AR Interview: UPCI Foreign Missions Division

 
The Apostolic Report recently conducted a Q&A session  with Rev. Brian Abernathy from the United Pentecostal Church International. Brian Abernathy is the promotions director for the Foreign Mission Division (FMD) of the UPCI.

 

AR:  I have heard a lot about the Faith Promise program. Can you explain a little more to our readers about this program?

FMD:  Faith Promise is an individual commitment to God to give a specific monthly amount to the foreign missions treasury of their local church. The local church is then able to allocate funds from the treasury to various foreign missions needs.

Faith Promise is not a pledge. A faith promise is an individual, spiritual covenant between you and God. You are accountable only to God. Faith promise is different that a PIM in that Faith Promise brings the funds into the local missions treasury to support the PIM program.

Most churches receive Faith Promise commitments as a part of a special Faith Promise service or their annual missions conference. To schedule a Faith Promise service, contact Kevin Blake, the director of Faith Promise Ministries, at kblake@upci.org

AR:  How can we help missionaries get to the field in the shortest possible time?

FMD:  Your church can help by having a missionary for a service, giving a good personal offering, and partnering with them as a PIM.

Many commit to the great commission by sponsoring a traveling missionary on a church off-night. Many pastors also provide for the missionary until his next scheduled service. A church may take on a missionary as a PIM instead of having them for a service and this will be counted as a service for them.

Keep in mind that the missionary family is dependent upon the generosity of the local churches within a district to provide for lodging and meals. Other living expenses must come from the personal offerings received from churches visited. The amount of income needed is dependent upon the family size, method of travel, and other variables common to all North American families. Some travel by motor home, trailer, van or car. Missionary reports indicate daily costs are $200 or more during normal deputation.

AR:  If a missionary comes to a local church, what is a suggested missionary offering amount?

FMD:  The average missionary offering for a deputation service is over $200. Smaller churches may not be able to give this much, therefore, we ask our larger churches to help out when possible. If a church is unable to give a missionary an amount equal to the average offering, then an offering of any size will always bless the missionary and help to defray his expenses. Consider having the missionary anyway; the Lord has a way of always making up the slack.

We have also started a new program in the Foreign Missions Division with our traveling missionaries to help our smaller churches with this dilemma. We call it – “This ones on us!” Basically it entails the missionary to offer himself to each District Foreign Missions Director and travel to Home Missions, daughter works, and smaller churches, at no expense to that church.

Instead of sitting in a motel with no service the missionary will go to these churches and require no offering or travel expenses and simply bless the church with a missionary service. We have already seen a marked success with this blessing our smaller churches and also the missionary. We want everyone to be able to be involved in the work of reaching the world and we refuse to allow finances to keep that from happening.

AR: Does Foreign Missions have a program to help shorten deputation?

FMD:  Over the past several years a concerted effort has been made to raise support at General Conference, district conferences, camp meetings, and other special conferences. Support raised at these events drastically reduces the amount of time a missionary needs to spend on deputation.

Voluntary Increase Pledge (VIP), the first resolution adopted by the General Conference in 1998, grants a $10 per month increase in existing church PIM enrollments for missionaries who have twelve or more years of intermediate or career service. Each local church is requested to participate in this program; however, many churches currently do not. Greater participation in VIP (automatic increase) will greatly benefit our seasoned missionaries.

AR:  Is there now, or possibly in the planning stages, a more effective plan for raising missionary support other than deputation?

FMD:  Foreign Missions Division is constantly working to find a new and better way to shorten the travels of deputation. It is the desire of the Foreign Missions Division to truly give a furlough to our missionary family when they return home. There are a couple of new ideas that are in the process right now to do this and hopefully will come to implementation in a quick process. Please pray with us that the Lord will give us wisdom as we work toward this endeavor.

AR:  What is the total percentage deducted from funds for world evangelism center and for FMD administrative cost?

FMD:  The Foreign Missions Division deducts 10%. By action of the General Conference, monthly PIM support is subject to the World Evangelism Center (WEC) 4% deduction as well. The total deducted is 14% for administration costs.

AR:  What funds are subject to these deductions? 

FMD:  The Foreign Missions 10% administrative deduction applies to all funds sent to headquarters with the exception of missionary love offerings, medical assistance, memorial funds, foreign travel for associated ministers, and offerings sent by a foreign donor, such as an overseas church.

