Partnership Missions 1998
by Kenneth D. Gooch Vol. X, No. 9, Nov/Dec 1997
pastor: Warwick BC, Newport News, and
immediate past Second Vice President, SBCV
It has been a great privilege to serve you in this last year as your 2nd Vice President. It has been an even greater privilege to be able to share in the first formal Partnership Mission Project of the SBCV, the Romania Chapel Project. Many of our churches have shared in Partnership Mission projects this year in addition to the one sponsored by our State Convention. Partnership Mission projects energize and mobilize the laity in ways nothing else can. The energy and excitement generated by partnership projects finds its expression in members and churches who are significantly more committed to missions, evangelism, and church planting than churches who have not participated in Partnership Missions. Smaller churches may lack be unable to plan and coordinate a Partnership Mission project, which is why it is important our state convention provide leadership and motivation in this area. This year, the Romania Chapel project proved that even the smallest churches can become involved in Partnership Missions and thus involved in a real and tangible way in the fulfillment of Matthew 28:19-20.
As a state convention, we have set forth the challenge to plant 100 new churches by the year 2000. Planting churches is critical to the advancement of the Kingdom of God. I believe that the for many people missions is more caught than taught. Every person with whom I have spoken that has shared in Partnership Missions has a new passion and fire for evangelism and for reaching people with the gospel. This passion and fire can help remove the barriers that keep us from starting new churches. I challenged the Missions Committee and had wanted to challenge the convention in Salem before we realized we had so much business, to consider the importance and value of Partnership Missions. We have committed to work with the International Mission Board on two Romania Chapel Projects this year. The first June 25 to July 6 and the second August 6 to 17. The cost this year will be $2200 per person.
In addition to these two projects, I have requested two other evangelism projects from the International Mission Board, one that would only cost around $1200 per person and one that will range closer to $3000 per person. This will give us four Partnership Mission Projects that should fit the range of any church size.
Partnership missions can also be done here in the United States, and I would challenge us to consider four Home Mission projects this year coordinated through the North American Mission Board. One project to an inner city area, one project to an Indian Reservation, one new work project, and one building project together with Builders for Christ. These projects should range between $300-$500 in cost for each team member.
Finally, we must work right here in our state. I would like to see us consider striving to do four Virginia missions projects this year. There are many churches in our convention which could use some excited and active youth and young adults to canvass new neighborhoods, provide backyard Bible clubs, or conduct Vacation Bible School. Some of our churches are building or renovating, and we could coordinate teams to come and help their work. In addition to these three, there are needy areas in our state as there are throughout our nation and the world.
From work that could be done with migrant workers on the eastern shore, to ministry needs in the western mountains of our state, I challenge our churches to open their eyes to the fields about them and do what "Experiencing God" teaches us by striving to see where God is working. Those of you who feel God calling, contact our State Office (757-363-0153) and let us rally together to organize volunteer missionaries to meet the needs!
Surely these efforts will energize and motivate us to be about God's work! Is this aggressive growth, to move from one project this past year to twelve projects next year? Indeed, but we serve an awesome God and with His help we can accomplish these projects, and even more!! What is even more exciting is that if we do, we will have twelve groups of volunteer missionaries going back to their churches, eager to share their testimony, energized to live more fully for Christ, lay persons ready to see their churches reach out like never before on a local basis to reach people for Jesus. I believe this can result in a wonderful explosion of new churches throughout our new State Convention!
Thanks for letting me serve you this last year! I look forward to all that God will do in 1998 and will do everything that I can to facilitate His work! I pray that we will all capture the vision for Partnership Missions for 1998!