American Baptists’ shortfall prompts recall

GREEN LAKE, Wis. — Leaders of the American Baptist Churches USA say they must close a $1.5 million budget gap to avert the recall of missionaries.

“In July, International Ministries sent a series of letters to all of our missionaries,” said Charles H. Jones, acting director of the denomination’s International Ministries division, in a statement.

“The letters updated missionaries about our budget shortfall, the need for an extraordinary effort in this year’s World Mission Offering promotion, and the potential of missionary recalls.”

At a recent World Mission Conference at Green Lake, Wis., leaders of the division discussed how, despite cuts already made, the missions offering must increase by 36 percent from $4.2 million to $5.7 million to keep all missionaries in their assignments and maintain existing ministries. The division has already approved reductions in home office staff, programs and national partner grants and operating costs.

The offering is promoted every September and October and directly supports more than 130 American Baptist missionaries.

Ken Fong, pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, challenged those attending the conference to double their donations to the offering this year. His church is producing a DVD that International Ministries will duplicate and make available for congregations as a promotional effort for the offering.