The Testimony
The partnership between the American Baptist Churches of Maine and the American Baptist Foundation has grown over the past several years. Relationships within the American Baptist family are important and need to be cultivated as part of our ongoing commitment to the mission of the local church.
The mission of the American Baptist Churches of Maine is to support the mission of the local church. While this mission may not seem to be new, it has had a transformative effect on how we as a region focus our energies and allocate resources. The American Baptist Churches of Maine prioritizes the health and well-being of the local church. This means that the local church is responsible to discern, engage, and develop their mission. The American Baptist Churches of Maine’s responsibility is to affirm, support and challenge the local church in its three-fold responsibility.
Mission is a product of stewardship. Mission recognizes that the world in which we live belongs to God and it is not ours to manipulate for our own advantage. A steward believes that God has called them to a mission and that the use of resources is to be directed to the purpose for which God has designed. Local churches as stewards of God’s resources discern God’s call to serve and use their resources to further His will and purposes.
The American Baptist Foundation understands the importance of mission resources. Their responsibility in partnership with our region is to engage the local church in securing its financial future by empowering the local church to recognize and take advantage of the opportunities that are afforded by the age in which their mission is being carried out. The American Baptist Foundation’s challenge to local churches is to maximize their mission resources today by looking to the future while building and extending their mission today.
When local churches are engaged in mission, our region’s mission is engaged. Healthy active churches require support, affirmation, and challenge. The American Baptist Churches of Maine can help churches extend their influence for Christ in their local communities, in our nation, and throughout the world.
Partnerships within the American Baptist family are built with the recognition that partners bring expertise, resources, and insight that our regional ministry lacks. Engaging willing partners to work with our region to equip and empower local churches in mission is a blessing and benefit of being part of a large network of institutions, organizations, and entities that put the mission of the local church first.
The American Baptist Foundation has helped our American Baptist Churches of Maine to identify four key areas of our mission: Church Leaders, Congregations, Community, and Regional Ministry. This identification led to the establishment of the American Baptist Churches of Maine Green Shoots Endowment. By financially supporting the Green Shoots Endowment of the American Baptist Churches of Maine in these four key areas, our regional ministry can do more to help support, affirm and challenge local churches in their mission.
It is our privilege to work with the American Baptist Foundation. Through the work of our American Baptist representative, Kris Lutton, our partnership in mission continues to develop and grow to the benefit of local churches in Maine as they seek to further the cause of our Divine Redeemer. Inspiring people today empowers ministries today and tomorrow.