You have questions, we have answers
If your question is not addressed below, please email [email protected].
The Supreme Court has declined to review the long-running legal dispute filed against our ministry, bringing the litigation to a close. Here is our statement.
NAMB is deeply grateful for its retirees and for their faithful years of service to Southern Baptists. Their commitment and sacrifice have helped advance the work of the Gospel, and they continue to impact God’s Kingdom in meaningful ways.
The following is information about the recent decision to discontinue life insurance for NAMB retirees:
Why did NAMB make this decision?
NAMB was notified by its benefits provider of significant and unsustainable cost increases associated with retiree life insurance. After carefully evaluating all available options, we determined that continuing the life insurance benefit was no longer financially sustainable while also preserving retiree health benefits and stewarding resources responsibly to advance our mission.
This decision was not made lightly and followed extensive review and deliberation.
Did NAMB explore alternatives before making this decision?
Yes. NAMB thoroughly explored options to continue offering both retiree health and life insurance benefits. Unfortunately, no viable long-term solution was available that would allow us to maintain retiree life insurance without compromising financial sustainability.
Is there misinformation circulating about this decision?
We are aware that some information being shared does not reflect the full context or facts behind this decision. We encourage anyone with questions or concerns to contact NAMB directly so we can provide accurate information and clarity. Questions can be emailed to [email protected].
What is NAMB doing to support retirees during this transition?
To support retirees during this transition, NAMB has taken the following steps:
- Increased Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) funding over current allocations for a period of two years, and
- Partnered with GuideStone to help provide assistance retirees in reviewing and securing individual life insurance coverage directly.
These steps were taken specifically to help ease the impact of this change.
How does the increased HRA funding help retirees?
The increased HRA funding provides additional financial support that retirees may use for eligible healthcare-related expenses, in accordance with the HRA plan terms, helping offset costs during the transition period.
Can retirees continue life insurance coverage after December 31?
Yes. Retirees may pursue individual life insurance coverage directly through a provider of their choice. Eligibility, premiums, and coverage amounts will depend on the individual policy selected.
Does this change affect retiree health benefits or other benefits?
No. This change applies only to retiree life insurance coverage. Retiree health benefits and other retirement benefits are not affected.
What should retirees do next?
Retirees are encouraged to:
- Review communications regarding the upcoming change
- Consider their personal life insurance needs
- Contact NAMB for further information
Who can I contact for more information?
If you have questions or would like to discuss your situation, please contact:
- Email the North American Mission Board (NAMB) at [email protected] or call NAMB at 1-800-634-2462.
Southern Baptists have a long history of partnering with the federal government to resettle refugees. Beginning in 1948, Southern Baptists helped resettle displaced Europeans impacted by World War II. Since then, Southern Baptists have been involved in a variety of ways to resettle refugees from Cambodia, Thailand, Cuba, Vietnam, and the former Soviet Union, among many other nations.
In 2023, at the height of more than 100,000 legal refugees entering the United States annually, Send Relief was approached by a fellow evangelical ministry, World Relief, to help with resettlement. World Relief is one of 9 resettlement agencies approved by the federal government and has been involved in this work for more than 40 years.
For one year, Send Relief served as a temporary, affiliate resettlement agency at its Boston Ministry Center. This was a strategic ministry opportunity that allowed Send Relief and its many church partners to serve refugees as they legally entered the United States.
During this time, Send Relief’s team helped resettle 60 refugees. All 60 heard the Gospel and were connected to a local church. Of the 60, 43 refugees are still actively involved in a local church and 26 profess faith in Christ.
As an approved resettlement agency, World Relief received government funds to cover the cost of legal refugees’ housing, basic needs, and help finding a job. As Send Relief helped in this effort, World Relief reimbursed our ministry for expenses we incurred. Send Relief received no funding directly from the government.
Send Relief is not dependent on government resources and is grateful for the generous offerings and private donations Southern Baptists provide for our ministry. The funding that came through World Relief totaled 0.3 percent of Send Relief’s budget for 2023. Send Relief only considers the use of government resources if it fits our ministry strategy and specifically does not prohibit introducing those we serve to Jesus.
