Monthly Archives: September 2012

The Staying Power of WMU

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“WMU challenges Christian believers to understand and be radically involved in the mission of God.” – Vision statement of Woman’s Missionary Union.

In 2013 Woman’s Missionary Union will celebrate 125 years of ministry. As we prepare for this celebration, I’ve found myself reflecting on the staying power of WMU.  After writing the WMU Missions Guide for Churches, the reason why WMU has not only endured but continues to generate excitement about missions has become clear to me.

I believe that the resilience of WMU is found in the vision and objectives which guide everything we do.  The WMU vision statement points to the Great Commission purpose of WMU and to our commitment to missions discipleship. This is the passion of WMU because the gospel story and the Great Commission matter.  The objectives of WMU are thus the practical expression of being involved in the mission of God. Through these objectives, WMU promotes a biblical worldview for all ages that compels believers to be compassionate and active in their faith.

The objectives of WMU are things we want every missions organization, women’s or men’s group, Bible study class, and congregation to be about.  What church does not want their people to:
    Pray for missions
    Engage in mission action and witnessing
    Learn about missions
    Support missions
    Develop spiritually towards a missions lifestyle
    Participate in the work of the church and the denomination

How to order the listing of the objectives has always been a challenge.  It must be said that there is no order according to importance.  Each objective informs and impacts the other.  They are so interrelated that it is difficult to think of them independently.  Taken together, the WMU objectives provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to missions for life. The objectives are the same for all WMU organizations and approaches.

“Missions for life” is the new tag line of national WMU and each state is encouraged to use it as well.  It is a pretty good descriptor of what we want to accomplish in WMU – that every person develop spiritually in such a way that missions is way of life and is a lifetime commitment.

I am passionate about WMU because I am passionate about missions and helping others catch the vision of missions for life.  Because WMU has as our singular focus to pray, give, learn, and do missions, it is the best avenue I know for being on mission.  As a leader, I appreciate the fact that WMU enlists writers and puts together great learning materials.  Just by using these materials, we ourselves can learn and we can teach others.  I don’t have to dream up teaching plans, research ideas, etc. WMU has done that part for me.  It’s just up to me and my church to utilize the resources and be part of a ministry through which The Story Lives On.

How Cool Is That?

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The Eliza Broadus Offering is making a difference all over Kentucky as I’ve seen in my travels and from email over the past few days.  Last week I was privileged to share in two days of the annual Kentucky Missionaries Retreat.  This year it was held at Barren River State Park and was a time of inspiration, encouragement, and learning.  Missionaries led the devotions, shared ministry updates, and worshipped together.  The ministry stories were a reminder of the impact of our state missionaries and state offering.

During the retreat, we all learned more about personality and style of work by taking the DISC inventory.  Peggy Berry did a great job of interpreting the results and helping us understand their implications in our own work as well as in working with others.  Your gifts to the Eliza Broadus Offering helped to make this annual retreat for our state missionaries possible.  Many of them are volunteer missionaries with limited resources,  This retreat is a particularly special time to be renewed.

After that experience last Wednesday and Thursday, I helped Shelby Christians United Against Drugs (who also helped start Celebrate Recovery in Shelbyville) with their “It’s Worth It” Recovery Month Celebration on Friday evening.  Most participants were from the Drug Court and they heard a Christian witness and were encouraged to continue their walk of sobriety. In the midst of the PowerPoint slides we prepared was one that says “You Are Worth It” and included 1 Corinthians 6:20:  “For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
 
From there, I headed to Barbourville to spend the night, then on to Wallins to lead a WMU training conference for Upper Cumberland Association on Saturday.  This is not a large association, yet 15 ladies from seven churches came to their Baptist camp and stayed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to learn about WMU.  While a few of the churches had WMU organizations, several did not. Those ladies explained during our introductions that they came because they wanted to learn about WMU and get missions started in their churches. It was a great time of sharing and the ladies left excited.  I am grateful for Bill Wallace, Director of Missions, who helped get things organized and enlisted men to cook breakfast and lunch for the ladies.  And I appreciate the Eliza Broadus Offering for helping Kentucky WMU provide missions education training and resources.
 
