What is the urgency of changing our CP percentages to 50/50 (Re: letter from Ken Reid, Nov. 29 Courier)? That is a great question. Allow me to throw out a few facts.
First, there are 6.5 billion people in the world. There are 4.5 million people in South Carolina. There are 1.7 billion people who live in areas where they have little to no chance of hearing the name of Jesus Christ. There are zero people in South Carolina who fit that description.
Second, more than 95 percent of all evangelical Christian money in the world is used to accomplish church work in only the United States. That is 95 percent of the money for 5 percent of the world’s population – or stated in the opposite way, 5 percent of the money for 95 percent of the population. We get upset when 20 percent of the people in our church do 80 percent of the work. How much worse is 95 percent of the population with only 5 percent of the funds?
Third, there are only 5,301 IMB missionaries for 6 billion people. That is one missionary for every 1.13 million people.
The numbers show a stark contrast between Christianity in America versus the rest of the world. The Great Commission applies to more than South Carolina. Some might say we are the “ends of the earth,” but I would disagree. Here is the problem. The world’s population is exploding, and our trying to reach them simply is not keeping up with the pace. And I firmly believe that if we are about doing the Great Commission, then the other things will follow. So for every 1 percent we move toward 50/50, half of that money will go directly to international missions.
Allow me lastly to address the rumor that those who are encouraging this are from low CP-giving churches. I cannot speak for everybody, but I can speak for myself and many others. Calvary Baptist Church, Ware Shoals, gave more than 15 percent to the CP in 2006. We also went on a church-wide mission trip and gave to Lakelands Association. This year, we increased our CP giving to 21 percent. We will give another 3 percent to the association, and we went on a church-wide mission trip and sent others on international trips this year. My point is, we are not a low CP-giving church. Neither are many others who agree that if we keep missions at the heart of the CP, then all the other wonderful ministries will flourish, too.
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