When disasters come, when refugees arrive, when orphans need homes — government agencies step forward with resources and then look for partners to distribute meals, rebuild homes, and meet other needs. We are grateful that Southern Baptist Christians have so often stepped forward and met those needs while sharing Christ.
While Baptists maintain a strict line opposing the government’s interference with local churches, there’s a long-standing precedent of Baptist organizations partnering with agencies that work with federal or state governments (children’s homes, disaster relief, refugee resettlement, foster care, etc.), as long as there are no religious strings attached.
There has been some speculation online about the salary of a former NAMB employee.
While NAMB can’t share confidential salary information about any current or former employee or comment specifically on active litigation, no one at NAMB — now or at any time — has ever been paid anywhere near as much as the salary amount that is being speculated online.
The court filing which appears to have given rise to this online speculation is publicly available, and it does not mention NAMB by name. There is no way to factually conclude from that document what the plaintiff or any other employee was being paid by NAMB. It is regrettable that some parties have drawn conclusions and spread them around the Internet. Unfortunately, none of these parties contacted NAMB first for confirmation or denial.
At NAMB we are grateful for every dollar Southern Baptists have entrusted to us, and we strive to be the very best stewards of those resources. You can read more about that on our Financial Transparency and Accountability page.
The North American Mission Board’s involvement with a church plant usually lasts through year four. Currently we are seeing that more than 86 percent of church plants are surviving through four years. These are very strong numbers, but NAMB is committed to doing even more to be sure that church plants get off to a strong start. That’s why we have invested more in recent years in church planter assessment, coaching, training, benefits and care. Church plants face all the challenges established churches face—fewer people attending church regularly, fewer identifying with Christianity, increased economic pressure, increased divisiveness. These factors and others make it more challenging than ever to successfully launch a church, and this is why Southern Baptists must continue to invest significantly in our church planting efforts.
Dhati Lewis, who formerly served as president of NAMB’s Send Network church planting arm, is gospel-centric in everything he does. Dhati’s top priority is starting new churches that will reach people for Christ.
In the video in question, Dhati is saying that the gospel not only has the power to make you right with God (1 Cor 15:3), it also has implications for restoration in communities (James 2). This isn’t a watering down of the gospel—it’s an acknowledgement that—literally—the gospel changes everything.
Dhati believes that salvation and forgiveness of sin’s comes through Christ alone, through faith alone and his video does not intend to imply anything but that.
His comments are in the spirit of Ephesians 2:8-10: For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Good works are not the gospel, but they are the outworking of it. NAMB is very clear and consistently clear about Jesus being the one and only way to salvation. You can find this throughout the evangelism resources section of our web site.
At the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, messengers approved a recommendation directing NAMB to dedicate at least half of its resources to church planting. NAMB is following that mandate, having made this shift, over the last several years.
Through this increased investment, NAMB now provides four years of funding and support for many church plants, instead of the previous average of three years. In addition, we invest much more in our improved, comprehensive church planter assessment process and in orientation, training, coaching and enhanced church planter care. This process is designed to raise the survivability rate of churches planted as well as generate a culture of churches that will multiply and plant multiple other churches.
The current church plant survival rate after four years is 86 percent, a reflection that the increased investment in each church plant is working—especially in much higher-cost urban areas across North America.
In 2010, NAMB raised the standard in how we count church plants. Previously, NAMB reported a general “new congregation” total that included both churches planted and established churches that decided to affiliate with the SBC without providing a breakdown of how many congregations were in each category. Additionally, for the church plant count before 2010, NAMB only asked our state partners for the overall number of church plants for their state each year, without asking for identifying details for each plant.
Today, we require an SBC ID number, church name, church address and name of planter for each new church plant before we will count a new plant. None of these requirements were in place prior to 2010, and because of that, an unknown number of church plants were counted twice or more during the annual tallying. Without the SBC ID number requirement, a broad definition of “church” was applied, leading to artificially higher numbers in the past.
In addition to these changes, NAMB also raised the bar on missionary assessments to ensure that church planting missionaries are better prepared for the rigors of church planting. Even if the total number of churches planted is lower than any of us would like, the survival rate – nearly 90 percent after four years – is better than ever. And that higher survival rate should be the ultimate measure.
