Our People, Our Asset
Dr. Chris Dotson, Director | pastor@peacefwbchurch.org
This morning as I was looking over the ministry’s Statement of Financial Position, my eye was drawn to the word “ASSETS” printed in boldface at the top of the sheet. In keeping with good accounting, the statement details each of our designated funds with the current balance. At a quick glance almost anyone could gain a clear understanding of Berea’s economic condition.
While the Statement is very informational, it does not paint an accurate picture of the stability of this organization. You see, our strength is not tied up in accounts and funds alone; nor is our equity frozen in properties and lands. The true value of our mission is tied up in our people. In other words, our most valuable assets are our pastors.
By definition, an asset is a resource from which future benefits are expected. Today our resources include at least 40 God-called pastors serving in 60 local congregations within the boundaries of three countries. Some of these men have as little as one year of pastoral experience, but others have ministered the Gospel for nearly 45 years.
You see this is our advantage. We have invested long-term into people by providing our pastors with salary supplements and educational opportunities. Often this is very difficult to measure, but the “future benefits” are beginning to speak for themselves. Five years ago the Association of Free Will Baptists in Mexico was registered with 12 original churches. Since that time the return on our investment has been 500%.
While our accounting records may point to a small bottom line, the truth is that’s okay. We at Berea Ministries are more interested in growing people than we are monetary empires. That’s why we are spending a considerable amount of time and money on training and support. Our goal is to commit to faithful men the things that we have heard so that they will be able to teach others also (see 2 Timothy 2:2).
This priority does not come cheap or easy. But the trend with many of our American donors has shifted to focus on things more tangible–properties, buildings, and such. While each of these generous gifts are appreciated (and needed), we have witnessed the steady decline of contributions to our Pastors’ Fund, which is our first and primary responsibility.
As of this morning, that account was almost $23,000 in the red. Yet the majority of the preachers associated with this ministry count on their income being supplemented out of it. Apart from these donated monies they have no other means to fund their outreach and evangelistic efforts. Would you please help us erase this deficit with your special one-time offering? Then would you please consider investing monthly into one of these godly men? Perhaps your church or business could adopt one of these pastors as its own missionary.
For more information on underwriting a pastor and his ministry, please contact us by emailing pastor@peacefwbchurch.org.
