Home Mission Appeal 2010: Bucking the Trend
Jonathan Edwards, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, on the 2010 Home Mission appeal results
In this morning’s post I have received yet another letter from a Christian organisation that is struggling financially. It’s a superb organisation and one that I have been happy to support for many years. Sadly, it has seen its donation income decline by 15 per cent over the past two years. This is a typical story and our hearts go out to all those whose excellent ministries are being inhibited by a lack of funds.
We have no grounds for becoming smug at the news that Home Mission giving has increased by more than four per cent over the past year, and that we have exceeded £4 million for the first time. But we are right to be very thankful and to feel encouraged. Through these gifts Baptists around the country have shown their desire to support the work that is being done by nearly 400 different people – in churches, chaplaincies, associations and at Baptist House.
We also need to be deeply grateful for those who have left legacies to us over the past year. We have been informed consistently that this source of income is likely to decline steadily over the next few years. The fact that we have seen such a large increase is a wonderful blessing, and underlines our need to maintain a high level of humility as we look to the future. Perhaps the general decline in legacies will continue and this year will be a blip – but perhaps not!
The present financial climate makes it very difficult for us to make secure plans for the future. As a Union we spend a great deal of time setting responsible budgets, and it is vital that churches do the same. But budgets cannot predict the future – they are simply a 'best guess' based on historic data and a careful consideration of trends. I believe intensely that this is a deeply spiritual process but that still does not mean that we will always get it right.
It is therefore vital that we look to the future with humility and faith. Humility tells us that we do not possess all knowledge and could easily get it wrong. And faith tells us that we are involved in God’s work and that whatever happens he will be with us leading us to a good place. It is crucial that we do not look to the future financial challenges with a sense of despair or cynicism. Whatever the future holds we are bound to face uncertainty and challenging situations. We need to ensure that we look to the future with the humility and faith that will enable us to face any outcome with peace and continually renewed confidence in God.
Courtesy of the Baptist Times
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