In church planting, our biggest challenge today is the need for more qualified church planters. As Southern Baptists, we need our churches to continue calling out the called at a higher rate. The bottom line is that planters come from churches, not from NAMB. They come from big churches, small churches, urban centers, suburbia, and small towns. And we need your help.
The first, and most important, investment we ask for is prayer, committing your church to being a prayer warrior for the planters and their families who are sharing the gospel in the toughest places. You can connect with our church planters today.
Text PRAY right now to 888123 (Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg & data rates may apply. Terms & privacy: slktxt.io/7pu7).
Financial Transparency and Accountability
The North American Mission Board (NAMB) is committed to the highest standards of financial integrity, independent oversight and biblical stewardship. The missionaries and staff who serve NAMB are grateful for the offerings and donations that fuel the ministry. This page highlights the ways NAMB practices transparency in how finances and resources are utilized as well as the oversight and accountability that is in place to ensure NAMB’s resources are stewarded well.
NAMB is accountable to its Board of Trustees. Members of NAMB’s Board of Trustees are all Southern Baptists. Trustees are elected by messengers at the SBC Annual Meeting to provide oversight and accountability. Trustees have approved and regularly review NAMB’s financial policies and practices. Trustees have established a compensation committee that utilizes information from independent compensation analysis professionals to determine appropriate salary ranges for all NAMB ministerial staff.
NAMB is accountable through reporting. NAMB reports annually to members of the SBC Executive Committee (SBCEC) and answers questions from SBCEC members. NAMB reports each year to messengers at the SBC Annual Meeting and takes questions from messengers. NAMB provides an annual report to the national executive director and board of the Woman’s Missionary Union detailing how Annie Armstrong Easter Offering® funds are spent. NAMB’s reports are published online for Southern Baptists to review.
NAMB is accountable through independent audits. An independent, outside firm conducts an audit of NAMB each year. In addition, NAMB has an independent, internal auditor who reports directly to the Board of Trustees. This has been the case since 2006.
NAMB is accountable through accreditation and ratings from independent, third-party sources including current accreditation awarded by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and a Platinum seal of transparency on our GuideStar nonprofit profile through Candid.
Yes. NAMB invested more than $17 million in 2020 through state convention partners. For the last 10 years, under the guidance of our Board of Trustees, NAMB has been more strategic with the funding we send to state conventions. We are grateful to our South state convention partners who helped us transition millions more dollars to areas outside the South where Southern Baptists resources are scarce.
At the same time, we believe churches plant churches, and we are shifting more of our funding for church plants to go through Sending Churches, where oversight and involvement can be more direct. This means that funding for church plants, which once passed through a state convention, now goes directly through a new church plant’s Sending Church.
In addition, beginning in 2021, NAMB is asking state partners outside the South to provide a strategy for evangelism funds before we provide funding. The same amount of evangelism funding will still be available for approved expenditures.
Because NAMB wants its resources focused on evangelism and church planting, we are also asking state conventions that are more than 30-years-old to cover their own administrative costs starting in 2022.
On a few, rare occasions NAMB has purchased a home for a specific missionary family in the area where he is planting. When we are able to facilitate this, we sell the home to the planter at our actual cost. NAMB does not seek to profit from the property or the planter in these rare cases. However, we do recoup 100% of our investment to assist other planters. This program is in keeping with our goal to remove barriers that keep a church planter from being able to get to the mission field.
NAMB helps Southern Baptists plant churches everywhere for everyone, but most new churches are needed in and around large population centers, which characteristically have very high housing costs. In New York City, rent averages $2,900 per month across the five boroughs. In Los Angeles, the median home sells for $764,000. Average rent is $2,524 per month for an 800-square-foot apartment. Groceries are 30% more expensive in New York City than in Chicago.
To address this, NAMB has purchased housing units in or near large cities and, in a few cases, in other strategic locations near Multiplying Churches. These houses are intended for temporary use by missionaries. Typically, a church planter and his family live in one of these homes for the first 12-24 months after moving to a city to plant a church. Once a planter is established, they move out and another missionary family moves in. The planter only pays for the cost of utilities.
At the current portfolio size, this collectively saves Southern Baptist planters as much as $5.7 million each year in rent, and each purchase is reviewed by NAMB trustees. As needs shift in an area, homes can be sold, allowing NAMB to further recoup its investment.
