Canadian Free Methodist churches have supported mission work through our American colleagues for more than a century. Canadian FM missionaries were deployed by the US-based Free Methodist World Missions. The primary method for funding these workers has been through Giving Streams, our collective ministries support system. In the past several years as we have moved to a philosophy of ministry rooted in local church ministry vision rather than national office-driven vision, our method for funding cross-cultural ministry is also shifting.
Since 2006 we are working with two evolving systems.
Existing Long-Term Workers (Hogeboom, Sheffield, Stryker)
Our long-term workers, who have been deployed for years under the previous model, continue to be funded by local churches across the country who identify the missionary they wish to support, by name, on their Giving Streams remittance form [PDF]. The funding required for each of these workers is listed with their biographical information.
Our long-term workers, who have been deployed for years under the previous model, continue to be funded by local churches across the country who identify the missionary they wish to support, by name, on their Giving Streams remittance form [PDF]. The funding required for each of these workers is listed with their biographical information.
New Long-Term Workers
In our local church vision-driven model for new workers, only when specific local churches have committed to the support of a new worker, will those workers be appointed and sent out.
In our local church vision-driven model for new workers, only when specific local churches have committed to the support of a new worker, will those workers be appointed and sent out.
The approach we are taking means that 60% of the support required by a worker needs to be committed by specific churches before the worker can be deployed. In this model 10-12 churches committed to giving $5000/year essentially meets the 60% requirement. The other 40% will be met through general giving from churches to Giving Streams.
For churches considering supporting a new worker, an Official Board workshop is available to help understand the implications. Please contact our office.
Country Ministry Support
Besides specific cross-cultural workers, local churches have the opportunity to support ministries in a number of countries through their Giving Streams designations. These ministries specifically include indigenous leadership development, church planting outreach to new communities, as well as helping with various humanitarian needs. See here the countries identified for support in 2009.
