Each year in September, Iowa Baptists participate in the William and Garlinda Hyde Iowa Missions Offering. In 2012 Iowa Baptists gave $31,000 designated for mission work in Iowa, the state they call home. How is the money being used this year?

Money given through the Iowa Missions Offering goes to the Baptist Convention of Iowa and becomes an income stream into the BCI Annual Budget. At this time 75% of the offering is designated for Church Planting expenses and initiatives, and the other 25% is designated for evangelism and LOVE LOUD ministries within the state.

In 2013, just over $19,000 of the church planting portion was used to match funds received from the North American Mission Board and was spent according to guidelines established by NAMB. Expenditures include salary and travel support for the four Church Planting Catalysts on BCI Staff, John Shaull, Mike Roberts, Wes Jones, and Roger Graves. It also provided some support for eleven other church planters in the state. In one particular situation, some of these matching funds were used to purchase audio-visual equipment for a Korean group that began meeting for worship at Rolling Hills Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The remaining portion of church planting funds, approximately $4,000, has been used for ministry projects uniquely designed for Iowa. This money has been extremely valuable as state leaders have more discretion and flexibility in how the money is used. The money has been allocated through grants to churches who are involved in new church planting initiatives.

The other 25% of the funds, just under $8,000, is used to support evangelism and LOVE LOUD ministries – hands on people oriented ministries where the love of Christ is shared by meeting people’s needs. Some of this money goes toward travel and salary expense for BCI staff Ty Berry and Jon and Mindy Jamison. Evangelism money is used to purchase materials such as Bibles, tracts, and books, and to support ministry events such as conferences, the Men’s Retreat, student/summer missionaries, disaster relief, and the youth camp Impact University. Through LOVE LOUD, the offering money is used for ministries such as food distribution, clothing closets, ESL or after school programs, life skill training, and community meals.

The Iowa Missions Offering goal for 2013 is $40,000. This year Iowa Baptists will be encouraged to “Treasure Iowa,” and give generously toward reaching our state for Christ. In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

If Iowa Baptists met the $40,000 goal, $19,000 would still be allotted to match NAMB funding for work in the state, but there would be a significantly greater amount of discretionary money that could be used for unique church planting and outreach opportunities in the state. If the offering exceeded the goal, any money over $40,000 would be divided 50/50 between church planting and evangelism/LOVE LOUD ministries.

As you pray and prepare for this year’s Iowa Missions Offering, consider how God treasures all the people of Iowa. See who He points out to you as precious in His sight. Purpose to give as generously as you can to help the work of missions all across this beloved state.

Eleven Church Planters who currently receive assistance through the Iowa Missions Offering

Barnabus and Kyeong Suk Soh, Word of Life Baptist Church, Davenport, and Light of the World, Waterloo

Joo and Eue Yi, Ames Korean Baptist Church, Ames

Garrett and Jenifer Trunk, Hope Baptist, Corydon

Herb and Bette Thompson, New Beginnings Baptist Fellowship, Oelwein

Mitch and Lori Green, Country Roads, Lenox

Darin and Sara Ulmer, Community Baptist, Marion

James and Christine Parker, Sojourn Church, Council Bluffs

Arnaldo and Mabel Achucarro, Cristo Vive, Des Moines

Robert and Alesia Knight, New Birth Baptist Church, Ames

Josh and Darlene Dryer, River City Church, Dubuque

Andrew and Jenny Oh, Korean Baptist Church, Fort Dodge