Missions is at the forefront of who we are and what we do as Southern Baptists.  By God’s grace, we support thousands of missionaries across the globe.  However, if we aren’t careful and intentional, it would be easy for us simply to give our money as a denomination and detach ourselves from the reality that our missionaries are real people with real needs.  How can we not only support our missionaries financially, but make certain we are also supporting them beyond simply our dollars?  The apostle John helps us see the important role churches and individuals play in the ongoing support of missionaries from 3 John.

John writes to a believer named Gaius.  John rejoices in the growth of Gaius’ life and prays for his health to prosper as much as his spiritual life apparently prospers (v 2).  I wonder how much our physical health would prosper if it were to prosper in comparison to our spiritual health?  It seems that John’s connection to careful and intentional mission support is tied to one’s own spiritual health.  When word got back to John about Gaius “walking in the truth,” he was ecstatic (vv 3-4).

For John, walking in the truth, or “acting faithfully,” involves a care for furthering the gospel and supporting those who do so (v 5).  John hears of Gaius’ love for missionaries (traveling teachers) (v 6a).  John commends Gaius for supporting the sent in a manner worthy of God (v 6b).  John reminds us that those who travel to further the gospel go “for the sake of the Name” (v 7a).  Their support comes not from the “Gentiles” (outside financial support), but from within the church(es) (v 7b).

John’s word of encouragement to Gaius is to “support such men,” in order to be “fellow workers with the truth” (v 8).  Gaius and the church supported these traveling missionaries with lodging, food, money, encouragement, and prayer (Danny Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, 3 John).  In other words, cooperative missions is a cooperative effort.  Some send. Some are sent.  All are involved.  We accomplish more for the gospel not on our own, but together.  We send the sent, but we support the sent.  How might we tangibly support our sent?

• Provide salaries so that gospel work can be the primary focus of the missionaries. As Southern Baptists, the Cooperative Program allows us to unite our resources for maximum impact and support missionaries who can give full attention to reaching the unreached.

• Provide lodging both on the field and when “home” for rest. For Gaius, it seems he both received and provided lodging for these traveling missionaries.  A place to call home away from “home” is an essential component for missionaries living in another culture.  Further, when able to travel back to the states for “rest,” missionaries need an oasis to recoup and recharge.

• Provide meaningful care packages. On occasion, perhaps every other month, churches can send gift cards or care packages filled with favorite snacks and thoughtful gifts.  This builds a personal connection with church members and missionaries.

• Provide continual encouragement through texts, emails, skype calls, etc. Loneliness is a reality for those living overseas for the gospel.  New cultures, new languages, and often extreme isolation can lead to battles with discouragement.  A simple message of encouragement from a passage of Scripture or just checking on the missionary’s family goes a long way in building them up.

• Provide intentional prayer (and let them know it). Regularly praying for missionaries by name not only provides the spiritual support they need, but also gives the church a tangible connection to those serving on the field.  This puts a face to “Lottie” and “Annie” when we pray by name for our missionaries.  So, pray for them but then let them know you are praying for them.

Supporting those we send as missionaries involves more than our dollars.  It requires our personal time and investment in their lives.  In do so, John informs us that we are “fellow workers with the truth” (3 John 8).  Some send. Some are sent.  All are involved cooperatively as workers with the truth.

BEing a witness to our community, state, nation and world is something we are, not something we do.  Being a witness is a mandate given to us by Christ himself.  Acts 1:8 tells us that after receiving power, we will BE His witnesses.  Yes, we do things to witness, but most importantly, we are to BE a witness.  You don’t have to be creative, educated, innovative or make it up as you go.  You simply tell what Christ has done for you, what you know of Him and what you have learned from Him.

Opportunities to BE a witness exist everywhere.  You can BE a witness in your “Jerusalem” as you go to the grocery, bank, school, park, work or for a walk in your neighborhood.  God has gifted and equipped you to BE His witness and very close to you are pregnancy care centers, homeless shelters, clothing and hunger relief ministries, after school programs, nursing homes, hospitals and community events.

Will you BE a witness in your Judea (Kentucky) or Samaria (North America)?  Missionaries and ministry leaders need help from people like yourself who are willing to go and meet needs related to church planting, evangelism, construction, church strengthening and community outreach.  The witness of trained Disaster Relief workers are needed following a tornado, flood, hurricane, or ice storm.  For a complete list of current opportunities, visit www.kybaptist.org/GO or www.kybaptist.org/DR.

Will you BE a witness across the pond to or to the utter most part of the world?  Missionaries in Greece and Europe are needing people to come a BE a witness by prayerwalking, evangelizing boroughs, planting churches or ministering to refugees.  Villages in sub-Saharan Africa need volunteers to BE a witness by drilling wells for drinking water, delivering hospice buckets for AIDS patients and caring for orphans.

