Missions - Central Baptist Church

Missions Policy

A. Purpose
To set a standard and a policy of missions to direct the Missionary Program in Central Baptist Church, Yorkshire, New York.

B. Missions Clarification
To implement and maintain a Mission Program rooted in, based upon and true to the Scriptural mandate to the New Testament Church.
         1. Matthew 28:18-20
             a. Evangelism - “go ye”
             b. Discipleship – “teach”
             c. Advanced Teaching – “teaching them to observe all”
         2. Acts 1:8 –
             a. Missionary involvement within and without our local church –
                 “Jerusalem”
             b. Home Missions – (U.S.A. – N.Y.S.) – Judea
             c. Foreign Missions – “Uttermost part of the earth”
         3. Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41; James 1:27
             a. Any missionary that meets a legitimate need through which we are able to present the Gospel

C. New Testament Missionary Pattern Acts 13 & 14
These chapters clearly present the co-sending agencies of the Holy Spirit plus the local church (Acts 13:2-4.)
The Spirit worked through the local church; the local church separated, prayed for, and ordained (commissioned) and sent those the Holy Spirit called on their way.

The missionaries went from town to town presenting the Gospel, organizing the groups into local churches; then retraced their steps.
     Acts 14:21-27
          • Preached the Gospel
          • Taught (discipled many)
          • Confirmed the souls
          • Exhorted them to continue in the faith
          • Ordained elders (thereby leaving the local church to carry out the
             Great Commission in their own field)
          • Rehearsed to the sending church all that God had done
          • And moved on to new places and people
Such Scriptures present the basis for and pattern of New Testament Missions. Therefore, Central Baptist Church adopts this basic principle as the foundation block for our Missionary Program.

D. Missionary Committee Responsibilities
     (Members will be faithful members of Central Baptist Church and serve on a volunteer basis.)
         1. To establish and maintain a Missions Program according to the directions
             of this policy and will of the church.
         2. To encourage a strong prayer base in our church as to missions.
         3. To educate the church as to specific needs and projects of our missionary
             family.
         4. To maintain a monthly correspondence with our missionary family.
         5. To schedule an annual Missionary Conference plus schedule missionary speakers occasionally throughout the year with input and approval from Pastor and deacons.
         6. To interview perspective missionaries – asking pertinent questions as to finances, family, home church doctrine, philosophy, etc.
         7. To make arrangements for housing, food, or travel needs for visiting missionaries.
         8. To collect letters of recommendation from home church, colleges attended and mission board.
         9. To be discerning as to the Lord’s leading as to the sending forth of laborers from within the local body.
        10. To maintain missions bulletin board.
        11. To maintain the missions budget, recommend support and support levels to the church and to recommend the possible disbursement (or direction of) excess funds quarterly or as needed.

E. Selecting a missionary or missions ministry
     1. Common doctrinal agreement – both church and missionary candidate should be in          concert with each other.
     2. The boards under which they serve should likewise be in doctrinal agreement
     3. Common philosophical approach to missions – over the recent years we have emerged as a church whose basic philosophy is as follows:
             a. an enlightened and engaged congregationally governed church
             b. a pastor who shepherds, feeds, and leads the flock but does
                 not lord it over the flock.
             c. deacons who assist the pastor in his shepherding ministry
             d. a middle line on Bible versions. We encourage the use of a King James for                  preaching and teaching but are not “KJV 1611” only.
             e. we are a Baptist church in fellowship with the Empire State
                 Regular Baptist Churches and insist that our missionaries be at least baptistic in                  the historical context.
                     1) Biblical authority
                     2) autonomy of local church
                     3) priesthood of the believers
                     4) two ordinances – Baptism and the Lord’s table
                     5) individual soul liberty
                     6) saved, secure, spiritual church membership
                     7) two offices – Pastor and deacon
                     8) separation – personal, ecclesiastical and political
     4. Where do we look for missions candidates
           • from our own church family
           • from churches with who we are in fellowship
           • from agencies that agree with our doctrine and philosophy of ministry

F. A general priority of missions consideration
It is the belief of this committee that we cannot and should not commission missionaries to spread the Gospel (preach, teach, evangelize, disciple) unless we as a church and as individuals are committed to:
        1. The exhortation and encouragement of one another in the Word of God and prayer.
        2. The examination of ourselves and confession of our sin one to another
           - James 4:17; Psalms 51; II Corinthians 11:22-32.
        3. The proclamation of God’s Word in our own “Jerusalem” to the point0
             where all have the availability to know that we are here, what we
             believe, and what we have to offer.
             Seeing such is true; we encourage the church to use whatever means available              (Pennysaver, Marketplace, airways, postal service, tract ministry, canvassing,               visitation) to get the Word of God before our community.

This we challenge the church to support with prayer, heart-felt sincerity, personal witnessing, ideas and a life style that compliments the message we know must be shared.

     1. Home Missions – efforts made to reach our “Jerusalem”
     2. Support for members of our church in missions (could include those in preparation for           ministry.)
     3. Church planting missions (home and abroad) with an emphasis on new fields
         and pre-planting work.
     4. Jewish missions
     5. Consideration on an individual basis for such ministries as: Literature
         Services (discipleship and pastoral library support), pro-life ministries,
         Empire State Fellowship, Bible Colleges and Seminaries, Rescue Missions, support for one year Bible College students and Christian camps.

G. Missionary Responsibilities
     1. Accountability to the sending and supporting churches
     2. Regular and candid correspondence to supporting churches
     3. Personal and family life in accordance to I Timothy 3:1-13
     4. A continued acceptance of our church’s doctrine and philosophy of missions
     5. To personally support financially the sending church or local church or supporting churches.

