When a FBC decides to give to a new mission, should the members of the church have the opportunity to vote or should that just be up to the Pastors and clergy?

[fbc]

The Pastor and the clergy decided to donate a large sum of money to an overseas church.  Should not have the members had the opportunity to vote  and to see if the organization is creditable for such a gift?

[Alan]

In a true independint Baptist Church this would not even be a question as besides the pastor, there is  no other 'clergy., or 'board, or 'denomiantional headquarters,' to seek approval for.

In a New Testament Baptist Church the members and the pastor make the decision. Think about it.

 

[MountainChristian]

At my church the Pastor invites a Missionary and the whole church hears them speak. Later the Pastor tells us to be praying if the missionary done a good job. After some time the Pastor and deacons will recommend the Missionary and us men will say yea or nay in the men's prayer room.

 

[DaveW]

On the bald facts that you present, it would seem inappropriate, but, if you will forgive me a moment, making a decision on information from only side of the matter is not safe.

 

You may not even know all of the details, let alone be sharing all that you know.

 

We recently had a situation where a non member questioned a decision made by a majority of members. We had enough members present according to our constitution to legally make such a decision, but I guarantee that he thinks it was done wrong. Other members who could not be at that meeting were also contacted prior, so almost every member of our church was involved in the decision.

He simply does not understand biblical church membership and therefore while he thinks that it was not brought before the church, according to biblical membership it absolutely was.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

As has been stated already, we don't know all the ins and outs (and you may or may not, also).

It's going to vary church to church -- some may be decided by "elders", some by the pastor, some by pastor and deacons, some by congregation, etc.

We had a missionary that a family in the church has been giving support to (through the church) for 25 years. This is an excellent missionary in Papua New Guinea. They were in need of some medical supplies. We made a box (size determined by shipping regulations and shipping cost) and made a list of needed items (with recommended quantities). We then asked members to pray and donate what they believed the Lord dealt with them about. A week later we shipped it. (There were also 2 packages of candy inclosed!)

[1Timothy115]

I'm with DaveW and OLD FP. There isn't enough information to answer the question.

In my church...We, the church, have a say in what missionaries we support.

Also, Alan10 brings up a very valid point. We have a pastor and he is the only 'clergy' in our church. We have two other ordained men in our church but they are members not 'the clergy.'

[Alan]

I guess all of need more facts. 

I assumed, (in Missouri FBC stands for Freewill Baptist Church). I do not know if rightly or not, that the FBC you mentioned stands for, 'Freewill Baptist Chruch.' Am I mistaken? If so, what does it stand for?

In the decision making process, involving a large amount of church funds: does outside the church, 'clergy,' or, 'ministerial alliance,' or some other governing body involved with the decision?

 

[Pastor Matt]

I guess all of need more facts. 

I assumed, (in Missouri FBC stands for Freewill Baptist Church). I do not know if rightly or not, that the FBC you mentioned stands for, 'Freewill Baptist Chruch.' Am I mistaken? If so, what does it stand for?

In the decision making process, involving a large amount of church funds: does outside the church, 'clergy,' or, 'ministerial alliance,' or some other governing body involved with the decision?

 

​I think he was using FBC to stand for a Fundamental Baptist Church.

[Alan]

Thank you. I do appreciate it as I have not seen that designation before.

[2bLikeJesus]

In my church the Pastor will thoroughly vet which missionaries are invited to share their field with the congregation.  Then if their ministry looks like something we could support the pastor will make a recommendation of support and a vote is brought to the church.  We have not been able to approve every missionary that presents their field, or sometimes we support them as much as 2 years down the road as funds are made available.  Note:  Sadly we have also had to call for a church vote to pull support from a mission work because of doctrinal errors, disqualification of the missionary due to sin, or a change in focus.  We require our missionaries primary focus be that of church planting with the purpose and ultimate goal of training up local nationals to take over that church and then the missionary moves on to establish another church.  We once decided to pull support from a missionary who had stayed on as pastor of the work they started for over 15 years and had a congregation of 2,500 and was collecting a salary from that church that exceeded our entire monthly church offerings combined.  We currently have a wonderful group of 20 missions fields our church supports faithfully at $50 per month plus special offering donations as needs are made known, for instance we recently paid for the air fare for a missionary family in China to travel back the U.S. after the death of the father of the missionaries wife.  They had not been back home in many years.  It was awesome to be able to see and entertain the Maricle family missionaries to China for a few weeks.

Bro. Garry

[Salyan]

Back to the OP - it could depend where the money is coming from. In our church, any significant donations are run by the church during the business meeting (although love offerings for visiting preachers are not), because that money is coming from the general offerings. If the pastors (assuming a larger church) have a personal ministry fund that they are choosing to send money from, I'd consider that money to be 'theirs' to use or give away as they see fit.

[heartstrings]

1 Corinthians16 

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

² Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

³ And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

 

"Ye" and "You" are plural pronouns in the KJB. The congregation was free to approve who received this particular money.

It also seems to have been their prerogative in 1 Corinthians 9.