MIDDLE MEN

DAVE BRYAN

I remember a skit I saw at church camp several years ago. Arriving late to an almost full movie theater, a young man and his date are forced to sit on opposite sides of a row with eight other people separating them. Of course, this caused a myriad number of problems as the couple tried to maintain a dating relationship throughout the movie. For example, at one point the young man gets the attention of the young lady and asks her to share the popcorn she was holding. With a nod and a smile, she asks the person sitting next to her to pass the popcorn down the row. And as you might guess, while is each person is willing to hand the box of popcorn on, each one takes out a handful for themselves. Alas, when all is said and done, the hero of our story finds himself being handed an empty box of popcorn. And it pretty well goes downhill from there. As you might imagine, he finds himself the victim of ‘the middleman.’

It is one thing when it is a box of popcorn. But what of the money we give to charitable causes? We’ve all heard the sad stories of money given by kind hearted people never making it to the intended cause because too many people got a part of it first. How discouraging!

But such is not the case with our 2019 World Missions Offering, PROCLAIM! There is no ‘middleman.’Every dollar given is a dollar that will find its way onto the mission field. 60% of the every gift goes directly to the International Mission Board. 25% goes directly to our North American Mission Board. And 15% goes directly to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. That’s 100% my friend. Every penny of the offering is forwarded on to continue the work of telling people about our Savior.

Our goal for 2019 is $70,000. Would you prayerfully consider what you and your family might give in the weeks to come? Thank you for your faithful stewardship that makes such a difference.

It is a joy to be your pastor!

Bro. Dave