*NOTE: Our committee has progressed in this policy to this point. We expect this policy to undergo a process of improvement and updating. When this occurs we will present such to the church for a vote of approval. We solicit help and support from the church at large and invite faithful (regular attenders at regular services) members to join us. Please give the committee at least a year of service.


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	Missions Policy A. Purpose To set a standard and a policy of missions to direct the Missionary Program in Central Baptist Church, Yorkshire, New York. B. Missions Clarification To implement and maintain a Mission Program rooted in, based upon and true to the Scriptural mandate to the New Testament Church. 1. Matthew 28:18-20 a. Evangelism - “go ye” b. Discipleship – “teach” c. Advanced Teaching – “teaching them to observe all” 2. Acts 1:8 – a. Missionary involvement within and without our local church – “Jerusalem” b. Home Missions – (U.S.A. – N.Y.S.) – Judea c. Foreign Missions – “Uttermost part of the earth” 3. Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41; James 1:27 a. Any missionary that meets a legitimate need through which we are able to present the Gospel C. New Testament Missionary Pattern Acts 13 & 14 These chapters clearly present the co-sending agencies of the Holy Spirit plus the local church (Acts 13:2-4.) The Spirit worked through the local church; the local church separated, prayed for, and ordained (commissioned) and sent those the Holy Spirit called on their way. The missionaries went from town to town presenting the Gospel, organizing the groups into local churches; then retraced their steps. Acts 14:21-27 • Preached the Gospel • Taught (discipled many) • Confirmed the souls • Exhorted them to continue in the faith • Ordained elders (thereby leaving the local church to carry out the Great Commission in their own field) • Rehearsed to the sending church all that God had done • And moved on to new places and people Such Scriptures present the basis for and pattern of New Testament Missions. Therefore, Central Baptist Church adopts this basic principle as the foundation block for our Missionary Program. D. Missionary Committee Responsibilities (Members will be faithful members of Central Baptist Church and serve on a volunteer basis.) 1. To establish and maintain a Missions Program according to the directions of this policy and will of the church. 2. To encourage a strong prayer base in our church as to missions. 3. To educate the church as to specific needs and projects of our missionary family. 4. To maintain a monthly correspondence with our missionary family. 5. To schedule an annual Missionary Conference plus schedule missionary speakers occasionally throughout the year with input and approval from Pastor and deacons. 6. To interview perspective missionaries – asking pertinent questions as to finances, family, home church doctrine, philosophy, etc. 7. To make arrangements for housing, food, or travel needs for visiting missionaries. 8. To collect letters of recommendation from home church, colleges attended and mission board. 9. To be discerning as to the Lord’s leading as to the sending forth of laborers from within the local body. 10. To maintain missions bulletin board. 11. To maintain the missions budget, recommend support and support levels to the church and to recommend the possible disbursement (or direction of) excess funds quarterly or as needed. E. Selecting a missionary or missions ministry 1. Common doctrinal agreement – both church and missionary candidate should be in concert with each other. 2. The boards under which they serve should likewise be in doctrinal agreement 3. Common philosophical approach to missions – over the recent years we have emerged as a church whose basic philosophy is as follows: a. an enlightened and engaged congregationally governed church b. a pastor who shepherds, feeds, and leads the flock but does not lord it over the flock. c. deacons who assist the pastor in his shepherding ministry d. a middle line on Bible versions. We encourage the use of a King James for preaching and teaching but are not “KJV 1611” only. e. we are a Baptist church in fellowship with the Empire State Regular Baptist Churches and insist that our missionaries be at least baptistic in the historical context. 1) Biblical authority 2) autonomy of local church 3) priesthood of the believers 4) two ordinances – Baptism and the Lord’s table 5) individual soul liberty 6) saved, secure, spiritual church membership 7) two offices – Pastor and deacon 8) separation – personal, ecclesiastical and political 4. Where do we look for missions candidates • from our own church family • from churches with who we are in fellowship • from agencies that agree with our doctrine and philosophy of ministry F. A general priority of missions consideration It is the belief of this committee that we cannot and should not commission missionaries to spread the Gospel (preach, teach, evangelize, disciple) unless we as a church and as individuals are committed to: 1. The exhortation and encouragement of one another in the Word of God and prayer. 2. The examination of ourselves and confession of our sin one to another - James 4:17; Psalms 51; II Corinthians 11:22-32. 3. The proclamation of God’s Word in our own “Jerusalem” to the point0 where all have the availability to know that we are here, what we believe, and what we have to offer. Seeing such is true; we encourage the church to use whatever means available (Pennysaver, Marketplace, airways, postal service, tract ministry, canvassing, visitation) to get the Word of God before our community. This we challenge the church to support with prayer, heart-felt sincerity, personal witnessing, ideas and a life style that compliments the message we know must be shared. 1. Home Missions – efforts made to reach our “Jerusalem” 2. Support for members of our church in missions (could include those in preparation for ministry.) 3. Church planting missions (home and abroad) with an emphasis on new fields and pre-planting work. 4. Jewish missions 5. Consideration on an individual basis for such ministries as: Literature Services (discipleship and pastoral library support), pro-life ministries, Empire State Fellowship, Bible Colleges and Seminaries, Rescue Missions, support for one year Bible College students and Christian camps. G. Missionary Responsibilities 1. Accountability to the sending and supporting churches 2. Regular and candid correspondence to supporting churches 3. Personal and family life in accordance to I Timothy 3:1-13 4. A continued acceptance of our church’s doctrine and philosophy of missions 5. To personally support financially the sending church or local church or supporting churches. *NOTE: Our committee has progressed in this policy to this point. We expect this policy to undergo a process of improvement and updating. When this occurs we will present such to the church for a vote of approval. We solicit help and support from the church at large and invite faithful (regular attenders at regular services) members to join us. Please give the committee at least a year of service.

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