all things considered

Hi Folks,

 

     I want to thank each of you for your prayers and advice over the last few days.  As always, IT WORKED!!

 

     We had to move our meeting up a few days due to scheduling conflicts, so Carolyn and I had our meeting with Dr. Douglas LeRoy today, instead of on the 30th.  We have been reassured that this "situation" will pass, and that our status as missionaries for the Church of God is not going to change due to the resolution which I have mentioned on several occasions.  Praise God for this news, so that NOW we can get back to the work of the mission.

 

     A special thanks to each of you that wrote lettes to the World Missions department voicing your concerns over the resolution.

 

God Bless,

 

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

 

 

some advice from you

HI Folks,

 

     The mission continues to progress very well.  We are pleased with the progress on the school, and the construction is beginning to look very professional as the walls become more "finished", and the windows and doors are installed.  We praise God for the mercies He has provided in this phase of our mission.  Praise Him!

 

     Carolyn and I have a meeting at the World Missions department on July 30th, in about six days.  We are asking once again for your Spiritual intercession through prayer, and fasting...if you are so led to intercede on behalf of our mission.  After this meeting we may no longer be missionaries for the Church of God, or we may continue with this organization of devout believers.  If we continue as "church of God missionaries" then it will only be through the discretion of the board of directors, since there is a resolution against currently appointed missionaries operating a separate nonprofit organization.  If we DO NOT continue with the Church of God, I want everyone to know that the relationship we have enjoyed with these devout men and women is one which we will continue to cherish as our mission progresses and grows and tries to live up to the vision which God has given us concerning our actions.  We pray only that God's will be done in these matters.

 

     We covet your advice on what our next step may be if the board of directors decides that they cannot make our mission an exception to their resolution.  If we must continue our mission without the support of the greater Church of God organization, what should we do?  Should we continue on our own, without the backing of a larger organization?  Or should we actively seek out another denominational branch with which to align ourselves?  Either way we go, will not impact the donations we recieve or the status of the donations.  Your contributions will continue to be tax-deductible, in other words.  Carolyn and I feel strongly that religious leaders should fall under authority as they conduct themselves about God's business.  We also know that we fall under the authority of Jesus Christ and bibilical precepts and morality.  So we seek YOUR advice on what our next step, so to speak, may be.  We cannot guarantee that your advice will be THE advice which we follow, but we have the utmost respect for each of you, and we know that our decision will be guided not only by our prayers  but additionally by YOUR input and your response to prayer.  So we earnestly seek your advice as we rapidly appraoch this cross-roads, our friends.

 

Thank you and God bless!

 

Richard Becton

Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua

423 544-8316

flight@flash.net   

www.casadeservicio.org

 

muddy waters

Hi Folks,

 

     I am currently in New Jersey, finishing up the last three days of simulator training at the NETC, near Morristown.  While I've been here I've been pretty busy, but I want to at least get something in my blog this week.

 

     As you will remember from last week the World Missions department of the Church of God has decided to begin enforcing a resolution which they passed in 2002, to wit: No currently appointed missionary may operate an IRS approved nonprofit organization (approved under IRS code 501C3).  Most of you know also that Carolyn and I operate exactly this type of organization, called Casa de Servicio.  Operating under these IRS regulations makes our donors contributions TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 

 

     This resolution enforcement is something that is being conducted "across the board" and potentially impacts ALL Church of God missionaries.  We are setting up a meeting next week with some of the board of directors of the World Missions department, and trying to find out exactly where this leaves us in regards to our status with the Church of God.  We are prayerful that the board will grant us a waiver or something like that because the board, and the World Missions department knew from day one of our service that we operate this other organization.  We haven't kept it from them, and in fact told them right from the start about it.  So it was a surprise to us to receive the email from the General Director of the World Missions department.  We know that he is a Godly man, and that the board of directors are Godly servants, so we are praying that their prayers will lead them to help us in this circumstance.  The board can just as easily decide to NOT enforce this resolution, or to remove this resolution if God lays it on their hearts to do so.  Please join us in prayer for this upcoming meeting.