Then on Sunday, a WMU leader sent me this note: “Today we celebrated the baptism of two ladies who recently accepted Christ. Before the baptism they were waiting ‘in the wing,’ so to speak, while I showed the EBO emphasis video. I had chosen the ‘In Deep’ video because of our baptisms. While they were listening, one of the ladies started crying and told Bro. Steve that she had met B.J. Bradley while in jail in 2009. He has witnessed to her and gave her a Bible what she still has. She said that he planted the seed that led to her decision a few weeks ago when she gave her life to Christ. I had no idea about this and neither did Steve. How cool is that?  God is so good.”  
 
So, when connections are made between missionaries and resources to help them, between people in churches who want to be a part of missions and an organization committed to challenging Christians believers to understand and be radically involved in the mission of God, or between a new believer and the Eliza Broadus Offering, how cool is that?  I think it’s pretty neat!
 

Final Report for 2011Eliza Broadus Offering

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Thank you Kentucky Baptists!  The 2011-12 Eliza Broadus Offering closed on August 31 with a total of $1,151,065.92.  In terms of regular church giving, this exceeds the giving level of 2009-10, which was $1,146,860.  That year, your strong giving plus a gift from a bequest of$121,550 pushed our total to $1,268,410.  This is a wonderful report for 2011-12 and ministries across Kentucky say thank you!

The 2012 state missions emphasis is underway.  Many churches are receiving the Eliza Broadus Offering this month.  But one of the outstanding things about Kentucky Baptists is that many give to state missions all year long.  Every month of the year, we receive contributions to the Eliza Broadus Offering for state missions.  Thank you!

We still have a few of the Bold Hope promotional booklets and DVDs.  We have posters, prayer guides, and offering envelopes available throughout the year.  Materials in Spanish have also been distributed to our Hispanic congregations.  The DVD includes videos as well as print materials such as the Master Article, teaching plans, children’s sermon, etc. While all materials are also available for download from our web site, we would be happy to provide print copies of the articles and teaching plans as needed. 

Our 2012 Eliza Broadus Offering goal is $1,250,000.  This is a challenging goal for us, yet one we can reach in Kentucky.  Kentucky ministries need our prayer and financial support.  These ministries need our personal involvement as well.  If you would like to connect with a ministry in your area or in a particular part of the state, please let us know and we will provide you with information.  If you want to research opportunities on your own, here are a few helpful links:
Appalachian Regional Ministry – www.arministry.org
Mississippi River Ministry – www.riverministry.com
KBC Missions Mobilization – www.kybaptist.org/homepage/missions-mobilization/
KBC Evangelism and Church Planting – www.kybaptist.org/homepage/evangelism-and-church-planting/

In 1913, Eliza Broadus recommended that Kentucky WMU begin receiving an annual state missions offering.  The offering was later named in her honor. So, in 2013, the Eliza Broadus Offering will be 100 years old!  At our 2013 Kentucky WMU Annual Meeting, Rosalie Hunt, national WMU Recording Secretary, will portray several important figures from missions history, including Eliza Broadus.  Make plans to attend on April 5-6, 2013 at First Baptist Church, Hopkinsville.

For materials and important EBO links, go to http://www.kywmu.org/ebo

myMISSION

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In addition to welcoming Royal Ambassadors and Challengers to  the WMU family, WMU has also started a new organization for young adult women called “myMISSION.”  Resources for myMISSIOn are web-driven and tailored to the young adult audience. While the ages for young women may vary from church to church, the ages of 18-34 are used as a point of reference for understanding and equipping this audience.  Through myMISSION, young women engage in Bible study, the building of community, and mission projects in their area.

