Missions Policy

Revision 2005, Missions Committee

Missions Mandate

As he ascended to heaven, Jesus commissioned his disciples, and through them, the Church throughout this age: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This mandate establishes our purpose, our goal, and our resources. Our purpose is to spread the gospel wherever Christ is not yet known, and to advance his reign wherever Christ is not yet exalted. Our goal is that people hear the gospel, develop a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, become vital members of a reproducing Church, and spread the knowledge of Christ where he is still not known. Our resources include the authority and presence of Christ, the potent gospel message, and empowerment by the Spirit.

In response to this mandate, the aim of CBCGB’s missions committee is to help equip and mobilize the members of our church to participate to their fullest potential in the work of world evangelization: in sending our own people into cross-cultural ministry; in committing financial resources to the task; in nurturing a corporate life of persevering intercessory prayer; and in upholding our missionary partners in loving relationship, both while in the field and at home. We yearn to see the members of CBCGB fully embracing God’s intentions for our church as an instrument in the work of advancing his kingdom among all peoples.

Missions Policy

The committee sets out and distributes this policy for several reasons:

• to nurture congregational confidence and corporate participation in CBCGB missions efforts;
• to assist potential missionaries in preparation, planning, and pursuit of long-term missions;
• to set the direction for missions principles and practices;
• to facilitate consistency, transparency, and accountability in missions decisions;
• to ensure the integrity and effective stewardship of human and financial resources.

The intention is that policy will be applied consistently, while recognizing that legitimate exceptions may occasionally arise; exception to the policy will require consensus among missions committee members. Policy will be reviewed and revised in alternate years, as needed; before implementation, revised policy will be submitted to the Board of Elders for approval.

Missions Priorities

While we recognize the need for continued, vital Christian ministry and multiplication among people groups where an evangelizing local church has already been planted, we also are compelled by the urgent need for a culturally appropriate, faithful gospel witness among people groups where Christ has not yet even been named. Recognizing that the number of workers among these “unreached” people groups is dramatically disproportionate to their numbers, we would suggest that there is a need for strategic focus to accomplish the task of reaching them.

As a result, with respect to missions focus, CBCGB prioritizes:

• the cultural distance of the recipients from the gospel (i.e., the evangelization of unreached people groups);
• pioneer evangelism and church planting.

It bears clarification that the “distance” above refers not to the geographical or cultural divide between a missionary and a potential recipient of the gospel; rather, we are here referring to the cultural distance (in language, ethnicity, social boundaries, etc.) that exists between potential converts and the culturally nearest evangelizing church. The chart below illustrates our emphasis:

With reference to the M-Scale depicted above, we emphasize cultural distance of the recipients from the gospel (M3 and M4 people groups), and de-emphasize geographical distance, in the evaluation of strategic priority. In doing so, we do not mean to give an impression of superiority or inferiority to differing arenas of missionary work; rather, we seek to prioritize what in this present time seems to be of greatest strategic urgency in our obedience to the Great Commission.

Missions Candidates

In evaluating long-term missions candidates, we seek to facilitate the raising up of missionaries from our own midst, the sending of well-equipped workers toward the mission field, the active involvement of our congregation members as partners to our missionaries, and the continued participation of our missionaries in the life of our church when they are on home assignment or furlough. Put simply, we desire that partnership be an active, relational, and long-term commitment on the part of both CBCGB and our missionaries.

As a result, with respect to long-term missions candidates, CBCGB prioritizes:

• personal and spiritual qualifications expected of CBCGB ministry staff, elders, or deacons;
• extended prior involvement in ministry at CBCGB (three years’ immediately preceding missions application for highest level of support; any previous three years’ ministry for consideration);
• continued involvement in ministry at CBCGB commensurate with support level (e.g., contact on the field, home assignment ministry at CBCGB);
• ministry consistent with CBCGB missions priorities.

In addition, CBCGB values:

• preparations appropriate to long-term service, including fluency in the relevant languages;
• theological and missiological preparation (2 years full-time – or equivalent – for vocational missionaries; 1 year for bi-vocational missionaries);
• domestic ministry experience commensurate with anticipated missionary service;
• affiliation with approved agency.

With respect to missions agencies, CBCGB requires organizations characterized by:

• a statement of faith compatible with that of CBCGB;
• spiritual accountability and oversight;
• financial accountability (i.e., Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability or equivalent);
• fiscal restraint (especially with respect to organizational overheads and standard of living);
• active partnership with CBCGB;
• a culture that encourages long-term service, language learning where appropriate, and goals of indigenous leadership, finance, and ministry.