These are only a few of the many opportunities to BE a witness that I’m aware of.  To quote William Shakespeare, “to BE or not to be”, that is the question.  If His power is upon you, it’s not a choice you make.  The command is to BE.  If we’re not BEing a witness, one must ask, “is His power upon me?”

As the school year comes to a close and minds are turned toward summer vacations, let me remind you that it is not too late to include missions as a part of your summer.  There are many opportunities to serve the Lord during these months ahead, and what a blessing it will be.  Whatever gift, skill, at talent you may have, there is a place for you.  Whatever your team makeup (individual, children, youth, women, men, or a family group), there is a place for you to serve.  However long you would like to serve, there are opportunities for you.

Our Kentucky Baptist Convention mission opportunities webpage has been updated and there are lots of places and ways to serve.  Go to www.kybaptist.org/go and check out the many opportunities in our state (as well as a few out of state).  You can search the projects by type of project, location, and length of assignment.  Once there, you can view some detail about each project, along with contact information for each ministry.  Feel free to contact the church, association, and/or ministry directly for additional information and/or for scheduling your mission trip.

If you have questions, or if none of these projects seem to fit your team, don’t worry.  There is still a place for you to serve.  Contact Teresa Parrett, Kentucky Missions Mobilization Coordinator, at [email protected], for assistance.

One great way to serve the Lord this summer is right in your own church through Vacation Bible School. Whether transportation, food service, decorating, craft and recreation leaders, photography, mission and Bible study leaders, or cleanup crew, there is a place for everyone.  What a joy it is to see the smiling faces of the children and they meet together to learn about Jesus.

Let me suggest also the Christmas Backpack Project as a mission project for your Vacation Bible School.  For information on this project go to www.kybaptsit.org/backpacks to learn more.  We can also suggest some  “real live” missionaries to visit your VBS to share and interact with the children.

Summer is a great time for ministry.  Don’t let yours pass without getting involved.  Contact us if we can assist.

HAPPY SUMMERING!!

Chicago is known for its many names: The Windy City, Second City, Chi-town, Heart of America.  Chicago is also known for many things: deep-dish pizza, hot dogs, Chicago Cubs, and Lake Michigan. The list goes on.

Amidst Chicago’s various names and iconic sites, there is something much less known about this great city.  What is less known, you ask?  Jesus.  The metro population of Chicago makes it the third largest city in the United States at 9.5 million people.  However, only 9.1% of the population is affiliated with an evangelical church.  Furthermore, there is only 1 SBC church for every 34,348 people in metro Chicago.

The KBC is entering a new partnership with NAMB in Send Chicago.  In conjunction with the lead Chicago Send City Church, Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, the KBC is beginning this partnership with the prayer and intention that many KBC churches will make the short trip up to the Windy City for gospel engagement.

With only about 25 church plants in metro Chicago, more work is needed to impact this great city with the gospel.  Coming alongside a church planter and new plant is a tremendous way in which KBC churches can have tangible gospel presence in a city only about 300 miles away.

While NAMB has selected Chicago among 31 other cities in North America as a strategic place for gospel advancement, the KBC is joining efforts here and praying that God will bring a fresh wind of gospel engagement to the 3^rd largest city in the US.

Why is the KBC choosing to partner in Chicago?  Because we believe in cooperative missions, not just our dollars but our efforts as well.  Our mission as a convention is simple: created by churches, for churches, to help churches reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.

Created by churches

We exist as the Kentucky Baptist Convention because Baptist churches throughout Kentucky desired to cooperate for the furthering of the gospel.  The KBC owes its existence to Baptist churches.

For churches

Baptist churches created the KBC for churches.  In other words, the KBC was created not to be served by the churches, but to serve the churches.

To help churches

Thus, the KBC exists to help churches do what God has called the church to do—the Great Commission.  Because the KBC was created by churches, for churches, the convention exists to help churches.  Helping mobilize churches for the Great Commission is the mission of the KBC.

Reach Kentucky and the world for Christ

God did not give the Great Commission to a denomination or mission boards; He gave it to the church.  Denominations and mission boards are helpful insomuch as they help churches reach those across the street and across the sea with the gospel.

We desire to connect KBC churches to gospel partnerships in Kentucky, North America, and the nations.  We want to resource, train, and introduce KBC churches to missionaries, church planters, established churches, and ministries in order to develop relationships that will further the gospel around the world.

We believe one such needed place to connect KBC churches in making Jesus known in the US is Chicago.  With well over 90% of the city not connected to a gospel-centered church, Chicago needs some wind, a fresh gospel wind that blows throughout the city.  Will your church be part of seeing this wind blow?  Learn more about partnering in this city or other KBC partnerships at www.kybaptist.org/vision.