Since our initial World Missions Conference in 1979, the World Missions budget has been provided by the Lord over and above the general budget through the Faith Promise Principle.
The Scriptural basis for this concept is found in 2 Corinthians 9:5. Paul had been boasting to the Macedonians about the eagerness of the Corinthian church to help the ministry. On his previous trip to Corinth, they had expressed a willingness to contribute to the spreading of the Gospel. Since Paul did not want the Corinthians to be unprepared and then embarrassed when the Macedonians arrived with him, he encouraged the Corinthians to go ahead and make a decision in their hearts about how much they would be willing to give before the messengers would arrive. The Amplified New Testament uses the very words “Promised Gift”:
“So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance, and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.” 2 Corinthians 9:5 (NIV)
The Faith Promise is a generous, willing offering that members of the fellowship give as God speaks to their hearts. The promise to give is based upon the faith to receive. It is not a promise to give something you already have, but faith to promise to give something you don’t have. A Faith Promise is simply trusting the Lord for the ability to give an amount of money which you are not able to give in order that you might use it specifically for Christ’s global cause. (See 2 Corinthians 8:3.)
The primary way our church directly supports world missions is through the Faith Promise. Your undesignated Faith Promise gifts are used to help support international, national and local missions through 81 individual career missionary families and various other mission projects. Each request for career support and mission projects is thoroughly investigated and given prayerful consideration.
