Yes. Evangelism dollars are available to every state convention in the SBC. In fact, in total, more funds are available. That is consistent with NAMB’s “it’s all about the gospel” approach. Everything we do is about evangelism. That’s why we exist. As a matter of good stewardship, NAMB is simply asking for a strategy to identify where and how the dollars will be spent before they decide to invest and for how much. It’s a strategy before funding model instead of a funding before strategy model.
In the past, NAMB sent a designated amount of evangelism dollars to each state; then each state would report, at year end, how those funds were spent. In reviewing those reports, NAMB found that the majority of the evangelism funds were not being spent on evangelism training and equipping for pastors and churches, as was the intent of the investment. Also, $2.2 million in evangelism funding went unspent in non-South state conventions between 2015 and 2019.
Now, strategy precedes funding, and there simply needs to be a strategy for those dollars ahead of time.
Over the last 10 years, we have also seen that evangelism is accelerated through church planting. Newer churches reach more people with the gospel, and that is shown through the large number of baptisms coming from churches planted since 2010.
Through church planting, NAMB provides assessments, training, coaching, care and planter funding for every planter who passes the Send Network assessment, extending the gospel-reach potential of that new church plant.