Offering for Global Missions
“Because of the Offering for CBF Global Missions, field personnel and other expressions of CBF Global Missions, you and I are being the presence of Christ and sharing the love of God in significant and profound ways. The CBF Global Missions enterprise is financed, to a very large degree, through the Offering for Global Missions (OGM). This offering is received all year long, but many churches focus their efforts to promote the offering during the weeks leading up to Christmas and Easter. I’m embarrassed to admit that until recently, I didn’t realize how critical this offering is to our global mission efforts. I was under the false impression that basic global missions needs were provided by regular contributions to the CBF budget, and that the OGM was a bonus for special projects. Basically, I thought that when it came to CBF Global Missions, the regular CBF budget was the “meat and potatoes” and the OGM was “dessert.” I have since learned that nothing could be further from the truth. The funds raised through the OGM are absolutely essential for the basic, ongoing operations of CBF Global Missions, including support for field personnel. Approximately one-half of the CBF Global Missions budget is provided through the OGM. Without the OGM, there would be no CBF Global Missions. I am proud of the contribution CBF Global Missions is making to the larger efforts of the Kingdom of God. Our Global Missions field personnel are doing faithful, effective work, sharing Christ’s love around the globe, often in challenging circumstances and with limited resources. I pray that our contributions in support of their efforts will be up to the challenge as well.”
—Larry Hovis, Coordinator, CBFNC
CBFNC supports and participates in missions outside our state, including the missions efforts of the larger CBF movement for Global Missions. CBF Global Missions mobilizes field personnel to share the love and compassion of Jesus Christ in over 25 countries and regions around the world. Responding to God’s call and empowered by the Holy Spirit, field personnel cultivate beloved community, bear witness to Jesus Christ and seek transformational development among people who have been forgotten and forsaken by others. Our field personnel serve alongside congregations and local ministry partners within three primary contexts: global poverty, global migration and the global church.
The Offering for Global Missions secures the long-term presence of all CBF field personnel, while field personnel raise support from friends, family and other partners to fund their mission programming. 100 percent of your church’s gifts goes to missions funding and keeps CBF missionaries serving on the field sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Don’t forget to supplement your planning by visiting the Offering for Global Missions website. Here, you can click on the box for logos and promotional materials to find great ideas, or contribute a few of your own.
Encourager Church Program
Encourager churches are an important part of the work of CBF field personnel around the world. This relationship invites churches into a unique role with CBF field personnel, their ministry work and unites churches with CBF’s global mission work in three contexts: global poverty, global migration and the global church.
Your congregation can become an Encourager Church! Get to know all CBF field personnel. Perhaps their ministry is similar to that of your church. Perhaps your congregation is filled with retired teachers or nurses who would love to establish a relationship with field personnel doing the same work around the globe. Once your congregation feels called to specific field personnel you can formalize the relationship.
There is flexibility in this program so your churches can shape the details of the partnership to best fit your needs and the needs of the field personnel with whom your partner. CBF suggests that Encourager Churches include four encouragement areas: prayer support, program support, short-term engagement, and financial support. It may also be helpful to formalize the roles and responsibilities of your church and the field personnel in a covenant.
View the Encourager Church brochure.
If you have questions about how to become an Encourager Church contact Mary Kaylor, associate coordinator (mkaylor@cbfnc.org).
