We knew there had to be a better way to fund our missionaries. ‘Behold I come quickly’ is a promise we can not forget. Precious time away from the harvest was being spent raising support. With the Show Me Plan we have a more efficient system that will put our missionaries in the field faster!

How Are The Missouri Free Will Baptist Missionaries Supported?

As we think about how a Missionary is supported, we should first give the reasons as to why a person needs financial support to be a missionary. Well, as times change, so do the opportunities to make connections to people. Before 1970 Tent Revivals were very effective in gathering people to hear the Gospel message. In the 1970’s through the 1990’s Bus Ministry was a very effective tool. Today we see the need for one on one contact as the method in reaching people for Christ.

Therefore, it is the belief of many in the Free Will Baptist denomination that in order to reach enough people to constitute having a viable congregation of believers, in a reasonable amount of time, that it is in the best interest of the target community that we send a missionary fully employed.

By this full-time employment the missionary is able to spend his time in preparing for and participating in various outreach activities. He is also able to spend adequate time in prayer, in study of the scriptures, and in counseling those in need of such services.

In short, we want the missionary to be available to those he is trying to reach or disciple. This is the approach that our State, National and International Mission Departments take with most missionary endeavors.

Prior to 2010 each missionary whether a National or International missionary was required to find individuals, groups and churches that were willing to give monthly to their account so they would be able to be fully employed as a Missionary. This designated system has been our method for over 75 years for our Free Will Baptist Missionaries at all levels.

The drawbacks are: lost time spent in fund raising, several thousands being spent over one to three years in promotional materials, automobile needs and salaries during the time raising financial support.

We felt there was a better way to do this!

Missouri Free Will Baptists are familiar with the plan that we put in place almost two decades ago to help our International Missionaries cut those drawbacks back dramatically. The plan was designed for MO Free Will Baptist to give to the plan, on a monthly basis, in order for our International Missionaries to have continued support throughout their ministries. This way the missionary could get to the field quicker, have sustained finances and be able to spend furlough off the field in training rather than in traveling to re-raise funds. That plan was called the Show-Me Plan.

Now, starting in January of 2010, we will expand the Show-Me Plan to include our Missouri State Missionaries and our National Missionaries that have ties to Missouri. This way when you give to the Show-Me Plan, you will be helping to support all our FWB missionaries that are from Missouri without having to decide which one to designate to.

The missionaries will be supported monthly by a percentage disbursement. *60% will be used for our International Missionaries; 30% will be used to support our State Missionaries and 10% will be split among our National Missionaries that have ties to Missouri Free Will Baptist. Please note that your National Missionary will still need your designated funds in order to be fully employed by the National Home Missions Department.

The more we raise as a state in our Show-Me Plan the more we can do for our MO FWB Missionaries. The more State Projects we can have, the more help we can give our National Missionaries and the more we can help spread the Gospel around the World!

If you would like to give to the Show-Me Plan:

Designate your offering in your Missouri Free Will Baptist church.

Mail your gift to: MO FWB Missions PO Box 1218    Lebanon, MO 65536

Come by our office, Monday –Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM at 202 W. Commercial in Lebanon.

*A portion of this will be used to supply ½ of the MO International Missionary’s SMP needs. (Strategic Ministry Partnership) The rest of the 60% will go into the Global Evangelism Fund.