Richmond, Virginia
September 8, 1966
1
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session on Thursday, September 8 at
3:00 P.M. in the chapel of the Foreign Mission Board with Dr. J. Roy Clifford presiding.
Present: State Member: H. Todd Taylor, III. Local Members: T. F. Adams, Wade Bryant,
J. Roy Clifford, Curtis English, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock, J. C. Hatfield, Mrs.
Clyde V. Hickerson, J. Walter Martin, J. Leonard Moore, John L. Moran, James E. Rayhorn,
D. 0. Rose, Edwin L. Shattuck. Staff : Baker J. Cauthen, Rogers M. Smith, Frank K.
Means, H. Cornell Goerner, J. D. Hughey, E. L. Hill, Harold G. Basden, G. Norman Price,
E. L. Deane, E. L. Wright, William Marshall, Edna Frances Dawkins, Fon H. Scofield,
lone Gray, Floyd H. North, Emily Lenz.
Rev. V. Allen Gaines read a Scripture passage and led in prayer.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report of the Executive Secretary:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Preparation is now under way for the 1967 Budget which will be submitted to the
Board for consideration in October.
The Budget will be in excess of $27,000,000 including nearly $22,000,000 for current
operations. This will be approximately $2,000,000 more than the Budget for 1966.
Annual increase in the Budget is an accepted fact in missions advance. In earlier
stages of advance an increase of $1,000,000 per year was required. A minimum of
$2,000,000 increase per year is now necessary. Missionaries placed under appoint¬
ment in 1966 must be included in the 1967 Budget and in all succeeding years, together
with provision for normal growth of work.
The 1967 Budget will also make provision for extended Orientation, revised furlough
plan and development of work in new fields.
Some increase in the headquarters budget is required in order to make possible data
processing developments which promise improved efficiency in handling responsibilities.
The Foreign Mission Board is grateful to maintain a record of more than 927. of its
total resources expended directly on mission fields.
In earlier years overseas expenditures were almost evenly divided into three sections:
Missionary support, ministries on the fields, and necessary buildings.
As advance has continued, 42% of the overseas expenditures are now required for the
missionary section of the budget, 337. for ministries on the fields, and 257. for land
and buildings for necessary missionary purposes.
Funds to supply the 1967 Budget will come chiefly from the Cooperative Program and
the Lottie Moon Offering. These two streams of missionary support join together to
become a great river of compassion reaching out into a needy world.
Many encouragements are seen as we look at our task on a world scale. First of all,
there is a deep heart-hunger among missionaries and national Christians for greater
spiritual power. Those who have attended gatherings of missionaries during the last
year have been impressed by the depth of earnest prayer and a longing for power from
on high for a more effective witness in the Master's name. We keep in mind that the
North China Revival which did so much in the Orient some years ago was preceded by
poignant heart-hunger on the part of God's servants as they sought His face constantly
in prayer.
Another encouragement lies in the fact that vast efforts to tell the story of redemp¬
tion are now emerging. The Crusade of the Americas has taken root in the hearts of
people throughout Latin America.
As plans are being projected for the meeting of the Baptist World Alliance in the
Orient in 1970, Baptists in Japan as well as in other countries are already considering
how to make maximum use of this opportunity in major evangelistic efforts aimed at
strengthening the churches and winning people to Christ.
We are further encouraged because, amid the instabilities of recent months, God's ser¬
vants have been able to continue their work with remarkable courage and firmness.
This has been true, not only in Vietnam and Indonesia, but also in Nigeria and other
troubled parts of Africa. The quality of missionary commitment in the present day is
reflected in the critical situations under which God's messengers are often required
to serve.
Doors are opening for wider use of radio and television. Plans are now developing
for radio broadcasts in the Middle East. Under the hard crust of Moslem formality
there is a deep heart-hunger. Millions of people nominally are Moslem and adhere to
the formalities required, but in their hearts are seeking a peace which can be known
