Putting God’s love into action through your tithe:
How much of the money given by First Baptist people
is directed “outside the walls?”

You might be surprised to learn that some 30% of the money given by, or on behalf of First Baptist people goes to support mission efforts outside our own congregation.

Missions is more than denominational giving. It includes our contributions to the mission efforts coordinated by the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and the Richmond Baptist Association. But First Baptist people support mission efforts that far exceed the 10% portion of our church budget that is designated for distribution through denominational channels.

The total church budget for 2010 was $3.2 million. (See the budget.) Ten percent of that, $320,000, is earmarked for “Partnership Giving” and is distributed among the various agencies as designated by each giver. You may choose to channel your money through the FBC Shared Partnership Plan, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Plan, or the Southern Baptist Convention Plan. (You may indicate your choice on your commitment form.)

In addition to the $320,000 Partnership Giving total, we will spend $180,000 on local missions in 2010. That money helps to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and provide for meeting basic physical and spiritual needs in the Richmond area. Of that total, $74,000 comes from the church budget, another $74,000 from the Endowment Fund, and the rest from individual designated gifts.

Other items in the church budget also support efforts outside the walls: the youth mission trip, the Invitation Ministry, and the TV Ministry.

Each year, First Baptist members contribute money to special collections for international, global, North American, Virginia and Richmond Baptist Association missions. In 2008, we gave $142,219 through those offerings – over and above the money given to those causes through the church budget.

And what about the money given on behalf of the congregation by the Endowment Fund? Most endowment funds give little or no support to those not associated with the institution to which they are related. But in a given year, the FBC Endowment Fund will give 40% of its gifts to our mission partners outside the walls of the church building. Among the more than 40 non-FBC entities that receive help through the Endowment Fund are: Camp Alkulana, CARITAS, Central Virginia Foodbank, Cross Over Health Services, Daily Planet, Home Again, Richmond Friends of the Homeless, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. (See the complete list of Ministry Partners supported by the Endowment Fund.) In addition, the Endowment Fund provides support to the youth mission trips, TV Ministry and Community Missions. The money that makes up the corpus of the Endowment Fund comes from investment earnings and from gifts over the years by church members and friends who are interested in seeing the mission efforts of our congregation continue and flourish. You can be a part of that legacy, too. (Get more information.)

So how much money does First Baptist spend outside the walls? For 2010, the total was approximately $1.3 million. That’s 30% of the $4.4 million that First Baptist people, and the Endowment Fund on their behalf, will gave in 2010.

And what about personnel? The majority of our church budget goes to personnel costs, as do the budgets of the North American Mission Board, the International Mission Board and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Think about it. If Brenda Andrews, Steve Blanchard, Buddy Burgess, Mary Hiteman, Ralph Starling and David Powers were appointed by the International Mission Board or the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and worked in Africa, they would be doing essentially the same things they’re doing here and they would be called missionaries. After all, they’re all outwardly focused, spending the vast majority of their time putting God’s love in action outside the membership of this congregation. And how about those missionaries who focus their efforts on Christian education, children’s ministry, and music, whether it is in Sudan or Seattle. Is their work any more or less valid than the work carried out by Steve Booth, Candi Brown and Phil Mitchell? A good case could be made that almost all of personnel money in our church budget is focused outside the walls.

So, what’s the point of all this? As you consider how much money you will give through First Baptist Church, it may be helpful to remember that you’re not giving just for the programs and ministries which are directed internally for our members. Those are important, too. But when you give through your church, you’re helping to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the Richmond area and throughout the world. You are putting God’s love into action.

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