American Baptists warn about missionary recalls

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — The American Baptists Churches USA could lose one-fifth of its missionary force unless its missions agency can raise enough money to overcome its current financial crisis.

The head of International Ministries, the ABC’s mission-sending agency, said in a July 13 memo to missionaries the agency may eliminate up to 36 of its 150 missionary positions — 28 by recall and eight by attrition — unless it can raise $1.5 million quickly to erase a projected 2004 shortfall.

Recalling missionaries from the field is a last resort, Charles Jones, acting executive director of International Ministries told Associated Baptist Press July 19.

International Ministries has an annual budget of about $14 million. Earlier this year, the agency cut a $3 million deficit in half by trimming mission programs, operations and stateside staff.

The agency already plans to spend $400,000 from reserves this year to partially offset the 2004 shortfall.

The budget proposal for 2005 will be finalized by mid-September, Jones said. But selecting missionaries for recall will take longer.