If it’s my assertion that people are tired of giving to the IMB, ok. I’m just speaking from my experience; we’ve had to tell lots of disillusioned supporters that they can’t give directly to us, but should give to the IMB through the CP or the LMCO.

Maybe you think I’m wrong about the struggle for accountability on the field. Again, I write from experience with missionaries who demand what they think is theirs.

I wrote about the failing identity of the IMB. Maybe I was wrong on this one. It seems the Board of Trustees is hard at work defining who we are as Southern Baptist missionaries.

If you disagree with my assesment of the Board’s pending demise, I hope I am wrong. There are many devoted people on the field who depend on the organization.

I really don’t like to point to the IMB’s successes as evidence that God is behind “the machine.” That God is using us doesn’t necessarily mean we’re doing things right. See my post entitled “What’s it gonna take?”

You mention that little old ladies gave to Lottie because they believed in what she was doing. You’re right. But most of those old ladies are in heaven now, and the younger ones are just as likely to give to one of the “other great, Bible believing, missionary sending denominations” you mentioned in your comment. If we don’t make some changes, I think we aren’t gonna last.

Why am I still working within the SBC? Because I made a committment to it, and I know that there are folks sorta like me within the SBC that feel like we’re representing them on the field. Although the circle is tightening, I feel like there’s still room for me. Oh, and as much as I hate when people say this, we’re here because we feel like God told us to.

Thanks for your thoughts. Please write back!

I think you’re wrong. This is how Southern Baptists have been doing missions since we’ve been doing missions. Annie was led by the Lord to network and collect for Lottie in China. Those little old ladies didn’t know her but they believed in her work. God has been behind the machine and I believe He still is. There is fruit to support the supposition that He built the machine.

There are other great, Bible believing, missionary sending denominations that may have us in one way or the other but no one has us in missions. If you don’t like the very thing that makes us who we are (and I’m not trying to be unkind) then why are you SB?

I’m glad to hear that you prefer raising support. It’s one thing for a spoiled, well-funded missionary like me to say how great it is to raise support, but it really means something from someone who’s done both.

I am an MK, so grew up and even went to college on CP dollars.

But now I’m an MSC missionary, and we raise our own support even though we fall under the umbrella of NAMB.

To be honest, I prefer raising support. I love having a ministry team who know us directly and are in tune with everything that goes on in our lives. I love the emails and letters of encouragement we get almost daily. I love having a network of people who are available at the click of a “Send” button to pray for an immediate need.

And you brought up another valid point. People do still care about missions, although they may not be giving through the CP. I have heard that the X and Y generations don’t support missions like their predecessors.

I beg to differ. Almost a third of our support comes from individuals under the age of 35. That statistic even surprised us when we calculated it. They give sacrificially to missions, find creative ways to get things done, and actually come and work with us on the field.

Maybe we do need to expand our options to include more than just CP funded missions. Technology has changed the face of our world. I think it is also necessitating a more “hands-on” approach to missions.