Tell Us You Didn't Mean That!

"Unless the global mission offering increases in the next year, we will call missionaries home.” That's how the Associated Baptist Press reported a statement by Dr. Daniel Vestal, Coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship at a June 23rd meeting of the Coordinating Council. Surely he didn't really mean that. CBF began with the primary purpose of sending and supporting missionaries who would live and serve among the most neglected anywhere in the world, including the most neglected in the USA. Judy and I have been involved with CBF since the beginning about 20 years ago. We have served as Member Care ministers for European and North Africa missionaries for 13 years. We love and support CBF because of its mission focus. CBF, like other organizations, has grown in its mission and supporting system. CBF now does many wonderful ministries. However, the core or the heart of CBF is sending and supporting missionaries. Surely, the supporting staff in the Atlanta Resource office would be diminished to the bare minimum before there was any decision about diminishing the missionary force. Even after returning from a wonderful CBF General Assembly in Charlotte, we are shocked, saddened, angry, confused, anxious, etc. We were all reminded by the speaker during the final CBF worship in Charlotte that any bureaucracy can lose its focus and become primarily concerned about supporting itself. Has our CBF done likewise? Please, Daniel, tell us you didn't mean that.
Shalom,
Rick