Foreign Mission Board
February 13, 1958
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday,
February 13, 1958, with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. Howard Jenkins, J. Levering Evans, Garis T. Long, Perry Mitchell,
H. P. Thomas, J. E. Boyles, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, C. Bailey Jones, Howard
Arthur, Horace Ford, Emmett Robertson, Mrs. Kenneth Burke, P. Earle Wood, Baker
J. Cauthen, Winston Crawley, George W. Sadler, Frank K. Means, Fon H. Scofield,
E. L. Deane, Flcyd North, Elmer S. West, E. L. Hill.
Dr. Jones led in prayer.
Dr. Cauthen gave the f cl lowing report:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Those who are close to the work of the Foreign Mission Board are aware of the
surges of growth now being felt as a consequence of the rising tide of mission
conviction among Sotithern Baptists.
As an evidence of this statement, we received this morning from Dr. Porter South,
Executive Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention,
a check for $2,692,lii7.7l|. This was the largest check ever received in the history
of the Foreign Mission Board and the largest check ever written by the Executive
Committee for any agency.
The significance of this amount of money cannot be overstated. It represents gifts
through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program. We have
already received from the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering a total of $1;, 008,283. 52.
This represents $7ii9, 266.25 more than was in hand at this point last year. We
thank God that our Baptist people are responding to the cry of world need with
larger giving and greater determination.
Eeneath this growth there is a vast foundation of prayer. That foundation is
becoming stronger, and we believe that this year devoted to intercessory prayer
for world evangelization will mean further strengthening.
The growth we are experiencing is being felt in the response of life for world
service. Members of our Personnel Department are encouraged by the outlook for
appointments in 1958, and the rising tide of inquiry among the youth of our land
that the will of God in their lives might be found.
It is justifiable to state that Southern Baptists are in the preparatory stages
for a vast extension of a world ministry.
The importance of extending this ministry is reflected in expressions which come
from men in high places. In recent days leaders have been frankly admitting that
the Communist world has now seized the initiative and that the Free World is
largely occupied with defensive measures undertaken to checkmate moves made by the
Communists. The thought is expressed that the most revolutionary and challenging
ideas are not found in the Communist world but are found in the Free World. There
is such lack of clarity and purpose that initiative must be regained.
It is just here that the gospel of Christ stands forth in our present day as the
same dynamic "good news" that it has been throughout the centuries. The teachings
of Jesus Christ are revolutionary in the highest degree. No man can follow Jesus
Christ and be content to remain as he was. Everything in his life must be lifted
to a higher plane, anti the world in which he lives must become the object of his
compassion and service.
To a degree unparalleled by former times, we are confronted with a challenge to
herald the message throughout the world that will become the focal point of hope
and clear thinking. The gospel of Christ is a gospel for every man. It can meet
his need and relate him both to the God who made him, his fellowman and himself.
We address ourselves to a worthy task in undertaking to call Southern Baptists to
an adventure in following Jesus Christ in a world mission labor commensurate with
our times.
We are greatly cheered as we pass the new location of the headquarters building
of the Foreign Mission Board. We become aware that this undertaking has come at
just the right time. The staff of the Board is already loaded beyond capacity.
There are places where strength is needed this very day, but we are unable to make
necessary additions because of lack of working space.