 

     Let me reiterate to each of you, our supporters and prayer partners, that whether or not the World Missions department grants us this waiver we will remain YOUR MISSIONARIES, and your donations and contributions will continue to be tax-deductible. 

 

God Bless!

 

Richard Becton

 

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

 

news from "above"

Hi Folks,

 

     We received news from "above," not the "above" you're thinking of, but the board of directors of the Church of God's World Missions department.  We received this news along with every other missionary in the field. 

 

     It seems that some years ago, the board of directors included a statement that "currently appointed missionaries" may "not be allowed to operate private 501 - C3 organizations." 

 

     The email was to the point, and said that although in the past this has been disregarded, that NOW it will be enforced.  So ANY missionary for the church of God that operates a private nonprofit entity, like Casa de Servicio will be "reported" at the next board meeting.  It was a surprise to us, and the many pastors and evangelicals which we work with in the Church of God here in Nicaragua. 

 

     Let me reassure each and every one of the many people, organizations and Churches that send us support that even if we were no longer a part of the church of God, your donations are still wholly and completely tax deductible.

 

     We are duly concerned about this news for the obvious reasons:

 

   1) We operate a private nonprofit organization (Casa de Servicio) and are therefore subject to whatever ramifications this entails from our "parent body" the World Missions department of the church of God. 

 

     2) Of GREATER CONCERN for us is that this policy has potentially wide ranging effects upon other branches of the church of God organization.  For instance, I know of many churches that also operate private nonprofit entities, and our fear (although there is no direct evidence of this, admittedly) is that the church of God may ban churches from operating nonprofit entities as well (for instance, food kitchens, or clothing distribution networks, or orphanages under private nonprofit entity charter). 

 

     3)  If this policy is enforced, and not changed, then Carolyn and I will be obligated to cease our missionary activities for the Church of God.  We will effectively be back to "square one" as we begin anew to fulfill the vision which God Himself has laid upon our lives.   We will of course no longer have the participation of the church of God,   The bulk of our donations for the mission here in Nicaragua comes from private parties, and churches outside the charter of the church of God. 

 

     4)   After hurricane Felix hit the Miskito coast of Nicaragua the church of God sent three containers of relief goods to the area.  What a HUGE blessing the church of God was to the Miskito people in their time of need.  Additionally, the office of emergency response headed up by Brother Richard Baker was what can only be described as "ultra-responsive" in their efforts to alleviate pain and suffering.  Brother Baker actually came down to Puerto Cabezas in person to assist and distribute the goods which were so desparately needed at that time.   One of the things we would lose, would be this immense response to emergency and cataclismic occurances.  What a huge blessing the church of God was at that time....we would miss their assistance dearly in a time of need.  Although, realistically, they came for the churches here, not because we were here as missionaries. So perhaps our beloved Miskito people wouldn't have to suffer after all. 

 

       We intend to continue the mission here in Nicaragua, until God Himself sends a replacement for us.  This mission is of God, and has been blessed at every juncture because it is a mission which He desires.  We expect these blessing to continue as we endeavor to fulfil the wishes of our Heavenly Father for the Miskito people.

 

      The only effective change in our mission will be that we no longer carry a card in our wallet which says "church of God missionary"...if this policy is enforced.  I don't know how reactive the church of God organization is to grass roots efforts concerning their policies, or if the church of God will listen to input from the various persons and parties and churches which have thus far supported our mission in Nicaragua.  However should anyone desire to contact the World Missions department with questions concerning this newly enforced policy please write them at:

 

Church of God, World Missions

ATTN: Dr. Douglas LeRoy, General Director

PO Box 8016

Cleveland, TN 37320-8016

423 478-7190

 

      DLeRoy@cogwm.org

 

Or Ken Anderson, my regional supervisor at:

 

    kanderson@cogwm.org