Mission Support

Mission Giving Summaries

Together, your church and ABCNW are growing disciples through healthy mission-focused churches. Your mission giving makes this possible. The Monthly Giving Report is now available.

2011 (through September)

2010 

2009 (through November)

2008

2007

2006

 

But, Is It Missions? Why the Work of ABCNW Is Considered Missions

Somewhere in Baptist history a line formed dividing missions-usually conceptualized as foreign missions-from the work of the local church. Church ministry was seldom considered to be mission work. Yes, there was home missions, but that was something a national board did. Complicating the situation was the attitude that relegated home missions to secondary status behind foreign missions. Perhaps that's why over time many denominations stopped using the term "home missions"; it sounded like a quaint throwback to a former time in national Baptist work, now considered passé.

A close observation of foreign mission work reveals that effective missions has a lot to do with planting and growing healthy congregations in mostly unchurched environments. Much foreign mission work concentrates on exegeting the culture, evangelizing the population in culturally relevant ways, starting new congregations, and training pastors. Overseas missions also conduct social ministries that not only meet human needs but foster receptivity to the Gospel. The hoped for result of foreign mission work is the establishment of numerous indigenous congregations that will expand and grow by reaching the unchurched with the Good News of Jesus Christ and by attending to the needs of the hurting, hungry and homeless through various relief efforts.

The vision of the ABC of the Northwest is to "grow disciples through healthy, mission-focused churches." We invite the congregations that comprise the Region to support this vision through prayer, work, involvement and financial contributions. By joining forces between churches we believe that we can assist congregations to be more effective in reaching the present generations for Christ.

But, you may wonder, is that missions? Is the ministry of the Region legitimate mission work on par with foreign missions? The simple answer is, "yes." And, here is why. The Region's first priority is to expand the Kingdom of God in the Northwest. We seek to do this in a highly unchurched part of America in which thousands of people need to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ. This expansion of the Kingdom is accomplished primarily through the growth and multiplication of churches. This strategy is identical to that of international mission work. Whenever the church is being formed through the continuous birth of new disciples it is evident that someone is taking the Gospel to the surrounding culture, and that is mission, whether it is conducted locally or globally.

Since the Northwest is a giant mission field and since mission focused churches are God's primary tool for reaching the lost, then it stands to reason that as the Region strengthens and multiplies churches that it is engaging in legitimate missions.

There are numerous ministries the Region is conducting to foster the expansion of the church. One that is highly demanding and somewhat unheralded is the work the Region does to come alongside churches during pastoral transitions. This entire period is critical for the church's future. The best scenario is when a church leans into the future anticipating exciting new faith ventures and is able to call an excellent pastor to lead them there.

To this end the Region provides multiple layers of service during the transition period to help churches continue to be faithful and growing. These services include encouragement during the closure time of the vacating pastor; assignment of a search consultant to work with the search committee; the provision of a detailed search process handbook developed by Region staff; recruitment of excellent pastoral candidates; availability of a church assessment to clarify future direction; and appointment of a qualified interim minister in partnership with Interim Ministries-ABC. Once the pastor is called and installed, the Region continues to provide assistance to the pastor through the ongoing peer-to-peer support of the Leadership Learning Communities and the All Region Ministers Conference. The Region offers coaching to the congregation and pastor as they embrace strategic changes to be more effective in its ministries.

This is just one example among many of how the Region conducts missions alongside its member congregations so that the churches will be healthy and mission-focused. The intended result is that more people will experience the joy of knowing Jesus Christ and the Northwest will be transformed by vibrant and relevant, outward focused churches working together to advance God's Kingdom, for His glory alone. May our partnership in mission together give Glory to God and strengthen not only the existing churches, but the expansion of additional churches that give clear witness to the saving grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.     - Dr. Charles Revis

ABC International Ministries and Directory of ABC Missionaries

The mission of American Baptist International Ministries is to glorify God in all the earth by crossing cultural boundaries to make followers of Jesus Christ. This is God's world. But the world has been terribly twisted by human sin. The world is full of problems and challenges that feel overwhelming. But God is working to save and renew the world. Through Jesus Christ, God offers life to every person and promises the renewal of the whole created order. Jesus calls all his followers to let the Holy Spirit transform them into participants in what God is dong. This saving, renewing work of God is what we call mission…

Read more about the work of International Ministries by clicking on the banner below.