The WEC 4% deduction applies to Monthly PIM support and does NOT apply to funds sent for missionary love offerings, medical assistance, overseas buildings, literature, Bibles, evangelism, memorial funds, missionary equipment and other special projects. Also, the WEC 4% does not apply to AIM support.

AR:  How is the Foreign Missions administrative deduction used?

FMD:  The Foreign Missions 10% administrative deduction is used to pay the division’s monthly operating expenses. This includes such expenses as staff payroll, telephone expense, printing costs, OnSite, Insight, and Focal Points printing and mailing costs, General Conference display, and missionary orientation costs.

It also covers the promotion of fundraising for the missionary family. The 10% administrative deduction is established by action of the General Conference, and Foreign Missions Division and is the only division restricted to a defined percentage of gross revenues to cover operating expenses.

AR:  Does FMD discourage donors from sending funds directly to an on-field missionaries, and if so, why?

FMD:  What many people do not realize is, when donors elect to send funds directly to the field, the missionary receiving those funds may be subject to adverse tax consequences that were overlooked by the donor. Unless the missionary is able to provide required documentation to the contrary, funds sent direct are typically considered additional compensation for the missionary, subjecting these monies to taxes.

The missionary becomes personally liable for income and other taxes as assessed by the United States, Canada and/or the country of the missionary’s residence for the additional “income” received (vs. work funds disbursed by FMD). There is also the possibility that the sending church may not receive proper Foreign Missions offering credit.

Our missionaries have a line item on their monthly financial statement in which they include funds sent directly to them on the field to clarify any IRS issues with these funds and not have them considered to be personal income. This clarifies the church receiving proper credit, the division receiving proper administrative deductions and the missionary from tax liabilities.

AR:  How are funds transferred from WEC to the missionaries, and is there any accountability on the missionaries part for the funds they receive?

FMD:  A large portion of funds is disbursed monthly to the missionary family via an allotment process. This monthly allotment includes the missionary’s personal compensation, normal housing allowance items, and his standard work funds. Many missionaries are able to operate from a stateside bank account; therefore, the division makes a direct deposit of these allotment funds to the missionary bank account. Some missionaries are located where an international wire transfer must be made from the headquarters’ bank to the missionary’s account located in a foreign bank.

There are occasions when a check must be issued and mailed to the field. In addition to the monthly allotment, missionaries may requisition for other funds as needs arise.

Each intermediate and career missionary receiving work funds is required to file a monthly financial report with the division to give account for the receipt and disbursement of these funds. Items of personal compensation are reported as part of the missionary’s gross wages and are handled via normal employee wage reporting to the government. The missionary also properly reports housing allowance items for tax purposes.

AR:  What are some great reports that you might be able to give us about what is taking place in foreign mission fields?

FMD:  We are seeing unprecedented growth around the world and we thank God for his blessings. Recently in El Salvador 1024 received the Holy Ghost in ONE day. God is pouring out his spirit in Europe that now we are seeing in Spain alone 200 receive the Holy Ghost at their national convention.

In a crusade in Suriname we saw 6 receive the Holy Ghost and many healings in a new field under a tent. The church in South America is growing at a rapid rate and thousands are in attendance at our Conferences receiving the Holy Ghost speaking with a new tongue! The church in Africa, the Pacific and Asia are reporting great outpourings also. The Asia region is gearing up to take China by storm during the Olympics with prayer walks and evangelism during the games taking place.

Please be in prayer for this and that revival would spread across the closed door of China. The Lord is able to reach into this country that has closed their doors to the Gospel. The Lord is pouring out His spirit across the globe and we are thankful! Every church that gives and prays for our missionaries is a part of this great revival!

AR:  What is the easiest way for people to learn more about the Foreign Mission Department?

FMD:  A lot of information can be gleaned about foreign missions from the World Wide Web. For Foreign Missions Division history, ministries, goals, and division-related material, go to www.upci.org/fm.

For reports, updates, resource materials, etc., go to www.foreignmissions.com. In addition to having current reports on site, there are also email links within each missionary’s site and information. We are unable to provide a complete email listing due to security issues in various countries. Also, you may note that some missionaries are not listed for the same reason. For more information on an unlisted missionary, email the webmaster at fmdwebmaster@upci.org or mdugas@upci.org. Information about Faith Promise may be found at www.upcifaithpromise.com or kblake@upci.org.

If there is any way we here at Foreign Missions can answer any questions or be of any needed service please feel free to contact us at babernathy@upci.org or fmdpromo@upci,org.

 

Jeremy Lynch
4/9/08