Missions Finances

CBCGB missions ministry is supported by an annual missions pledge, as well as by additional gifts and donations. The Finance Committee directs designated gifts only to those missionaries and organizations approved by the missions committee and without U.S.-based financial structures.

Budget Allocation 

The annual budget shall be allocated roughly as follows:

• long-term ministry         80%
• short-term (2 years or less)         10% (maximum $50,000)
• emergency and one-time         5%
• missions education, conference, administration         5%

Ongoing Support

In considering support allocation, especially with respect to long-term ministry, we seek to align our financial commitments with our missions priorities. Principles for allocation will include the following:

• maximum 50% support (for those candidates who fulfill all CBCGB priorities);
• otherwise, maximum 25% support (e.g., former co-workers; recent co-workers whose ministry does not fulfill CBCGB missions priorities);
• demonstrated financial modesty and need;
• support is offered to individual missionaries, not to organizations.

One-time Gifts

After missionary candidates have been approved for ongoing support, one-time gifts (maximum $2000) may be considered for their pre-field support needs. Other candidates, organizations, or building projects which do not meet the above criteria may be considered for one-time support (maximum $2,000 yearly), need existing and funds permitting.

Individual Congregational Support

In years past, CBCGB has offered regular financial support for some organizations. In light of the fact that we no longer do so, the missions committee will supply congregation members with a list of these organizations, as requested, for personal consideration.

Individuals who meet the criteria for ongoing financial support may also present their ministry to individuals or families within the CBCGB community with whom they already have a personal relationship. Mass appeals for funding are generally prohibited.

Re-evaluation of Missionaries

New support policies will take effect for existing missionaries, and reconsideration of missionary support will take place, when any of the following occurs in the missionary’s life:

• completion of term of service and home assignment;
• relocation or change in nature of ministry;
• change of missions agency or supervising organization;
• retirement.

Re-evaluation of support will be performed using the same criteria as used for initial support. If financial support is discontinued due to relocation, change in nature of ministry, or change of organization, CBCGB will continue support for up to three months beyond the change. In the case of retirement, CBCGB will continue at appropriate support levels for three months beyond the missionary’s return.

Missions Relationships

CBCGB expects the following of its missionaries:

• correspondence once per quarter with CBCGB
• detailed budget once per year
• proportional time in ministry at CBCGB during home assignment

The missions committee makes the following commitments to its missionaries:

• correspondence once per quarter
• promoting congregational prayer, appropriate involvement, and other forms of nurture
• providing financial support per this policy and availability of funds

Missions Committee

Committee members will serve a two-year term, renewable for a maximum of three consecutive terms. After one year off the committee, a member may be re-nominated to the committee. Typically, the committee will be chaired by a lay member of Church Council.

Committee members qualifications include:

• church membership
• agreement with missions policy of CBCGB
• missions experience or formal training (e.g., participation in short-term mission trips, Perspectives or college-level missions course)
• acceptance of general responsibilities of missions committee member
• acceptance of one specific role on missions committee

Committee member responsibilities include:

• participate in monthly missions committee meetings and other committee activities and responsibilities;
• participate in congregational missions prayer meetings;
• serve as a conduit between CBCGB and a proportionate number of missionaries and agencies;
• administer the annual missions conference and assist with other missions awareness and training activities;
• keep abreast of missions strategy, theology, trends;
• set direction for CBCGB missions, in consultation with Church Council;
• identify and encourage church members who are potential missionaries;
• participate in short-term mission trips and other missions activities (e.g., visit missionaries);
• fulfill the responsibilities of one office on the committee

Committee offices typically include:

• chairperson
• treasurer
• secretary
• short-term missions coordinator
• publicity coordinator
• missions education coordinator

CBCGB Missions Policy Appendix

The Driving Vision of Missions from CBCGB: Sending Our Own Strategically

Meaningful Relationship

The long-term intention of the missions policy revision is to prioritize and encourage the raising up and sending of CBCGB members into the missions field. Over the years, CBCGB has supported a large number of missionaries who are relative strangers to our community, as well as a host of organizations overseas. We are thankful for such opportunities for financial partnership, but recognize that such relationships rarely yield meaningful relational partnership between missionaries/organizations and the members of our church community.

Faithful Partnership

Without such relationships, it is often difficult for newcomers to missions partnership to plug in and get involved in supporting a missionary. Our hope is that by encouraging our own to go, and by providing more visible leadership in the direction and mobilization of missions from CBCGB, we can also facilitate more committed long-term relational and prayerful partnership between those who send from CBCGB and those who go from our midst.

