Goodbye GFA

This month I’m officially saying “goodbye” to Gospel Fellowship Association (GFA). It doesn’t seem that long ago that Sarah and I sat in a room with a few Board Executives as they questioned our testimony and plans to plant a church in Queens (we were living in Brooklyn). That committee cleared us to serve as a young couple in the GFA Church Planting Program. I’m thankful they said yes!

As I think back on the last 12 years serving as a pastor at Grace Baptist Church, I’ve learned to appreciate GFA even more. [As an aside, I like the whole raising support for missions process more than most people. But that is a discussion for another day.]

In Romans, Paul states that those who “go” to speak the Gospel have beautiful feet. I guess that means that those who help “send” them (hold the ropes) must have beautiful hands (? = ) ). GFA is no exception. Here are a few things I’ve learned to appreciate from this special organization:

A Family Atmosphere

I have gotten to know most of the staff personally and have enjoyed each person. They all contribute to the family. When one hurts, the rest hurt, and when one cheers the rest cheer.

This caring mentality in a larger organization is not by accident, it is supernatural. God’s Spirit is enabling their work. And so, they do their task joyfully as unto the Lord. From Dr. Batory to the nursery workers who selflessly take their vacation time to staff the nursery at week-long conferences, there is a Philippians 2 mindset that is God’s doing.

Standing Strong for Very Long

There is something to people wanting to work somewhere for decades. I’ve been able to attend a few of the annual family conferences over the years and am struck with the number of people who have served in one way or another for decades. Some for over 50 years!

This speaks of an organization that takes care of itself and is healthy. It also speaks to an organization that is standing on the Faith. Organizations built on fads, or personalities come and go, but those built on promoting the Faith while staying true to the Faith last over the generations.

A Wonderful Group of Missionaries

I’m not sure how many serve as missionaries with GFA. I believe a little over 200 individuals. Their office staff helps send those who go, and a faithful network of local churches get behind the whole project. I’ve learned to love and pray for so many of these families, and have found them special even though often unheralded servants of Chris here below.

Of course, anyone who leaves all and follows Christ to another land is special, and I’ve learned to treasure each of these precious souls from the multitude of mission boards helping today (Thank God we’ve grown from the Carey days!). But, these families from GFA have gained a special place in my heart and my prayers. It will be fun to see the Lord honor these faithful bond slaves in the resurrection. I believe that those whose names are known well across the US as church heroes are probably not the ones whose names are known most in heaven or in the spiritual realm. Not sure about that, but we’ll see soon enough. “Paul I know, but…”

Promoting Faithfulness

I’m familiar with ministries that push for “numbers” spiritually, and know that is a very dangerous emphasis. Often a flesh-empowered-efforts rather than Spirit-empowered-efforts slip into that type of emphasis. At GFA, I’ve found everyone rejoiced at the “success” of seed that blossoms into abundant fruit, and yet, I’ve seen the same rejoicing in the faithful sowing of Gospel seed for years with little apparent fruit. I like that. Our hope must be in the power inherent in the Gospel seed, not how fancy one slings it across the field.

A Like-Minded Network

When I partnered with GFA, I entered a large network of like-minded churches across the US. Out of those, some 50 local churches allowed us to visit and share our burden for church planting in Queens. 20 or so of those churches got behind us in those early days with support. We only have a handful of financial supporters at this time, but this network and those 50 churches were far beyond what I could have gained after many years of relationship building.

I love the original missionary sending team from England. Those few ministers in Kettering from the Particular Baptist Missionary Society were brave as they banded together to hold the ropes for Carey. And yet, their resources were meager because they not only had to thrust Carey out, but organize a funding arm through their own tireless traveling.

To have a like-minded group of churches ready to hear my Gospel burden was something that is beyond value. Many of the minor issues that a church might disagree with from my own personal philosophy of ministry were already bypassed, so I didn’t have to weed through these contacts to find a like-minded network.

Accountability without Aggravation

I’ll be honest I don’t like paperwork. I like hard work, and often I confuse the two as mutually exclusive. I’m growing in my paperwork abilities but acknowledge a need to grow even more = ) And so I’ve appreciated the accountability of monthly reports without an overbearing, controlling, red-tape structure that would take me to Dickens’ circumlocution office.

I know there is more structure for the missionaries serving abroad, but for me it has been accountability, visiting, monthly reporting. But primary accountability to the partnership with our mother church while our church raised our own accountability structure. Once the church gained a membership much of the accountability structure was left to the mother church and daughter church. GFA strikes a great balance of these necessary functions that can be excessive in either direction… too much oversight, or too little oversight.

Gracious

GFA Church Planting program gave 20k over the first two years of our moving to Queens to help our support level. That’s gracious even 12 years after the fact.

The support staff have helped our family so much. They have helped us purchase home-schooling curriculum, they have graciously responded when I’ve been late on reports or deadlines (but making sure I get it in, of course). They have given their time when I have had questions, always responding promptly and accurately. (Thanks Dale!) 

I could go on, but I better make an end of this public thanks... And so, although I’m saying goodbye in one sense, I’m not saying goodbye for good. Because this is a sound organization that I’ll delight to continue to help and pray for years into the future.

Thanks so much, GFA family!

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