Minutes of the October 12-13, 1965 Foreign Mission Board Convention-wide Annual Meeting

October 12, 1965 61 the Foreign Mission Board met in Convention-wide annual session Tuesday, October 12, 1965 at 7:30 P.M. in the First Baptist Church for the appointment service with Dr. Lindsay presiding. Rev Gerald Martin read a Scripture passage and led in prayer. Dr. Cauthen filed the following report of the Executive Secretary: REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Twenty years ago at this time the Foreign Mission Board met in its first annual session following the close of World War II. Two basic convictions filled the minds of those serving the task of foreign missions. First there was a deep conviction that the achievements of world missions are indestructible. Second, there was a deep conviction that Southern Baptists must do far more to help save the world than had been done before. At that time our missionary labor was much smaller. The total receipts of the Board for 1945 were $3,592,000.00. Our missionary staff was only 550. Vast areas of the world were lying in ruin and the work of missionary service in many countries had been disrupted. Even amid these conditions, a powerful conviction came in the hearts of God's servants that a much larger missionary task must lie ahead. The twenty years which have gone by have given great evidence of God's leadership. The Advance Program which was outlined has been surpassed and our eyes are now turned toward the objective of 5,000 missionaries under appointment at the earliest possible moment. A steady advance into new lands has taken place until now we are ministering in sixty countries of the world. Many new doors of service have been opened and wider opportunities of ministry in the Master's name have been developed. Unparalleled opportunities for evangelism far beyond anything that we have ever before experienced have come into reality. We have been caught up in a vast forward thrust which we recognize as being the work of our Lord. We have rejoiced in the fact that missionary candidates have continued to offer them¬ selves for service and that Southern Baptists have laid their gifts upon the altar paralleling the dedication of life. As we contemplate the adoption of a budget in excess of $25,000,000.00 at this meeting of the Board, we are humbled with gratitude and our souls are filled with praise to our Lord. We lift our eyes, however, to the task that is at hand and we are quieted into serious thought as we measure what lies ahead. The missionaries we appoint today will find in their career that the world must face the complexities of a run-away population increase. What this means in terms of multiplied problems, tensions and potential danger can best be understood from the tone of grave concern finding expression on the part of thoughtful leaders in every walk of life. The instability of the present scene as demonstrated in recent events in the Orient and other lands causes us to accept the conditions under which our ministry must be conducted. We cannot wait for the world to become as we would like it to be before we launch out into our witness for Christ. We must go into the world of our day as it is. We must incur the risk and be willing to face the demands of serving amid the circumstances which are ours. The heart of mankind is hungry for the gospel of Jesus Christ. To be sure it does not recognize the meaning of that hunger. It is only aware of deep penetrating needs and is groping for some solution to those needs. All of this bespeaks, however, the need which gives rise to deep attention when the word of God Is made known. Our own problems and needs at the home base could easily become so urgent as to divert our eyes away from a world in distress and focus them upon ourselves. If this should happen, the consequences would be tragic. It is our task in this day of urgent worldwide need to call Southern Baptists to march forward more powerfully than ever before that the world may know Him who gave Himself for our redemption. ****** Dr. Wayne Dehoney, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, spoke on his recent trip to Africa.