to missionaries or to missions organizations that commissioned and supported missionaries. Churches continue to do these things, but many churches also conduct missions activities through the involvement of their members. They regularly send groups to conduct various kinds of mission service both locally and in distant places. Every church ought to be a missionary church. In addition to churches, Baptist schools, childcare institutions, and medical centerscarry out mission service. Baptist organizations comprised of volunteers function effectively in missions. Baptists around the world increasingly are involved in missions. Once many areas were only on the receiving end of missions, but they have become vitally involved in sending missionaries. One aspect of this international missions involvement is thepartnering of Baptist entitiesin one area with Baptist entities in another in order to expand missions efforts.. Churches, associations of churches, conventions, and other Baptist organizations are involved in various kinds of partnerships. Some of these are for limited periods of time while others are ongoing. Denominational organizations are available to assist in coordinating these efforts. Support for Missions Baptists support missions in various ways. Churches send a portion of tithes and offerings received from members to missionary organizations, finance their own missionary activities, and urge Christians to consider if God is calling them to missionary service. Various Baptist denominational entities help support missions. Missionary boards and societies provide training and support for career missionaries as well as volunteers. Conventions and unions encourage financial and prayer support for missions. Women’s and men’s organizations are effective in missionary education, prayer, fund raising, evangelism, and ministry. Colleges, universities, and seminaries provide training for missionaries, sponsor missions conferences, and provide courses on missions. Individual Baptists play a major role in missions support. They pray for and encourage missionaries, give to support missionaries and mission activity, engage personally in mission efforts, and share their sons and daughters to carry out missions. The financial support for missions by Baptists always is voluntary. However, continual appeals are made for people to give sacrificially for mission support. The Baptist denomination has developed various ways to channel voluntary gifts for missions. Challenges for Missions Challenges continue to exist for missions as in the past. Some of the challenges come from within the Baptist family: • Extreme views on predestination and on church autonomy diminish support for missions. y of which a church ignore or repudiate y obligation.” nual of Ecclesiology
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