BWM responds to opportunities
From the office of President Mark Schroeder
The Board for World Missions (BWM) continually discusses and plans how best to use the resources available for foreign mission work. The BWM has often stated that these decisions should be made for "strategic" rather than for financial reasons. In other words, the board is always looking for ways to get the gospel to as many people as possible. It also strives to plant mission churches that will be able to flourish independently after WELS missionaries leave. Sometimes this approach requires shifting missionary manpower and funding from one field to another—not because the funding for World Missions has been reduced, but because the opportunities in one field may appear to be more abundant than in another. Certainly, all of these decisions involve the prayerful use of sanctified human judgment.
In its recent meeting, the BWM considered new opportunities such as those in Asia, as well as factors "on the ground" in several existing mission fields. The board made a decision to reallocate some of their resources. Support for mission work in Bulgaria and Albania will be reduced; two missionary positions in Latin America (a missionary in the Dominican Republic and one of the positions in the Latin American Traveling Theological Educators team) will also be vacated. The financial resources that had been allocated for these areas have been reallocated to other promising mission efforts in eastern and southern Asia. In addition, the BWM will continue to work with people in the reduced fields to help them adjust to the new circumstances and to make sure that the spiritual needs of our fellow Christians continue to be met.
If you have any questions about the plans and decisions of the Board for World Missions, please contact BWM Administrator Dan Koelpin at dan.koelpin@sab.wels.net or 414-256-3233.
Election day encouragement
Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere, you might have noticed that we are about to hold an election in our country. Across the United States on Tuesday, citizens will be choosing people to represent them at all levels of government.
We recognize the special blessings that we have in this country, highest among them the freedom to worship God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without restriction or limitation. As Christians, we also recognize the responsibilities we have to exercise our citizenship and to participate in the process of choosing those who will lead and represent us.
We often pray for godly leaders and good government. We recognize how a society benefits when the government faithfully carries out its responsibilities to protect the lives and promote the well-being of its citizens. As we recognize and pray for those blessings, it's important for all of us to participate in choosing those leaders by voting. This Tuesday, please take the time to cast your vote.
Serving in Christ,
Mark Schroeder
Filed Under: , BWM, election, vote, World Missions
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