Financial support of missions critical when physical support not possible

Financial support of missions critical when physical support not possible

By Grace Thornton
The Alabama Baptist

Jeff Meyers — like many others — has seen a lot of plans canceled for 2020. In light of COVID-19, his church pulled the plug on most of the missions trips it had planned for this year.

But though it’s sad, and even personal — his sons were looking forward to serving on a trip this summer — he sees new and strategic ways to help.

“When we go on mission seasonally (on short-term trips), we’re able to provide needed manpower and relief for those who are serving there permanently,” said Meyers, pastor of First Baptist Church, Opelika. “Because people on the field won’t have that kind of assistance this year, the resources we can give monetarily are even more necessary now.”

So in recent weeks, he’s been encouraging the more than 1,000 church members who normally go on an annual missions trip to take their travel expenses and put that money directly into missions offerings.

‘Straight to missions’

In 2019, the church surpassed its goal for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and was the sixth highest giving church in the state. This year — with all AAEO promotion done online — church members gave big again. The church surpassed its goal by 40%.

“In the midst of this time when churches are struggling financially, I would encourage people who have an inclination to go on a short-term trip to consider giving [that money] straight to missions,” Meyers said.

He recommended finding other creative ways to give and creative ways to promote giving too.

“In the past, promotion on social media and through electronic means hasn’t worked super well for us, but this year it worked better than our traditional ways of communicating our offering goals,” he said.

Meyers said he’s blessed to have a church with missions and Cooperative Program giving in its DNA, not to mention the resource of being so close to Auburn University and having the opportunity to mobilize students.

But regardless of the size or makeup of a church, every single bit matters, he said — especially at a time like this.

“That’s why the CP was created — to be a part of the picture no matter how large your piece is,” Meyers said. “All the little bits add up, and through those little bits, we get it done, from here to Alaska and around the world.”

Bobby DuBois, associate executive director for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said he sees that spirit in the way churches across the state give — and keep giving.

“Alabama Baptists are among the most generous people in the world,” he said. “Even in times of challenge, our people have historically kept their focus on supporting their church, as well as Alabama and Southern Baptist missions and ministries — ministry objectives that are still making a Kingdom impact today.”

DuBois said it won’t surprise him, even in the face of COVID-19, to see Alabama Baptists set the pace this year in CP and associational missions giving.

“That is one reason why it is such a blessing to be part of the Alabama Baptist family,” he said.

Kyle Johnson, pastor of Union Hill Baptist Church, Cottonwood, said he’s seen God raise up people around him to be extra generous in this time.

“We had no online giving before coronavirus, and many times people aren’t comfortable putting their checks in the mail,” he said. “We were really concerned that our giving was going to go way down, but we trusted the Lord with that.”

And what he found was that people sacrificed for God’s purposes and worked out a way to give, even when it was tough.

“Our tithes have increased a lot. We’ve seen the faithfulness of God,” Johnson said.

And when needs arose in their local area — physical needs like food and paying rent — the people of Union Hill Baptist saw God’s faithfulness come through once again.

“We had talked about reallocating some funds to be able to bless families, but we didn’t really know how much we could do,” Johnson said. “We were praying through that, and a specific number kept coming to mind, but it was a high number for us.”

They stepped out in faith. And in the days that followed, they were notified that a “dear lady who had gone home to be with the Lord” in 2019 had left a gift for the church in that exact amount, Johnson said.

“God has really humbled us and shown Himself faithful.”