A 1997 shift in missions strategy has more than doubled the number of people
groups hearing the gospel and jump-started explosive church growth around the
world, Southern Baptist International Mission Board leaders reported recently.
A 1997 shift in missions strategy has more than doubled the number of people
groups hearing the gospel and jump-started explosive church growth around the
world, Southern Baptist International Mission Board leaders reported recently.
Leaders offered the report to board trustees during their recent meeting. During
the meeting, trustees also responded to recent criticism of board leadership
and strategy and adopted a trimmed-back $258.9 million budget for 2004. The
meeting also included the appointment of 67 new missionaries headed for overseas
service in 29 countries.
The key report offered a five-year evaluation of the “New Directions”
emphasis that shifted the boards missions focus from geographical countries
to ethno-linguistic people groups.
The emphasis organized missionaries into teams with a goal of reaching previously-neglected
people groups and sparking rapid church-planting movements.
Among the key findings of the survey:
The number of people groups engaged by Southern Baptist personnel
has more than doubled to 1,371 and with the help of other Great Commission Christians,
it is possible to engage all the worlds 6,614 unreached people groups.
Seven church-planting movements have been confirmed and 42 others
reported, with the movements generating more new believers and new congregations
than even traditional “harvest field” countries like Nigeria and Brazil.
A 29 percent growth in the Southern Baptist missionary force during
the past five years is the greatest in history.
The report also notes innovative approaches are being used to involve Southern
Baptists in missions and to reach particular people groups. It asserts missionaries
are starting churches with a clear Baptist identity in terms of doctrine and
organization. It also notes there has been an increase of almost 71 percent
in the number of churches worldwide, an increase of 95 percent in the number
of outreach groups and the baptism of more than 1.8 million new believers.
Among the concerns identified by the research were the need for improved supervision
and more thorough training of strategy coordinators, for closer matching between
strategy coordinator candidates and field needs and for more comprehensive training
about the “nuts and bolts” of starting churches and church-planting
movements.
The report insists Southern Baptists are well-positioned to meet the ever-increasing
challenge of world missions.
In addition to receiving the report, trustees adopted two statements in response
to criticism of the International Mission Board by Keith Eitel, a missions professor
at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Eitels observations recently
were mailed to trustees by Paige Patterson, president at Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary.
The observations questioned board strategy and whether strict theological practices
were being followed.
In response, trustees adopted one statement without discussion or dissent.
It affirms the strategies and leadership of the board and resolves to review
concerns and issues raised and act “to guarantee that the vision to lead
Southern Baptists to reach the world for Christ is not compromised.” The
statement also urges persons to support the board with sacrificial gifts through
the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
The second statement also was adopted unanimously. It affirms an initiative
by Jerry Rankin to arrange for a meeting of mission board staff and trustees
with Eitel and Patterson “to resolve misunderstandings and perceptions.”
In addition to approving those statements, board trustees adopted a $258.9
million basic budget for 2004 that cuts almost $20 million in operating expenses
from the current year. Additional budget funds are allocated to capital needs
but will not be spent unless funds are received.
The budget anticipates receiving $96.2 million through the Southern Baptist
Cooperative Program, $133 million through the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
and $16.4 million from investment income. The budget includes no salary increases
for missionary or stateside personnel.
The adoption of the budget come as missions leaders have been forced to eliminate
stateside staff positions and place limits on the number of new overseas workers
to address a much-reported shortfall in annual receipts. (BP)