ST. LOUIS (BP) — Trustees of the North American Mission Board met June 13 and approved the entity’s 2017 budget, voted on several recommendations, heard reports on NAMB’s church planting efforts and celebrated the launch of Send Relief.
In his report to trustees, NAMB President Kevin Ezell noted highlights from NAMB’s launch of its Send Relief compassion ministry in conjunction with the SBC’s annual meeting in St. Louis, June 14-15. NAMB also hosted a June 13 luncheon attended by 3,000 during the SBC Pastors’ Conference and helped coordinate a block party during Crossover evangelism efforts at First Baptist Ferguson, Mo. The block party featured a mobile medical clinic, mobile dental clinic and installation of smoke detectors in homes near the church, in partnership with the American Red Cross.
“We want to launch Send Relief not just in a luncheon but all over North America in an incredible way,” Ezell told trustees. He said NAMB is prepared to provide Send Relief trailers to partners who are actively engaged in compassion ministry in their communities. “We want people to have a vested interest. If they are going to commit to Send Relief and actually use it, then we would like to partner and provide that equipment.”
Joey Anthony, pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Colonial Heights, Va., chairs NAMB’s Chaplains Commission and reported to trustees that several Southern Baptist chaplains were serving in Orlando. They are ministering in the wake of the June 12 attack on a night club that claimed the lives of 50 people — including the shooter — and injured dozens more. Anthony reported that July 1 will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Chaplains Commission at the Home Mission Board (HMB). Since that time, HMB and NAMB, its successor, have acted as the endorsing entity on behalf of Southern Baptist chaplains.
Also at the meeting:
— NAMB chief financial officer Clark Logan reported that NAMB ended the month of May with the portion of the Cooperative Program NAMB receives running 4.91 percent ahead of budget and giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions tracking 13.7 percent above budget. The final offering total will not be reported until NAMB’s fiscal year concludes at the end of September.
— Trustees unanimously approved recommendations from the financial services committee approving NAMB’s annual report to the Woman’s Missionary Union detailing Annie Armstrong Easter Offering spending and approving NAMB’s $123.8 million 2017 budget.
— In response to questions raised about NAMB’s actions and relationship with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, also called the Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network (MABN), and its former executive director, trustees unanimously approved a recommendation from the board’s officers stating that they are satisfied that past dealings between NAMB and MABN had been thoroughly examined and reviewed by the board and that they consider the matter concluded. See related story.
— Trustees elected three officers, each to a one-year term of service: chairman, Mark Dyer, an attorney and member of Parkway Hills Baptist Church in Plano, Texas; first vice chairman Stephen “Spike” Hogan, senior pastor of Chets Creek Church in Jacksonville, Fla.; and second vice chairman Danny Wood, senior pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.
— Nine trustees whose terms of service concluded after the meeting were recognized: Barry Anderson of Henderson, Nev.; Joey Anthony of Colonial Heights, Va.; Bob Dickerson of Marion, Ill.; Bruce Franklin of Henderson, N.C.; Sandra “Sissy” Franks of Deville, La.; Elaine Hall of Temple Hills, Md.; Chuck Herring of Collierville, Tenn.; Bill Logan of Ridgecrest, Calif.; and Ferrel Wiley of Upatoi, Ga.
Jim Collier, pastor of Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., shared a devotional message on endurance from Hebrews 10:32-39. Ezell said Kirby Woods, where Collier pastors, is consistently the top giving church to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. So far this year the church has given nearly $265,000 to the offering.
Get an inside look at NAMB’s Send Relief trailers:
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