Giving to Missions
In 1993, on our way to a business appointment, my partner, Chris Stebbins, and I began to discuss missions. We lamented the fact that so much money given to missions went to administration, etc.. We wondered why there could not be a direct conduit that would funnel all the money given directly overseas to faithful missionaries. It was on that morning that “Uttermost Parts Fellowship” was born. From that day forward, a portion of our salaries went directly to overseas missionaries, and every believer who felt led to give could be assured that ever single penny went directly to missions. From 1993 Chris and I have never taken one single penny personally. Never.
Chris does all the clerical work since I myself am not gifted in that area. He has also provided lodging for our missionaries in his mobile home that houses his wife and four children. Our main thrust has always been Africa. We have flown African national pastors to America as well as helped believers travel overseas. It has been the joy of my Christian life! Chris does most of the work.
But if you are looking for a place to support missions and with the confidence that all your money goes overseas to missions, I am going to provide the address. In 6 years of blogging I have never asked for funds and never provided the name and address for our missions association. And if you give, Chris will provide you with a statement at the end of the year which is tax deductible. I do not beg. Let the Spirit lead you. It may be another six years before I mention it again.
Uttermost Parts Fellowship
P.O. Box 61
Crystal Springs, Fl. 33524
God bless.
This is wonderful news! I'm so thankful you told us about Uttermost Parts. It is not always easy to find ways to get gifts directly to those who need them, to those one wants to give to; this sounds like a way.
ReplyDeleteI, too, work in Africa, at my own expense. At first, I thought I should be doing a lot of work and milking those "connections" to raise funds, because that is what is modelled by most of the visible "church" I know of anymore. You can get distracted and dissipated spending yourself on trying to raise "support" for your calling or getting "partners" for your vision. It has been quite liberating and restful to hear in my spirit that money is not an issue for my Lord. If He is in it, He will provide for it, in His time. When I read recently that Corrie tenBoom was told early on in her post-war ministry that she was never to ask for money; I felt the same assurance to rest in faith and work in prayer. Let the Lord put the burden on others' hearts, or provide as He will. Others are not responsible for "my" calling. I work, save, sell stuff, whatever, and sometimes people give a little too. But our call is to obey Him and rest in faith; not to mimic the world's anxious and manipulative fundraising tactics.
I'll be contacting "Uttermost Parts" about African pastors and getting involved. Sadly, East Africa is marred by the worst excesses imagineable of western churchianity like the prosperity debacle and hyper-charismania. I, for one, would like to help spread the Gospel and support brothers and sisters who labor for the Faith.
Victoria
Thank you, Victoria. May He always receive all the glory!
ReplyDeleteIf I send support, I do NOT want a tax deductible receipt. That should not be our catalyst to give back to the Lord what He has blessed us with so we can be a blessing to others. I want to store my treasures in Heaven, not on my tax return. My husband however would say otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI have been told (don't know if it is true), that a 501 3c charity is required by law to submit to the government and not speak contrary to it and follow other mandates it deems as offensive speech. Again, I am only relaying what I have been told.
Regardless, being out of the church system I have not been tithing or offering and I would like to get back to it.
Thank you for the information.
Cherie