Mission Committee Guidelines

This is intended to give our missions committee some guidelines regarding the missions program. This policy is not meant to be an inflexible set of rules butrather principles that will help all concerned to wisely guide our missions program. In addition the duties of the missions committee as established in the church bylaws, the committee shall review this policy every two years and forward recommendations to the Board of Deacons if any changes need to be made.

Honorariums

The policy of the missions committee is to arrange for an honorarium to a visiting missionary. The honorarium amount is set by the deacons board. Travel expenses will be included if the church or missions committee invites the missionary to speak. Travel expenses will not be included for mission or missionary contacting the church requesting an opportunity to speak.

Priorities in Missions Giving

Priority # 1
Our missionaries who are members of our church and have been commissioned or sent by our church. This also includes missionaries who were part of our church family while growing up. This would include short term missions (terms over 6 months but less than 2 years) Long term missionaries would be any term over 2 years to life.

Priority # 2
Our second priority is to our Baptist work through our convention, association and other shared concerns. This includes the following organizations.

Priority # 3
Any missionaries (after our church missionaries and Baptist work) who have a close relationship with our church.

Priority # 4
Any mission Organization who shares our vision.

Support

Support will consist of:

  1. Commissioned missionary rate (determined annually at budget time) for a husband and wife. Single missionary support rate will be provided at a rate equivalent to two-thirds of that provided for a couple. This rate will be a percentage of the required annual support required for the missionaries.
  2. Additional support for school age children – kindergarten through the end of high school.
  3. A special love offering will be taken up to assist in outgoing costs.
  4. For short term missions

One third of the cost will be provided by the church as to available budget funds and/or the total amount of any special offering(s), one third will be provided by the missionary, and one third will be raised by special fund raisers. (5) Where possible all mission trips must be registered before budget time for funding otherwise the mission group or person must seek approval from the church and raise 100% of their requirements themselves.

Policy for Discontinuing Support of a Missionary or Agency

Management of Finances
We require the missionary to have a member ship in CCCC (Canadian Counsel of Christian Charities) or similar group whose members agree with proper accounting and disclosure methods. If the missionary is not a member we will require a copy of an annual audit statement.

The missions committee will determine if an acceptable percentage of contributions go to the mission or work in comparison of administration cost. Where the percentage of administration cost is unacceptable high the missions committee may recommend support be dropped.

If the mission will not supply us with either an audited statement of finances or a summary of such a statement upon request the mission committee may recommend that support be dropped.

If the mission is not a registered charity the mission committee will not support the mission.

Doctrinal Incompatibility With our Church
The mission’s statement of faith must be compatible with ours. The missions committee will request copies of the statements of faith and keep on file.

A Change of Country, Ministry, or Focus
The missions committee is to re-evaluate each change of situation. Where there is a change we will not necessary drop support. We may accord our priorities change the amount of our giving, keep it the same or drop support.

Missions Methods
What are they doing and how are they doing it? Do we agree with their priories? Methods? Purposes? Are they cooperative with other churches, and missions? Are they outdated or contemporary? Do they work with nationals? Cross cultural? Where we have significant problems with the missionary or agency the missions committee may choose to recommend dropped support.

Lack of Correspondence
If we can not find out what the missionary/agency is doing or keep abreast of current prayer requests, our missions committee is to take the lead in being vocal regarding this need. Dropped support may be recommended if this is a persistent problem.

The missions committee will recommend all proposals for modified support to the deacon’s board for their approval, and then this will be voted on for approval at the next church business meeting.