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Connecting
By Gerry Taillon
February, 2011
Change is not easy for anyone. These are times when it seems change has accelerated at a pace that leaves many of us bewildered and confused. The CNBC is not exempt from this inevitable process and we must seek to do everything we can to adjust to this ever-changing world while making sure we stay true to our mission and God’s
purposes for us.
This change is coming to us from a number of sources. Our partners in ministry have been restructuring and refocusing for a number of years now. The International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention has just undergone a significant restructuring to help it become more effective in reaching the unreached people groups in our world.
We have adjusted our supervision and accountability structures to help maximize our effectiveness to partner with the IMB to reach every people group in Canada and have a significant role in helping to reach people groups all over the world.
The North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention is currently reworking its priorities and its focus. Since they are our major partner when it comes to both missionary personnel and resource funding I foresee a number of major adjustments to our budgeting processes and personnel allocations strategies. It is too early to tell what these adjustments will entail, but we can foresee a greater targeted emphasis in church planting for funds received from NAMB in the future.
Another major change that has had an adverse effect on our financial situation is the climbing Canadian dollar in relation to the US dollar. Since we receive a large amount of our budget from SBC partners in US dollars, the strengthening of the Canadian dollar in the last five years has eroded more than 1.3 million dollars from our general operating budget. We have twice trimmed our budgets extensively to reduce our expenses and we will be required to do so again.
In the midst of this climate of change our churches have continued to sacrificially give to the Cooperative Program. We have seen increases in Cooperative Program giving every year for the last 15 years except in 2010.
There are many reasons for the decrease in the Cooperative Program last year but I am still convinced that our churches are committed to give sacrificially to this world missions enterprise. We will make many adjustments financially and regarding personnel but I am convinced that our future as a convention that gives itself away is positive and bright.
I am also absolutely convinced that none of these changes have taken God by surprise and that He will help us become a more effective tool in His hand to impact the world for Christ and His kingdom.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV).