Your DNA sets you apart from every other person in the world. I believe every church has it's own DNA. My desire is to see missions become a part of the DNA of BCE. I want us to think, act, give, and pray missionally. The purpose of the church is to complete the work of Jesus on earth. To faithfully reveal Jesus to the world as we love God and our neighbors. We are to be His hands and feet reaching out to an unbelieving world in love.
In Acts 1:1, Luke tells us that in his first book, The Gospel of Luke, he told us "all that Jesus began to do and teach." Acts by extension then, is the continuation of all Jesus continues to do and teach through his church. Luke says in verse 8 of Acts 1 that when the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples, "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." It is an extension of the commission that was recorded in Matthew 28 and given to the disciples to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." The sharing of the gospel, the good news, the story of God's redemption of mankind, should be an intrigal part of our lives and our purpose as a church.
As our response to this calling we have formulated a strategy for local, national, and international missions in our church. We are growing in our calling and seeking to add resources as we expand our strategy each year. Here are some of our priorities this year:
Go Local: We are seeking to provide 2 Spring, 7 Summer, and 2 fall opportunities in our community to demonstrate the love of Jesus, tell the good news of Jesus, and share the teaching of Jesus.
Go National: We are seeking to partner with national organizations to help provide resources for their work within the United States.
Go International: We are sponsoring our first international mission trip to Ostruda, Poland. We have a team of 8 people who are working with 4 international partners to minister to Jewish victims of the Holocaust. These jewish people have either been sent to a concentration camp/goolog or had a member of their family who was sent to one. These people have a negative view of Christianity and therefore of Jesus himself. It is our desire to share the love that Jesus showed to the world by serving them as they return to the land of their youth that holds such dark and painful memories.
Give Globally: We participate in four giving campaigns each year.
Two are taken out of our budgeted offerings: we give 8% of our budget to the Cooperative Program for state, national, and international missions through the Southern Baptist Convention, and we give 2% to our local association of churches to impact the greater Savannah area.
We also participate in the Annie Armstrong Campaign for North American Missions and the Lottie Moon Campaign for International Missions.
In addition to these giving campaigns we also provide money to support The Treutlen House for boys and benevolence needs for people in the Ebenezer area.
My desire is to see our opportunities to give, serve, and go increase as our church grows in size and influence. Please be in prayer for our church to be a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that burns brightly at home and across the world.