Let’s start with blessings: God is good; His people at James Island Baptist are generous; our church has no debt; we are fully staffed with gifted and talented leaders; the Word of God is taught; outward focus to the community and world is a priority; and to God be the glory. In addition to the mission support in our budget, in 2023 you have given an additional $92,000 to local and global mission causes. That is above our budgeted mission and ministry line items. Really, that is not nearly all that you do, but it is enough to get us started shouting AMEN! Take a moment and think what you would add to this blessing list. Thank you for your generous giving and your generous living.
Each year our Budget and Finance Team gathers budget requests from all of our ministry and mission teams. Along with the staff, they review these requests with prayerful and expectant hearts. I cannot remember a mission request ever being turned down. There were many times when our team found a better way to provide and fund a mission or ministry request. Your Budget and Finance Team works with the belief that if God is leading us to a mission or ministry, HE will provide the means. That has been a blessed combination.
Copies of the 2024 Mission and Ministry Budget are available at all the entrance doors to the Worship Center. The names of the Budget and Finance Team are included in the brochure. Please feel free to ask them any questions you might have about the budgeting process. The Church Family will vote on the Church Budget on Sunday, December 31.
This Budget represents our church family’s efforts to carry out the purposes of God: to bring people into God’s family; build them up to be more like Jesus; involve them in ministries to the church and community; to lead them to be outward focused in their life, the life of their family, their Connection Group and Church; and to worship Him with how we live our lives and as we gather weekly.
To God by the glory,
Pastor Tom
