Befriend a Mission (BAM) Program Summary

Befriend A Mission (BAM) Program Summary

We all know our synod does mission work. But do you know how it is funded? It’s a part of the synod’s overall work and is funded largely through the Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO). There’s always a shortfall of income when measured against mission ministry requests and opportunities.

That’s where Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWM) comes in. LWMS is an organization that enhances and augments synod’s missions in three ways: 1. MISSION AWARENESS is increased. Mission updates are posted on the LWMS Website, www.lwms.org, and shared with congregations, circuit officers, and reporters. 2. PRAYER for mission work is promoted. The LWMS Prayer Calendar is a great tool to remind you to pray for missions and their workers. Prayers can be found on the LWMS Website under the Blogs tab. Specific prayers are requested from BAM assigned missionaries through the Prayer/Wish List and circuit vice presidents. 3. Significant FINANCIAL SUPPORT is provided through the kids c.a.r.e., circuit, and convention mission project offerings.

The BAM program is a specific mission arm of LWMS, which has four purposes: 1. To connect you personally with two or three specific missions and the missionaries serving them. You learn where and what the ministry is and the needs, joys, and challenges of the missionary and his family. 2. To first and foremost PRAY for your assigned missions. It is the most frequent request from missionaries. 3. To offer ENCOURAGEMENT. Many missionaries tell us the notes and cards sent to them often arrive just when they are most needed--when they are feeling discouraged in the ministry or facing special challenges. 4. To provide for the needs and desires of the mission and missionary families by sending packages or monetary GIFTS.

How does BAM work? WELS Missions Office (MO) provides a list of all synod-supported missions to the LWMS Central Office (CO). The Spiritual Growth-Mission Awareness (BAM) Coordinator works with Central Office staff to assign those missions, usually one world and one or two home missions, to each of the 60 circuits and also the non-circuit LWMS congregations and individual LWMS members.

The program is set up on a two-year plan, beginning in January of each odd year. The assignments are sent to the Circuit Vice Presidents (VP’s) in the fall of the even years. The VP’s then send the “Prayer/Wish List” to the missionary for further details about his ministry and family. When she hears back from the missionary, she shares the details with the reporters, and it is their great privilege to make this information available to their congregations and encourage their support, especially of the women. This isn’t always easy, but here are some helpful suggestions and ideas in the “Saints Refreshing Saints” publication. It is posted on www.lwms.org under the Project tab, then select Befriend A Mission. Another helpful document about letter writing to missionaries and prayer suggestions is found in the Resource Catalog called “LWMS-What’s There to Do Anyway?”

Below are some additional ideas:  If you have space, put up a bulletin board or table display. (Pictures from many mission fields are available on the synod’s Web site, www.wels.net.)  The LWMS Board of Directors is also encouraging VP’s to ask their assigned missionaries to add their e-mail address to the missionary’s update lists, so she receives updates directly.  Many missions have their own websites where you can get updates at any time.  Perhaps most effective is the power of a personal invitation to encourage involvement. Sometimes all it takes is a one-on-one, face-to-face interaction with a woman to help her see that she is included in the congregation’s LWMS activities.

There are different ways VP’s have organized congregations of their circuit to carry out befriending the assigned missions/missionaries. 1) All congregations do their activities for all assigned missions throughout the two year period. 2) The 24 months can be divided among the congregations in the circuit, assigning one or more month(s) to one or two congregations. Each congregation then concentrates its efforts to befriend the missions in the assigned month(s), remembering to pray for and encourage them all through the two years. 3) A circuit might create their own system.

The point is simply to get as many people acquainted with the missions and involved in their support as possible. The two-year assignment allows our members to get more deeply connected with the missions.

Two final points are very important: 1) You befriend the MISSION through the missionary. But if he leaves the mission, you do NOT follow him to his new ministry. You continue to BEFRIEND THE MISSION. This can be especially important during a vacancy, as you encourage the members and remind them of God’s promises. When the vacancy is filled, your VP will be notified and she will again send the Prayer/Wish List and pass the new information on to you.

2) Don’t forget about SECURITY ISSUES. Mission work is being done in parts of the world that are hostile to the gospel, and publishing information can endanger both their work and the lives of our fellow Christians. If you are assigned a sensitive area, you will be notified of that and must keep in mind how you communicate with and about the mission.