No. The person suing NAMB has portrayed our defense that way, but it is simply not true.
We have consistently affirmed, “NAMB has never asserted — through its defenses in this lawsuit or otherwise — that it has authority or ‘hierarchical’ control over any SBC church, association, convention or other entity. NAMB firmly believes in and supports autonomy and congregational cooperation in the SBC, which is grounded in our theology.”
While we are necessarily limited in what we can say about pending litigation, NAMB’s court filings are publicly available and clearly lay out our position. For example, one of our recent filings stated clearly, “Baptist ecclesiology is non-hierarchical; spiritual authority rests with individual congregations that then partner with one another to advance gospel work on a broader scale.” We encourage you to read our court filings and not rely on mischaracterizations found on the internet.
A more comprehensive background on the case is available here.
NAMB’s ministry is unique, and the way we manage our reserves reflects that. NAMB’s reserves are not passive. They are at work serving church planters and other missionaries. Sixty-five percent of NAMB’s reserves are committed to church loans and property. This property includes transitional missionary housing, buildings being used by church planters and Send Relief ministry centers. We make loans so church plants, which otherwise would not qualify for a loan, can have a place to worship. When a church matures, it usually refinances through another financial entity.
The remaining 35 percent of our reserves are committed to contingency in case of a financial crisis, catastrophic needs for missionaries and short-term strategic projects. During the 2020 pandemic, for example, when the rest of the world said “stop,” we were able to say “go” to our missionaries because we had adequate reserves through the faithfulness of Southern Baptists.
NAMB did not file the case, and we are not able to state the plaintiff’s true motives in filing a lawsuit against our ministry. NAMB has consistently denied all the allegations leveled against it by the plaintiff and consistently stated that it will vigorously defend itself in the appropriate forum. So long as the plaintiff chooses to maintain his unfounded claims against our ministry, NAMB will defend itself.
NAMB’s court filings are publicly available and clearly lay out our position. We encourage you to read them and not rely on mischaracterizations found on the internet. A more comprehensive overview on the case is available here.
Every year, NAMB invites church planting missionaries from around North America to be a part of the SBC annual meeting. While there, they receive training, but the main purpose is to help them meet and connect with their Southern Baptist family and to gain a vision for and an appreciation of the broader SBC. Typically, NAMB helps planters with hotel and meal expenses while individual planters are expected to pay for the cost of their travel to and from the event. Despite what has been reported in some circles, NAMB never tells anyone how to vote in SBC business sessions. For further reading on this topic, see this article.
NAMB has 26 current or retired pastors who serve in part-time or contract roles to assist NAMB in staying connected to pastors across North America, providing support, encouragement and ministerial resources. In addition, they are an extension of our mobilization force as we seek to connect churches to Send Network, Send Relief and evangelism. They are paid, on average, $15,000 per year.
NAMB has always and will always only endorse Biblically qualified men as pastors. NAMB is committed to the Baptist Faith & Message, is complementarian by conviction and does not endorse women as pastors.
NAMB also requires that planters endorsed by NAMB align with the practice of the majority of Southern Baptist churches—that only qualified men will hold the office or title of “pastor/elder/bishop/overseer” and, as such, serve as the communicator for teaching and preaching in their main gatherings or worship services.
If an occasion occurs in which a church planter insisted on maintaining a woman in a pastor role or title on staff, NAMB will remove its endorsement and funding.
When we reviewed our endorsed church planters recently, we found a small handful who had women using the word “pastor” in their title, and none were lead pastors. In each case we worked with these churches and planters to model sound ecclesiology in accordance with Southern Baptist’s understanding of Biblical teaching. Unfortunately, in a couple of instances, we could not convince them, and NAMB pulled our funding and endorsement.
Southern Baptists have directed NAMB to help churches plant churches in North America. It is our privilege to work with pastors and churches every day to plant churches everywhere for everyone. Families, neighborhoods and entire communities are being transformed by the hope of the gospel—a gospel being shared by incredible church planting missionaries who long for Christ to be known everywhere. Their work is fueled by the sacrificial giving of a cooperative denomination, whose strength is in our unity.
Questions about a specific church plant can be emailed to NAMB at [email protected].