A Missions Alert!
The Heartbeat of Northside
Northside has always been a church with a heart for missions. We began as a mission and have begun missions. We have started works in Victoria county and participated in mission efforts as close as the Valley and as far away as Greece. We have sent Northsiders to mission fields in Japan, Zimbabwe, and France. Mission work has always been a priority.
Northside has always been a church with a heart for missions. We began as a mission and have begun missions. We have started works in Victoria county and participated in mission efforts as close as the Valley and as far away as Greece. We have sent Northsiders to mission fields in Japan, Zimbabwe, and France. Mission work has always been a priority.
A Developing Need
The good news is that giving to International Missions is up! The bad news is that expenses in International Missions are up even more. For the last five years, the International Mission Board has had operating costs that exceed giving (by millions). Drastic measures are being taken to make our mission efforts around the world financially sustainable.
The good news is that giving to International Missions is up! The bad news is that expenses in International Missions are up even more. For the last five years, the International Mission Board has had operating costs that exceed giving (by millions). Drastic measures are being taken to make our mission efforts around the world financially sustainable.
Missionaries to Come Home
To help alleviate the financial crunch, missionaries over age 50 with five years or more of service are being offered to participate in a “Voluntary Retirement Initiative”. Some 600-800 missionaries and staff will be affected this year. A friend of mine, retired seminary professor Dr. Dan Crawford, is in contact with many of these missionaries and has received the following messages from the field:
To help alleviate the financial crunch, missionaries over age 50 with five years or more of service are being offered to participate in a “Voluntary Retirement Initiative”. Some 600-800 missionaries and staff will be affected this year. A friend of mine, retired seminary professor Dr. Dan Crawford, is in contact with many of these missionaries and has received the following messages from the field:
·
“Just keep praying. The future seems very uncertain. Missionaries are dealing
with a range of emotions, unfortunately at this point it does not include
excitement.”
·
“The biggest challenge for us is not to have several months to better prepare
our national partners for the future. It is hard to think that we will be
leaving after having the fantastic privilege to serve our Lord here for over 30
years.
· “I find myself today
wondering if we will stay, where our ministry is only beginning to take off, or
return to the States.”
· “I am thinking of staying
at least one more year as self-funded.”
·
“It is a very discouraging time for all of us and morale is at an all-time
low.”
· “Pray specifically for
those whose children could lose their missionary scholarship to college if
their parents are no longer missionaries.”
· “God has not told me to
leave my place of service. I am staying. I will lose my apartment, car, salary,
and benefits, but I am staying until God tells me to go home.”
Back here at Northside, we will
soon begin our third missions offering of the year, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
for International Missions. Now, more than ever, we must be faithful in giving
above and beyond our normal tithes and offerings to see that we keep our
missionaries in the field. Pray. Be thinking of missionaries returning to the
states needing basic housing and transportation. Be thinking of how Northside
can continue to be the mission-minded church we have always been called to be.
In His service,
Bro. Mickey
Bro. Mickey
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