Foreign Mission Board Rooms
November 11, 1954
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session at 3:30 p.n. on
Thursday, November 11, 1954, with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Mr. Ellis led in prayer.
Present: L.
Нот
Jenkins, J. E. Boyles, Emmett Y. Robertson, Perry Mitchell,
H. P. Thomas, Neal Ellis, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, T. Shad Medlin, J. Hundley
Wiley, H. L. Arthur, L. G. Mosley, W. Rush Loving, E. P. Buxton, Garis T. Long,
Baker James Cauthen, George W. Sadler, Frank K. Means, Rogers M, Smith, E. L.
Wright, E. L. Deane.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Throughout the Southern Baptist Convention there are evidences of growing
concern for a more extensive world mission undertaking. This is reflected
in the number of young people who are either committing themselves for
missionary service or making earnest inquiry about their responsibilities.
Visits by the personnel secretary to the seminary campuses have been fruit¬
ful in helping young people make right decisions.
Announcement of plans to seek to have 1,000 missionaries under appointment
by the close of 1955 has net with good response. Many friends of foreign
missions are saying that the right note is being sounded calling for advance.
A growing concern for world missions is reflected in the financial support
being received. Southwide gifts to the Cooperative Program reached the goal
two weeks earlier than in 1953. We are now receiving seventy-five per cent
of all Cooperative Program funds remitted to the Nashville office. We are
hoping by the end of December this will amount to considerably more than
§1,000,000.
In the weeks just ahead much prayer and effort throughout the South will be
devoted to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We pray that this offering
will this year be larger and more blessed than ever before.
Increased emphasis on advance both in personnel and finances calls for added
efforts to call this enterprise to the attention of Southern Baptists. All
our media of promotion will be emphasized. Stress is being laid on The
Commission and the production of promotional literature to be sent to the
churches. Schools of missions are being highly emphasized. Plans are being
studied for wider use of audio-visual materials. Increased emphasis on use
of the state papers will be made.
Concern for world missions depends upon information about prevailing needs
and personal responsibilities. Amid the mounting emphases calling for
support from Southern Baptists, we must find ways to call the attention of
this denomination increasingly to unmet world needs.
Southern Baptists are in the process of growth. It is estimated that there
will be by 1959 10,000,000 Southern Baptists. Gifts made by the churches
even now total $278,000,000 per year. Unless we have serious financial
reverses in this country or become involved in war, we should see the
financial strength of Southern Baptists growing constantly.
We must call to the attention of Southern Baptists that world needs require
an increasing share of that which is given to the Lord's work. Out of
$278,000,000 now being given, even five cents of each dollar for work
outside this country would amount to $13,900,000 annually. Is it too much
to expect that Southern Baptists could be led to devote ten cents out of
each dollar for the responsibilities we have in witnessing to the 2,300,000,000
people beyond the borders of our country.
We must continue to think in terms of advance. We must set before Southern
Baptists a challenge big enough and realistic enough to command the resources
of this denomination. We are confident that through the months to come that
challenge will be increasingly sounded.
