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The Baptist Program

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 17, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 9.

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The Baptist Program

THE Baptist churches of America have entered upon what is called the Five-Year Program. This program calls for the following:—
  1. A million additions to our churches by baptism.
  2. A missionary force of 5,000 men and women in America and the non-Christian world.
  3. Two million dollars of endowment for the Ministers’ and Missionaries’ Benefit Board.
  4. Twenty-five student pastors in universities, 1,000 Baptist students in theological seminaries, 15,000 students in colleges and universities, and $6,000,000 for additional endowment and equipment at home and abroad.
  5. An annual income of $6,000,000 for missions and benevolence.
In order that the goal of this program may be attained the following suggestions are made to each church:—
  1. One new follower of Christ annually for every eight members.
  2. One minister or missionary produced from its membership during the five-year period.
  3. One of its young people in college for every 100 members or major fraction thereof.
  4. Gifts by individuals (in addition to church offerings) and legacies or annuities for Baptist missionary, benevolent, and educational work.
  5. A fifteen-per-cent increase each year in offerings to missions and benevolences.
The situation which exists in the world at the present time is making stirring appeal to the Protestant churches of America. There is a general feeling that a crisis has been reached in the history of the church, and many devout men in different denominations are making earnest effort to stir the members of their churches to greater activity. Surely the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church should feel the responsibility and the burden of the work which has been committed to them. Of all the churches in the world we who are looking for the speedy return of the Lord, and who realize that there has been committed to us a message regarding his soon coming, should put forth every effort within our power to speed the message to earth’s remotest bounds. God will bless us in this endeavor.