How about a resolution that would allow for a local church to use a certain percentage (say 50%)of it World Evangelism allocation for the starting of a new church? The local church would send in its entire WEF budget and upon the DAB's approval they would either receive a credit for the following year or a check.
My thought process is that in the USA we are needing some motivation and resources to help this process along.
I like the idea but that would mean that WEF allocations would increase to cover the amount being granted for the starting of the new church or some WEF budget items woud have to be reduced or cut.
Not if they reformulated the WEF. They could reformulate who they are paying and maybe make it where some ministries need to raise their own budget. I don't have a clue how that would look, but it sure would benefit the local church. They could also make it where the US is not the only part of the church paying into the WEF.
I would like to see us reallocate WEF Funds. Having just received a very broad financial statement from Headquarters - - - could not this money be used ina potentially more missional manner?
It is difficutl to know this without knowing really where the dollars are going . . .
I believe that has been the biggest complaint out of a lot of churches. We don't know where the WEF is going. Headquarters will not share that information. So I think it is about time that we start asking to see that info. Also I still wonder how the budgeting system can change to make it where the WEF will encompass the US mission field as well. If they would allow us to keep some of that WEF so that we could do more in our local communities. It would be truly a missional budget.
I understand that we all want to do as much ministry as we can in our local churches and that church planting here in the U.S. would obviously be a good thing. However, as the wealthiest Christians in the world and in history, don't we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world to help them fund their ministries as well? Also, doesn't it just practically make sense to funnel the money to the churches and ministries that are having the strogest impact (like the churches in Africa and South America) rather than continuing to spend money here where it seems to make very little difference?
Yes David, we do have an obligation to others! But the US is now the largest mission field the church has, and we have to make some BIG changes in budgets and the way we do church, if there is a church tomorrow!
Russell, I totally agree with that statement, plus who know really how much of the WEF is going to foreign missions. I believe that it is more of an administrative tool than a tool for third world areas.
The Ceneral Church just put out a one page document that tries to describe where our WEF money has gone - - we are talking about large sums of money and broad categories but at least someone has made it available for us all.
I think what i hear is your posts is leadership, vision and direction. It is not that pastors, local leaders, and congregations are selfish - - - but that we do want to make our most count for God!
Personally, we need to have the attitude of ministering here (locally) there (US) and anywhere (around the world). It is true our dollars go farther elsewhere than here - - - but it seems that I should put my focus here - - -and then look up to God and He will help me see out there.
I am praying that our leadership will help cast a vision that will move us forward in serving Him!
In response to the comments about knowing where the WEF money is going, obviously I would agree that we need accountability and good stewardship. If no one knows where the money is going or it is being used more for administration than mission, then clearly that should be re-evaluated. However, as a general principle I don't think it is good stewardship or very missional to keep more money in the U.S. when we already have the largest share of the money and it seems to be doing the least good. If you haven't seen this video, it is pretty entertaining and touches on this topic among other things.
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Russell, what facts would you cite to support the idea that the U.S. is now the largest mission field the church has?
Tim, where can I view a copy of the report you are talking about? I was also curious about your statement "that I should put my focus here --- and then look up to God and he will help me see out there". Would you mind elaborating on that?
David, the General Church has stated several times over the last 5-7 years tjat the United States is now the largest missions field the church has. THe World Msssion Dept. has begun sending missionaries to the United States.
I have heard statements where the Church of the Nazarene has declared the United States as a mission field but I haven't heard anything about it being the largest mission field. What exactly would qualify us to be the largest mission field for the Church today? Why wouldn't secular Europe, the Muslim nations of Africa and the Middle East, or the parts of Asia where the Church is still underground be considered much more vast mission fields than the United States? It would seem to me that those places would be much more lacking in a Christian influence and therefore in more need of additional mission work than the United States. Or if we want to define the largest mission field as the place where God already seems to be preparing the harvest for us, then parts of Africa and most of South America would seem to rank ahead of the United States in that regard. It would then seem to make sense to invest more resources in those areas just to keep up with the work that God is already doing. I don't mean to say there should be no mission work here at home. Clearly, there must be. I just don't think keeping more money in the already wealth saturated United States is the answer. In fact, doing things with less money might be exactly the kind of counter-cultural practice we need to have in order to be successful in our mission here in America by reminding our nation that we do not operate on the same kind of "bottom-line" strategy of the American business model. Furthermore, I think we will miss out on what God is doing in other world areas if we don't following his leading there.
Russ (and others who have posted on this topic) since I don't really know many of you very well and it is difficult to communicate tone of voice in a discussion board, I just want to make clear that I mean no disrespect or ill will by coming back to this topic repeatedly. I just think this is a topic that is important enough to come back to repeatedly. Hopefully, that is not even necessary for me to say since hashing out these ideas is the point of a discussion board like this anyway but I just wanted to be clear just in case. I look forward to more dialogue on all of these topics.
David, I believe that the US is a mission field, I doubt it is the biggest mission field. Compared to the rest of the world (as a whole) It has the least Nazarenes. Headquarters is currently moving into a Global Ministries Center. When that happens there will not be a USA/Canada division. It will just be another world area under World Mission. I guess I am concerned about how we are administratively spending our WEF dollars administratively. I don't think the general church has done a great breakdown for that. Also I wouldn't mind seeing our WEF go down a bit, so that some of that could stay locally for compassionate ministries and other needs in my community. It doesn't have to be a drastic cut, maybe a couple of hundred dollars. That could help some of the smaller, less financed churches. These are just some thoughts. By the way, I am for missions and I took this church knowing it didn't hardly pay a dime on budgets and we will have budgets paid next year. Also I remember you from Seminary. You graduated one year ahead of me. Jonathon
I like the posts and the many ideas you have shared.
I will bring the financial summary to District Assembly -so I can pass it around. I know I received it in the mail within the past 4-6 weeks.
David you were wondering what I might be referring to when I said - - "that I should put my focus here --- and then look up to God and he will help me see out there". Would you mind elaborating on that?
I am one of the pastors at Decatur First and as such my calling is to the people of this community - - that is where I should be putting most of my time, energy and resources - - but during the past 5 or 6 months God has been stretching me as I have sought Him to see beyond my community to Griggsville as our church raised some funds and helped them side their parsonage, and then to go to Tlaxcala, Mexico on a Work and Witness trip building a church.
The prompting of these actions has not come from my denomination but fromt he stirring of the Spirit of God within me.
We have really moved to being the people of God,Here (Decatur) There (USA), Anywhere (Universe)
