To this day there is a group of churches in my home town that protest nearly every SBC program, call out popular SBC pastors by name and refuse to cooperate with 95% of all local SBC churches. Some stopped giving money to the SBC years ago. Still…they have refused to become independent. Why? Missions.

When I departed for Alaska in 1999 as an independent missionary, my deputation was referred to as “begging” by some. They asked “Why don’t you just join the NAMB and get a regular salary?” I remember my response: “That would cost too much.” I have no regrets.

That being said, I think our current system is very, very poor and possibly unsustainable for the long-term future. One missionary friend told me his family had visited over 400 churches in three years. He is a dynamic speaker and a very hard worker – they were still lacking funds.

This summer I read some good thoughts on the matter from Missions Mandate. I believe the time is long past for independent churches to start re-thinking some of the practicalities of the system.