Strategic Sending

Our long-term intention is to send out missionaries from CBCGB in a way that reflects our strategic priorities. Rather than simply approving any given individual impulse to go to the field, the missions committee desires to help equip and motivate the church to consider our roles in the global work of the gospel strategically. We long for our brethren to be raised up and sent out to minister wherever their gifts are most urgently needed, but especially among unreached people groups, which are historically under-served by the Church and remain so to this day.

Thus, for example, we would not anticipate sending CBCGB missionaries to work primarily among reached people groups, and then compensating with non-CBCGB missionaries in order to match our strategic priorities. Rather, we would welcome our members to align their sense of personal calling to missions with our community’s sense of the most urgent needs in missions today.

Rationale of Financial Support Figures

Missionaries are expected to raise both individual and institutional support

The pattern for most non-denominational missionaries in our day is that their support base is made up of both institutional (i.e., local church budget) and individual giving. The expection of the missions committee is that, in keeping with this pattern, CBCGB field workers will raise support both from individuals and from the local church as institution. Local church missions budget support allows a significant portion of missionary budgets to be covered in larger chunks; individual support encourages personal partnership and relationship over the long haul, and can give opportunities for individuals to help out with special needs.

CBCGB members are encouraged to participate in both the missions pledge and individualized financial partnership.

We fully expect that when missionaries are supported significantly from the CBCGB budget, this support will not preclude individual CBCGB members from partnering financially with those workers in addition. We commend a view of the missions pledge that is complementary, rather than competitive, with individualized giving to missions; the former allows broad-based, corporate participation in the work of missions from CBCGB, while the latter encourages us to give to particular missionaries in proportion to particular affections and commitments toward them or their work.

The missions committee will consider, should missionaries be over-supported, how to respond responsibly and creatively in the distribution of missions budget funds; options may include setting aside funds for their future needs, inviting CBCGB members to amend their individual giving patterns accordingly, or redistributing earmarked budget funds to other workers in need. Similarly, the missions committee intends to act in an advocacy role (within CBCGB) in the long term for those whom we support, should they be under-supported. Ideally, the committee should aim to make known the support levels and needs of our missionaries on a regular basis, to help members make informed decisions regarding individual support contributions.

The financial commitment of CBCGB is intended to free missionaries from excessive travel and support-raising tours during furlough, and make possible extended community and ministry with CBCGB during such seasons of home assignment.

CBCGB expects that missionaries supported significantly by CBCGB’s missions budget would devote a proportionate amount of time in community with us while on furlough. Our aim is to make possible meaningful relationship in partnership, and we believe this simply takes quality time spent with people. By giving significantly to missionaries, we hope to reduce their need to travel elsewhere to raise or renew support during furlough, and increase their freedom to build fellowship and serve usefully with our community instead. So, for example, if we support a missionary unit 50% and they return to the US for a one-year furlough, we would expect that they would spend six months of their furlough in fellowship and ministry in our midst.

Examples of Missions Priorities

For example, CBCGB prioritizes:

• evangelism of Hindus in Boston over evangelism of university students in South Korea;
• bi-vocational ministry among Muslims in China over social service among Chinese immigrants in New York City;
• church planting among Turkish immigrants in Germany over ministry to Asian-American university students in Los Angeles;
• church planting among Vietnamese workers in Taiwan over theological education for pastors in Taiwan.

Missions Finances Guidelines

When considering support levels, CBCGB suggests the following guidelines for ongoing support from the missions budget:

• roughly lower-middle class standard of living, locally equivalent to public school teachers’;
• support package should include, e.g., modest housing, health insurance (including maternity), disability insurance, term life insurance, modest retirement provision, support for up to three children, token provision for children’s college education;
• support package should generally not include, e.g., private education of children, private transportation in urban centers, maid service.

Transitions and Current Missionaries

We assert that this latest policy update for the most part simply affirms the priorities of previous policies, rather than creating new emphases altogether. Yet we also recognize that in reality, those priorities have rarely been the practical rule for missions support decisions in years past. As a result, it seems reasonable to conclude that some aspects of the policy must be more thoughtfully considered for those who have already been sent out from CBCGB before this time.

In particular, it would seem that those who have gone out from CBCGB to the missions field, yet are not working among unreached people groups, should not by that criterion be restricted from receiving increased support from the CBCGB missions budget. While other criteria could be reasonably expected to apply—e.g., expectations of significant time spent with the CBCGB community while on furlough—it seems fair to be more flexible (with respect to strategic priorities) in considering missionaries who have already gone out from our midst.

This transition clause reflects the intention of this policy that our church, in community, will both nurture relationships with those who have already been sent from our midst, and also move toward the future with our strategic priorities in mind as well.