May 06 Village Missions Report
I would like to begin this month’s article with an appeal to pray earnestly for our Mission. It seems to me that our Mission family in both our countries is under serious attack. Many missionaries have been stricken with serious and life-threatening disease. I recently attended the funeral service of long-time Village Missionary Sharon Hester who battled several years against cancer. Many other Village Missionaries are also battling cancer.
In addition, we have recently had to deal with some conflicts in our churches. It is amazing how quickly situations can deteriorate and polarize. Please pray for wisdom for all those involved—church members, Village Missionaries, District Representatives, Mike Jones, and myself as we navigate through these shoals of conflict in a God-honoring way.
We have also seen several missionaries recently resign or go on leave for various reasons including family issues and discouragement with the ministry. Suddenly we have many vacancies in our churches. Pray that missionaries will leave only if God clearly directs them to do so and not because of discouragement with the ministry. Pray that those on leave will find the help they need.
Perhaps we are under attack because of the great things God is doing through this Mission. Already through March, more adults and children have come to Christ than all of last year! Four hundred and forty-three adults and 725 children have professed salvation from July through March. God is drawing many to Himself in our churches.
We are moving forward in areas that I am sure Satan would have us avoid such as Navajo ministry, Alaskan ministry, and quite possibly, further Hispanic ministry. The church is weak or virtually non-existent in these three areas. At our Hispanic church in Avenal forty-five adults professed Christ in March alone. We have hired Pastor Nelson Betoney to serve as a consultant in working with the Navajos. Many of our missionaries who attended our cross-cultural training in the fall are seeing progress in breaking through cultural barriers.
Glenn Daman is also seeing progress in the Center for Leadership Development. We are developing arrangements with several Bible colleges and seminaries. He has conducted several valuable conferences and seminars.
We are about to introduce several new communication pieces that will help us communicate Village Missions clearly to people who are unfamiliar with our ministry. You will soon be seeing a new logo and a redesigned Tempo magazine that will be called Country Matters. We will have a new general brochure and a recruiting brochure as well as a case statement that individual Village Missionaries and we can use in connecting with potential donors. I am optimistic these new ways of communicating our Mission will connect with many more people.
I want to report on the Canadian and US Board meetings in this article as well. Both the US and Canadian Boards were extremely unified during their recent meetings in early May. Although both boards are aware of the difficult challenges we face, they were extremely confident in God’s working in our Mission and His ability to overcome the challenges.
The Canadian Board is quite pleased with the progress made in the Canadian office. We are not aware of any ongoing issues and the Board thanked Don Fairholm for his efforts in this area. We will be conducting another survey of the missionaries to make sure that the transition is complete and continuing to work well. Canada is also moving forward to secure the services of a Director of Stewardship. A Board committee is working on the finalization of the job description and contacting interested individuals. Work is also beginning on a policy manual for Canada.
On the US side, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Neil Schaffner as Director of Stewardship. From 1992 to 2000 Neil served as Regional Sales Manager for Morton International and then from 2000 to 2002 as Corporate Accounts Manager for Rohm and Haas Co. He took early retirement in 2002 to devote a good portion of his time to ministry at Tanwax Country Chapel, one of our fields. He has served as a board member, Sunday School Superintendent, Youth Group leader, and Project Manager of their future Christian Education building. Neil will bring a committed walk with the Lord, experience in sales and management, and personal experience with a Village Missions field to this position. I am praising the Lord for Neil’s willingness to use his gifts in service to the Lord through Village Missions.
The Board considered raising the minimum base salary once again but decided instead to raise the amount we reimburse lower income Village Missionaries for travel to $200 per month. The Board was concerned that a third consecutive raise in the base salary might be too much for the churches to absorb, especially given the raises in the self-funded benefit package. We were also concerned about the affect on the Mission. We have noticed a slowing of the movement toward becoming self-supporting on the part of our churches. Normally, after we raise the base salary, the amount we pay in supplement spikes and then lowers. We have not seen a lowering of the amount of supplement lately. Encouraging churches to move toward becoming self-supporting is good for their spiritual health and good for the finances of the Mission. Raising the travel allowance affects the Mission more directly. Yet, we can direct this help toward Village Missionaries who need it the most.
The Board voted to pursue membership in the Association of North American Missions or A.N.A.M., an association of mission organizations who primarily serve in North America. I believe that it will be increasingly important for like-minded missions to collaborate with one another and to work together to make sure that ministry to North America is not neglected. Membership in A.N.A.M. will provide further credibility as they certify member organizations.
The Board approved some changes to the Associate Missionary program to allow travel reimbursement for serving a field and some opportunities for receiving personal support. We are still working on additional retirement housing in Maine, although we are facing some zoning challenges. Finally, the Board appointed a new Board member—Don Stuart. Don is a long-time member of our field in Yale, WA. I will provide more of background on Don in a subsequent issue of the Family Newsletter.
I close this lengthy article with the Scripture I included in my Board report as I asked Board members to pray. Paul teaches us the importance of prayer in advancing God’s kingdom. He writes to the Thessalonican church in 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (NASB):
1Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