Anyone can be a part myMISSION. It’s for the college student, the young professional, the young mom, and the girl next door.  myMISSION is an avenue through which young women can explore their faith together and learn to live it out wherever they area.  myMISSION encourages young women to learn about their world and missions.  Most importantly, myMISSION calls young women to live fully in their circumstances, developing a missions lifestyle that engages the people around them.

myMISSIONfulfilled.com is the primary resource for myMISSION involvement. Because there are so many different stages of life within the 18-34 year old age range, the web site offers blogs and resources for participants with different interests and life experiences.  Materials for leaders, moms, young professionals, college students, and working young adults are all included. The site is interactive and participants are encouraged to post pictures and share ideas.

Here are some ways to be involved in myMISSION:
Small groups can be created around common interests, lifestyles or needs. These groups come together to share and learn together, as well as serve in the community. myMISSION group members may come from the same or different churches. They can also form on college campuses. Group members determine when, where and how often their group will meet.
Individual involvement is an option for anyone because all myMISSION materials are offered online. Blogs, articles, and missions features are updated regularly, so a young woman can read and interact with others on her own time schedule.  Comments, sharing photos and creative writing, and joining in the “conversation” are all encouraged through the myMISSION web site.
Missions events are a great way for young women to come together to serve. The myMISSION web site offers event ideas for young women as well as mixed age groups.
Ministry projects offer hands-on participation opportunities for young women to influence their world for Christ.  myMISSION studies encourage young women to participate in monthly missions projects. Through hands-on missions, young women not only grow in their faith, they also grow their impact for Christ in the community around them.

Learn more at www.mymissionfulfilled.com

Bold Hope

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Using the theme Bold Hope, the 2012 Season of Prayer for State Missions and Eliza Broadus Offering got underway on September 1.  Many churches have put up the Bold Hope posters and will use the prayer guides during the week of September 9-16.  I am grateful to the WMU director in my church who has already started our state missions promotion. An offering visual of a closed door was on the platform today.  As we give to the offering this month, the door will begin to open, being wide open when we reach our offering goal.

The 2012 Bold Hope videos are getting attention.  In response to the “In Deep” video about ministry at the Rockcastle County Jail, one person wrote a message to B.J. Bradley who leads this ministry: 
      BJ~Although you do not know me we share a mutual friendship with Jessie Weaver.  In September 2009 I volunteered and ministered at the Christian Appalacian Project Women’s In-Patient Rehab where Jessie graduated from. I just left her house in Kentucky a little over 24 hours ago as I live in Michigan.  I want you to know that Faithful is He whose desire is to continue to heal the brokenhearted through you.
Please know that I am and will continue to pray for you.  I am a mental health therapist in the most violent city in America and that is Flint, Michigan’s jail. I see the love of God cherished and embraced in the hearts of men and women at this jail. Please be praying for me as I pray for you. Thanking God for His will in ALL of our lives.  Mary Jo Danyluk, MAC, LLPC

 The 2012 DVD includes eight videos. Four are about 3-minutes in length and were designed for this year’s emphasis.  We encourage you to use these videos in Sunday morning services.  There are four additional videos of various lengths that would be great to use in other settings.  Links to all of the videos and print materials are posted on our web site: kywmu.org/ebo

The 2012 Eliza Broadus Offering goal is $1,250,000.  This offering buys ministry supplies, provides fuel for Diaster Relief vehicles, purchases Bibles and evangelistic materials, provides resources for outreach to college students, and much more.   For offering information: kywmu.org/eboallocations.

Eliza Broadus, a leader of Kentucky WMU work from its beginning in 1878, encouraged Kentucky WMU to establish a state missions offering starting in 1913.  In 1975, Kentucky WMU voted to name the state missions offering in her honor starting in 1976.   

Join us in giving Bold Hope to lost people in Kentucky as we pray and give with boldness.