JUST THINKING: World Missions Day
I was just thinking about the tremendous importance of World Missons Day in the churches of the Baptist Missionary Association of America (BMAA) and the BMA of Arkansas in particular.
Missions is Our Mission
When Dr. W.J. Burgess and later Craig Branham were secretaries of BMA Foreign and Interstate Missions (today called BMA Global), they emphasized that “Missions is Our Mission.” That is absolutely true!
In every era of our associated work, the Great Commission has been the source of our marching orders. Every believer knows, or should know, these verses and its impact on the Lord’s churches: “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 that I have commanded you” (The Lord Jesus then added a promise which is a blessing) “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20 NIV).
Give Your Prayer Share
Over my 60-year ministry, I have been on 47 mission trips to Central American countries, mostly for the purpose of building, preaching and teaching. (I always told our people, such trips were a vocation, not a vacation!)
My desire has never been to serve as a missionary on a foreign field. I desired to encourage our missionaries and their families, as well as help relieve some financial burden on our BMAA Missions Department. However, when I asked the missionaries how our church could best help them, each replied, “Please pray for us and please don’t stop praying.”
Over the years, I have urged the churches I pastored, “Give your prayer share!” Today I am urging the churches of the BMA of Arkansas (and beyond) to do the same.
Give Your Fair Share
As churches located across our state, we associate to support the various entities of the BMA of Arkansas. On a global scale, we associate with the BMA of America to support our national entities. It is a fact that such support is essential because none of these could continue without our regular and substantial giving from the churches. Rising costs of everything, not just nationally but also globally, effects every aspect of our mission endeavors. One church alone cannot support all that is needed for growing the kingdom of God. But together — as we have done since 1950 — we can continue to do our part to fulfill the Great Commission.
This Sunday, Feb. 25, is BMAA World Missions Day. Church member, you are urged to give through your church, or you may individually send a donation via check to our Global Missions Center in Conway (P.O. Box 878, Conway, Ark. 72033) or online at bmaglobal.org and choose “Give” from the menu.
Our Global Missions family — president, directors, staff and especially our missionary families — need your support, and they deserve it. Our Lord has promised blessings. Please churches, give your fair share!
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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