gifts, multiplies them, uses them, and repays the giver with a blessing.

Over ten years ago, the Missions Fund was established for this purpose. At that time the Missions Committee described it to the congregation as follows:

Christ commands in Matthew 28:18-20 that his Church disciple the nations (ethne – “peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations” in Revelation 5:9 and 7:9). This passage is known as his Great Commission to his Church. Furthermore, Christ’s words in Matthew 24:14 make it clear that he will return after all the nations have been discipled – not before! So we want to do our part here at TBPC in the Church’s task of completing the Great Commission, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit working through his people in all generations. TBPC established that year, 2009, coincident with its Missions Emphasis Weekend – a dedicated Missions Fund to support, and grow it’s missions ministry funding so that TBPC would be able to take on additional missionary support obligations. The Missions Fund will also be used for missions conference expenses and short-term trip expenses. The goal at that time was $40,418, which was the amount that was budgeted in the General Fund for missions. If each resident communicant member gave only $6 weekly, or $25 monthly, TBPC would be able to support the new Missions Fund budget of $40,418. Please continue to support the General Fund. Your pledge to support the Missions Fund should be in addition to your current financial commitments to TBPC.

Actually, not much has changed over the past decade. You can follow the Missions Fund financials in the bulletin each week. Missionaries come and go, congregants come and go, the economy cycles through bulls and bears and priorities change. But the Missions Fund and giving towards missions is still going strong, thanks to the faithful people who have kept their pledge commitments, and the many others who give generously to the Missions Fund.