Additional $1 million over next 3 years to develop key priorities
On Thursday, July 8th, the BCI Executive Board approved the BCI “Expansion Plan” to multiply disciples, churches, and missions among BCI affiliated churches. The approved plan provides for an additional $1 million over the next three years to increase support for church ministry and fund new processes to multiply our efforts in fulfilling the Great Commission together. These reserve funds are to be allocated above and beyond the existing BCI budgeted expenditures. This is a significant step forward for our convention and we pray that we will see much gospel fruit through this expansion.
The expansion plan will increase expenditure in 3 key areas that correlate with a clarified mission: To help church leaders take their next step to multiply disciples, multiply churches, and multiply mission. Each of these areas focus on a specific objective of the BCI’s Mission and Vision as outlined by Iowa pastors and congregations. The funds for the new Expansion Plan will come from ministry reserves, which are the result of many years of sacrificial giving through Iowa Baptist Churches. Praise the Lord for the legacy and sound financial foundation previous leadership in Iowa has provided to this generation.
To Multiply Disciples
The core of the Great Commission is disciple making and we have several processes to help churches reach the next generation for Christ, make disciples, and develop their leaders. Spiritual, emotional, mental, and financial health are essential for leaders to be effective in making disciples. One of the key areas of the plan is supporting healthy pastors and church leaders with scholarships and reimbursement in areas of personal and leadership development.
- Develop high school students through summer youth programs
- Scholarships for worldview training for high school graduates
- Continuing education for pastors (e.g., Training for counseling, preaching, or coaching)
- Conference scholarships for pastors and other church leaders
- Retirement benefit for pastors ($20/month through Guidestone Retirement)
To Multiply Churches
To facilitate the creation of new church planter incubators, BCI will provide resources to qualifying churches that will create full-time staff positions specifically designed to prepare leaders to be church planters targeting Iowa communities.
- Church planter recruiting, assessment, and training processes
- Strategy development, consultation, and coaching
- New part-time staff to help churches with leadership development
- Support for 4 Iowa church planters
To Multiply Mission
A healthy church will be fully engaged in mission both locally and globally. The expansion plan will advance education and involvement in missions for our church leaders.
- Increased funding for international missions through IMB and other global agencies
- New seminar to review churches’ local and global missions ministries
- Scholarships for pastors for short-term missions trips to increase our church leaders’ awareness and involvement in cross-cultural missions
- Supporting international ministries that send near-cultural church planters to difficult to reach places around the world
BCI exists to help you and your church fully participate in the Great Commission. We will provide ongoing updates on new processes to better partner with local churches as they seek to make disciples of all nations.
why give to the cooperative program?
One distinctive of Southern Baptists is that they come together to give toward greater ministry. The Cooperative Program is the way that we partner together to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in our country and around the world.
Have a BCI church story to share?
We love to share stories of BCI churches and draw attention to the work God is doing in our convention. Submit your story using the online form.
