As The Baptist Courier has reported, this year’s contributions to the Mother’s Day Offering will be used to set up a fund to help pastors, missionaries and their spouses (or widows) who need financial assistance in their senior years to live at Bethea or Martha Franks Baptist retirement communities.
Richard McLawhornLet me give you an example of why South Carolina Baptist Ministries for the Aging decided to use the Mother’s Day Offering for this purpose. Here is the text of an actual e-mail message we received at Martha Franks:
“Good day,
I am looking for some general information. My mother, who is 87, is the widow of a Baptist minister and on a very limited income. She has talked about your facility for years, and it is time now for us to make some decisions. I do not think she will be able to afford your facility, but I thought I would ask – the only income she has is Social Security and a small annuity check she gets from my father’s retirement with the Baptist convention. At the most she receives about $800 a month total. She does not own any property or have any money saved. I was wondering what options you might have available for someone in her situation. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.”
God has used countless situations like this to convict me deeply that we as Christians should do more for our elderly brothers and sisters. At SCBMA, we’re starting with those who have given their lives to serving Jesus in the ministry. First Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
I have been asked many times, “How many people will you help?” My response is that we will help as many as the gifts to the Mother’s Day Offering allow us to help. God has led SCBMA to make this decision concerning the use of the Mother’s Day Offering. The extent to which we can continue to follow through on his leadership will be determined by our fellow Southern Baptists.
Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (NIV). The Mother’s Day Offering provides an opportunity for each of us to “do good” by helping our Christian brothers and sisters who have given their lives to serving Jesus and now need assistance in their senior years.
More information, including materials for download and links to Bethea and Martha Franks, can be found at www.scbma.org.
Please support the Mother’s Day Offering on Sunday, May 11, 2008.